Scavenger Hunt from Life #141: Dec 13 – 20, 2024

[NedL]

Ai -- thanks for the list! Like the postcard sized canal/boat! Somehow it seems warm at the soy sauce factory... it's been colder than usual and rainy here lately. Going to be glad when the sun comes out again.

Joan -- glad you got the car ( I don't like car shopping either, and might need to soon. Fortunately I think I know what I want... ) I like the way the sky looks in the beach/dune one... the florist and farmstand have nice holiday colors.

Jo -- Hi! Glad to see some pastels, nice colors!

Fletch and Vivian -- I love those cute Christmas animals!

I'll be out and about after the rain stops here... hopefully will get some sketching in before the end of the hunt!

 

[AiArts]

Fletch: Thanks for your kind words on my long tail boat sketch and Thai life. There are common cafes that look typical modern too; I just prefer to go to the ones that have been renovated from old buildings or old shops. Thanks for your pointer on the ink fountain pen. I will look into it.

Ned : Thanks so much. Have a joyful out and about.

Viv: Thanks... and what a beautiful happy decoration from NZ. Have a wonderful restful holiday.

Joan: Thanks. I understand. This year I send out my cards quite late. I also have not finish writing them... But it is the warm thought that counts, even our little cards arrive a bit late. have a wonderful restful holiday too.

Jo & all: Hello.

 

[Joan T]

Ned, thanks. We've been having some rain too...but we needed it. Hope you find something to sketch.

Ai, I'm almost done with the cards...hopefully tomorrow. (That's what I seem to say every day. lol)

11 - store front - watercolors and ink

 

[AiArts]

#4 Decoration... Hanging on big trees at Japanese style home garden cafe, named Tokizen..It is very rare to find a big estate home in Bangkok that makes part of their garden into a cafe.....made with wc+pencil+ ink

 

[Joan T]

Ai, you find the best cafes to sketch in. The ones here are so boring...You made the ornaments on the trees look so much better than in real life.

 

[AiArts]

Thanks so much Joan.

 

[Joan T]

12 - buildings - watercolors and ink
13 - golden ornaments

 

[AiArts]

Joan: Such a wonderful town... gorgeous scene sketch. I hope you regain your energy after the long drive trip.

 

[jmfletch]

Vivien - Adorable. Well done.

Ned - if stuck indoors, lots to draw and associate.

Ai - love your cafes in renovated places! Like Joan said. Cafes here are all cookie cutter clones. After that… well love the homemade garden café!

Joan - Neat store front. Love the tree/street scene. Going car shopping tomorrow. Been leasing Nissan Altimas for about 20 years now so is basically decision is on color and price.

Keep sketching
Fletch

 

[Jo Castillo]

Vivien, aww, cute doggie ornament or stuffed toy. I like your colors and technique. Hope you have a great Christmas.

Joan, yes sounded like kissing and mistletoe go together. I like the burito/mariachi place. Sounds interesting. Linda Ronstadt has some good mariachi music with her family from Douglas, Arizona. Nice triangle sort of area with the tree and buildings. Well done.

Ned, thanks, hope you get to sketch some more. I put up the tree today so .... Also a few lights on the fence.

Ai, happy to see you. Nice decorations at the cafe. Some neighbors have out some giant balls and bulbs. I should get sketchin'.

Fletch, new car for you, too. Nice. We just did the final payment on our Escape. Always makes me think of upgrading. Ha.

 

[Joan T]

Ai, thanks. I think I've got most of my energy back but getting ready for Christmas always wears me down. I don't know why since we don't really do much of anything. Our plans to go to Jerry's cousin's house fell through due to a medical problem. We may stay home by ourselves since I don't want to do another trip anywhere for a while.

Fletch, this car is a change for us. I think we had 5 Nissan Sentras in a row. lol If the seats weren't so low to the ground I would still go with the same car. Jerry was impressed with how easy it is to get into the Rav 4. I've been telling him but he didn't listen. If we didn't have a problem with the other car I'm sure we wouldn't be switching right now.

Jo, I've enjoyed hearing Linda Ronstadt's mariachi music as well as her traditional songs. She's a favorite of mine.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Lazy me sketched on my iPad which of course takes longer and I was wishing I had used ink or pastels. Ha. Number 3 silver - subbing pewter vase from Bolivia and Number 4 decoration - felt flowers made by Katie.

 

[jmfletch]

Joan - for the last 20 or years we have been leasing Nissans mostly Altimas. Sharon tried all there SUVs today but found then all too high so we are going with another Altima. Was actually amazed at how many SUV models they have but sticking with a car. All the SUVs she would need a lift to get in,

Jo - First blush just seeing te flowers I thought it was pastel. Really pretty.

#2 red, #3 green drawn in A5ish size sketchbook. Sketched basic shapes in pencil to get proportions than drew in ink with Platinum pen and ink. Added color with a really old set of markers due to time.

Keep sketching
Fletch

 

[Joan T]

Jo, I like your digital sketch of the vase and flowers. Nice!!

Fletch, I thought the Nissan Rogue was too high for me. The Rav 4 and the Honda HRV are both a little lower, which is good for someone with short legs like me. lol I can raise my seat in the Rev 4 so I can see over the screens they have on the dashboard now. Your ornaments are cute and nicely done...chipmunks?? I haven't sketched any of my ornaments yet this year. I've been busy and learning Italian (sort of) for a while every day with Duolingo.

 

[AiArts]

Jo: Love your digi of the pewter vase and the purple flowers.

Fletch: Such a cute pair of teddies in red and green. Well done.

Joan and all: Hello.

I did not sketch but manage to go into the central of the city to see some lighting in a short evening trip. We did not have much time but I do hope I can go explore more lighting in the city again and hope to be able to sketch some nocturne scene.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Thank you all. I hope to do that vase in pastel for a painting.

Joe, your Teddy bears are precious. Well done. I’m smiling.

 

[jmfletch]

Joan et alia. You can see the buck teeth but not the tail. They are beavers. No clue how beavers relate to Christmas but was cute and had year in it. Until we retired Sharon got a dated ornament every year. This one is now 32 years old.

 

[Joan T]

Fletch, I didn't notice there was no big, fluffy tail. They are cute either way!

"The Big Duck" as this is known is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was constructed in the 1930s to help its owner's duck farming business. It was used as a shop and in season there is still a small shop inside. It was built in Riverhead and now is located in Flanders. Pretty much anyone who travels or visits the east end of Long Island knows this structure. I love how it looks when it's decorated for Christmas.
14 - white duck - watercolors and ink

Here's a view of Lake Ronkonkoma from the county park.
15 - free space - watercolors and ink

 

[AiArts]

Fletch: Sorry that I mistook your sketch of cute beavers for cute teddy bears. My eyes must need new glasses.

Joan: Wonderful Christmas iconic duck. It is so uplifting to see. Well done sketch as well as the lake front scene.

Jo & all: Hello.

 

[Jo Castillo]

Ha, Fletch. I see the teeth now. We have the beavers at Buc-ee's convenience stores so I should have spotted it! They are getting more Buc-ee's in the east now. If you see one, try it. No big trucks allowed, huge clean bathrooms, food and knick knack shopping. BBQ stuff. No where to sit and eat, though. They want you to go potty, get your stuff and go!! Always busy and friendly. https://buc-ees.com/

Hi Ai and all....

Joan, Oh, I love the duck, too. What a neat historic piece. The view is beautiful.