6-30-2022 Eastern Red Milkweed Longhorn Beetle

The GDs and I saw this bug out on the back deck

and wondered what the heck it is!

So, we too this picture and did a Google Image search

and came up with the

Eastern Red Milkseed Longhorn Beetle!

Here are other online images of this bug...

quite the bright little bug, yes?

I may have to try sketching it!

The www says, 

"They're generally considered a beneficial insect 

because their feeding activity 

can end the life cycle of milkweed plants. 

This helps to control the milkweed plant, 

which can be invasive 

but is also an important food source 

and breeding location for monarch butterflies."

6-29-2022 Penny

yeh, yeh, I know...

she looks nothing AT ALL like Penny

on the Big Bang Theory...

but I keep on keeping on

practicing, practicing, practicing

free-hand sketching/drawing faces.

Eventually, I will get to where

it actually looks like the person,

even if it's just a caricature.

Each sketch I do teaches me something new.

6-28-2022 Sheldon Cooper

My free-hand sketch of Sheldon Cooper

(and reference photo)

while watching the Big Band Theory on tv tonight...

it's a hot mess, but I still love it!

6-27-2022 Layer 2 on Mandala ~ Fairies!

 

6-26-2022 Mandala #2 Progress

Layer 4...

Layer 5...

And I'm painting a mandala with each of the GDs too...

Layer 1 with D...

Layer 1 with J...

Artist J also has a Gnome house under construction...

so creative and talented!

6-25-2022 So, This Just Went Through...

This started at 2:30 a.m.

and woke us up with the lightning and thunder!

It's now 8:23, still pouring rain and pitch black outside

but at least the lightning has stopped

and the storm tracker ap shows that it's almost past!

 

6-24-2022 Deserted

We had the GDs from 8 a.m. - 8 pm. today

so decided to do something fun midday

to break up the hours...we went to the local trampoline park!

There was hardly anyone there...

it was like the girls had the place to themselves

and they loved it and took full advantage of it!

6-23-2022 Tried Sketching a Face on Collage...

 

6-22-2022 Layer 3 of Second Mandala ...and sketches

Layer 3 of my second Mandala painting ... love ... our life now...

a painting DH and I are doing together

alternating ideas and strokes...

Layer 2 of second Mandala ... love ... first 30 years of marriage...

Layer 1 of second Mandala ... love ... before marriage...

_________________________

And art with the grandkids...

...and more practice sketching faces...

6-21-2022 Happy Summer Solstice

 ...from Stonehenge's livestream...

6-20-2022 My Orbits

 

6-19-2022 Rainbow Fairies

This Fairy has laser eyes, 

so she has to wear special glasses

to protect other people...

6-18-2022 Some Summer Reads

6-16-2022 Soul of a Hippie

DD came over to paint with me this morning...

here's what I did in my journal...

still trying to decide if I want to add lines and dots inside the leaves...

6-15-2022 Eyes

Eyes...

the window to the soul...

got their annual checkup this morning...

then my DD and GDs to me and my dilated eyes

out to lunch to celebrate my 69th birthday!

Hard to believe that I'm beginning my 70th trip around the sun!

The good news was my prescription had not changed

and my eyes were given a clean bill of health

so I don't need to buy new glasses!

Whew!

6-14-2022 Flag Day - AND - Full Strawberry Supermoon!

 Quad Cities...110*F...

______________________

Tonight's Full Strawberry Supermoon

has a lovely aura!

I'm so glad we had clear skies to enjoy it!

6-13-2022 Furry Friends

I'm starting a new painting today called "Furry Friends".

I've never tried painting my (now deceased) cat Barucha before

but have been thinking about her a lot

since the granddaughters have gotten their new kittens,

so...since she was queen of the castle,

I'm giving her a royal purple background!

6-12-2022 Something Bright and Cheerful

...to lift my spirits...

Inspired by the flora at the hothouse...