Do You Need a Fun Summertime Read?

Then I recommend the most recent novel by blogging buddy Liz Hinds (Finding life hard?). It's a cozy mystery about a crime solving young woman who runs a catering service called Tabitha's Table (available in paperback or Kindle format at fine Amazon websites everywhere). Here's its concise plot synopsis --

Rescuing a victim of trafficking.

On the run from a criminal millionaire.

She was only supposed to be making sandwiches

but now Tabby finds herself in a real life adventure,

with only her mum, a disgraced policeman,

a farting dog, and two homeless friends to help.

Like all of Liz's novels, there's entertaining, quirky characters galore plus lots of humour and light-hearted fun (despite the book's more serious plot elements). This promises to be Book 1 in the Tabitha’s Table Mystery Series.

And HRH recommends this book as well, DESPITE THERE BEING NO CATS IN IT but only the aforementioned farting dog. I think HRH took the catering motif too literally though.

Moms Special Day

When your son is a rock star --

Let's end on a more serious note

about everyone and everything

encompassed by Mothers Day --

Friday Face OFF -- Woman at a Market

For this week's Friday Face OFF link party

of art featuring faces, hosted by Nicole of

DVArtist, Art, Food, Gardening blog . . .

Here's a graphite drawing I did last year

of a woman shopping at an outdoor market.

Her face in profile is not actually

the focus of the drawing, is it?

Our eyes are immediately drawn instead

to the woman's generously-sized body and

the huge tote bag or purse she's carrying

for all her purchases to go in.

It will soon be time again to attend

outdoor farmers markets.

They're a fun aspect of the summer

and autumn harvest season.

I enjoy going to them -- do you?

[Art and photo of art © Debra She Who Seeks, 2023]

Hokusai's Great Wave

The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, also known as The Great Wave or simply The Wave, is a woodblock print by the Japanese ukiyo-e artist Hokusai. It was published sometime between 1829 and 1833 in the late Edo period as the first print in Hokusai’s series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. I was fortunate enough to see an original print of The Great Wave at the Japan Ukiyo-e Museum located near Matsumoto when we were there in 2012.

One of my favourite souvenirs from Japan is this cute little tote bag featuring a couple of maneki-neko ("beckoning cats" or "lucky cats") riding in one of Hokusai's storm-tossed boats --

As the tote bag shows, The Great Wave is now a pop art icon, instantly recognizable no matter what form it takes. So here for your viewing pleasure are a few notable versions I've come across on the internet over the years --

Digitized poster, 1982 --

Cookie Monster version --

Photographic art by Tim Walker, 2019 --

Japan-based artist and LEGO Certified Professional,

Jumpei Mitsui created this version with 50,000 LEGO --

Circuit board print by Alain Bousquet, 21st century --

"Uprisings, 2003" by artist Kozyndan --

Wil Wheaton Bedhead GIF --

I Could Use A Good Soak Right About Now

Cinco De Mayo

Wikipedia says that -- 

"More popular in the United States than in Mexico,

Cinco de Mayo has become associated with

the celebration of Mexican-American culture."

Cinco de Mayo is not a big celebration

here in Canada, probably because our

Mexican community is historically a

small percentage of our population

(although growing these days).

Judging from the internet, however,

Cinco de Mayo seems to be more of an excuse for

general drinking and partying than anything else,

just like St Patrick's Day has become.

Perhaps Canadian bars make a big deal

out of Cinco de Mayo, I don't know.

I suspect not, though, because right now

every bar in Canada is catering to legions

of drunk hockey fans watching

the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

That's where the money is in Canada, LOL! 

Well, this has turned out to be

a rather desultory post, hasn't it?

American readers, do YOU celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

Consenting Adults Only!

Happy Beltane/May Day!

To celebrate today's major Wheel of the Year festival, here are two recent pagan musical gems which I recently discovered thanks to fellow bloggers! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Everybody Goes To Hell

Sung and written by Candi Carpenter

Thanks to Lady M's Haunted Parlor for introducing me to this song and singer! See more info about Candi Carpenter here.

Savage Daughter

Sung by Ekaterina Shelehova

Written by Karen Kahan / Wyndreth Berginsdottir

Thanks to The Blog Fodder for introducing me to this song and singer -- see his blog post here for more info about Ekaterina Shelehova and more videos of her music.

Criminals, All of Them