For August, I not only felt energetic but inspired to illustrate four new drawings for Rain’s weekly prompts this month. I was happily taken by surprise, too. This is a good sign that I’m ready to get back into the saddle to participate more regularly.
When I was small, my folks made periodic trips to visit my great-grandparents. It seemed so far away for someone young. I have fleeting memories of my early years spent there but one stand-out memory was the refreshing taste of their well water. It was ice cold on the hottest summer day and we all drank from the same dipper kept in the water bucket. I wouldn’t do that today but we all survived sharing the same germs. I guess there’s some truth to “ignorance is bliss”. I’m glad I didn’t know that drinking after others might make me to get sick or that it’s not sanitary to reuse or to place the drinking dipper in the water bucket.
I betcha everyone of you have used the phrase “It’s raining cats and dogs” which no doubt someone always finished up the line by saying, “don’t step in a poodle!”.
After my previous post doodle it only seemed the perfect fit to have my little girl that was getting pelted with kitties and doggies to enjoy the sunlight with ‘Reflections in a rain puddle’. The critters didn’t disappear after the heavy rain fall as you can see. They are also enjoying their reflections.
For the final art prompt, I thought I would sketch a famous bearded celebrity. The pandemic has sparked a fad for men to ditch their razors to sport this casual look. Personally, I don’t like a lot of facial hair on a guy. Some look nice with a beard but not everyone. Anyway, I got to thinking about DH who missed a few days using the shaver. One day feels really scratchy but after four or five days it’s kind of interesting to touch. I teased him by calling him my little hedgehog. I imagined his short rough beard might feel like a hedgehog’s prickly fur, if that’s what it’s called but I have never seen a real life hedgehog much less touch one. Do you know?
A short stubbly beard brought to mind my grandpa tickling me as a kid while rubbing his unshaven face on my cheeks or belly. It was fun sorta but his face always felt like a Brillo pad. Way too rough for a child’s delicate skin but I wouldn’t trade those memories for the world!
Today, I want to list my thanksgivings. I’m thankful every day but I like that Brian sets aside a special day for us to bring those things to mind be it small or big.
Today, I’m thankful I am finally going to a specialist about the numbing/tingling in my right leg. My appointment is set for this afternoon. I hope this isn’t just another rabbit hole where the doctor can’t see anything that should be causing the problem. Obviously, something is amiss. We’ll see what happens but if a MRI is ordered then it will be still a ways out before I get a verdict.
I’m thankful that we’re getting some security measures in place for our computer and its data. I’m using a different browser which is supposed to be better than what I was using and we’ve taken other steps. Hopefully the things we’ve done will keep hackers and government organizations out of our business.
In our part of the country school is now in session. When I was a kid one song always came to mind with the start of a new academic year. I’m not sure why. Now that August is nearly faded away I can’t help but think again of Terry Jacks “Seasons In The Sun” for today’s TBT tune.
I remember this song being about a dying man but what I either didn’t know or forgot that the dying man was saying goodbye to his best friend and wife who had cheated on him with the same best friend forgiving her for breaking his heart. One thing I didn’t know is Jacks’ version is a cover of The Kingston Trio (1964) which is also a cover of the original written and performed by Jacques Brel in 1961. Cool, huh?
I got curious as to what Jacks did after his worldwide hit I shared earlier. I thought you might enjoy my discovery and am going to wrap things up with 40Seasons In The Sun with The Poppy Family featuring Terry Jacks as the lead vocalist. I’m heading over to Rain’s Garden to browse the gallery of artistry but don’t skip off just yet. Following this post, I’m joining Kat’s Writing Workshop. I felt it needed its own space and this may be the way to go for all future workshop dates. Have a doodletastic day! X💋X💋, Cathy
Eugenia’s passion is poetry and her weekly gig is perfect for creative writers. Each Thursday she offers a word to spark the imagination and if you’re inspired to write a ditty then be sure to let her know by leaving a comment on her site with a direct link to your post. Now, go visit my girl! 😉
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Hi Cathy! ☺ Oh I loved reading about your well water drinking. Yeah, reminds me of when I was a kid playing “bobbing for apples” I shudder now at the germs that I could have caught!! Blah! I really like your Ditches and Holes piece! That’s a lovely well, I still need to figure out how to top mine, though it does have a well cap, I wanted to make something decorative!
Oh yay! LOVE It’s Raining Cats And Dogs!!! I wish it were, I’d catch them and keep them all! And I had to laugh at “don’t step in a poodle” I actually never heard that one lol! Your “Reflections” is REALLY well done, great job on the actual reflections in the puddle. And I love the detail in the background too!
Your Hedgehog is super cute. Funny that you call your hubby that! ☺ I’m trying to figure out how to build a webstore, but Blogger doesn’t have the proper platform…Alex is going to help me build a website from scratch. I’m thinking Etsy too, though I need to find out how much they take for each sale. Never heard of Zazzle.
Great post, so glad to see you back! ♥
Sorry I am so late. Been a tough week. I do love your art and the memories.
Nicole,
No worries, darlin’! I’m sorry it’s been rough for you. I hope things improve fast. Thanks for the return visit and have a good week, dearie!
I think we were better off drinking from the same hose/bottle/dipper etc. We had good immune systems and it just made them better.
Great pictures! I really like the cats and dogs one…
John,
That’s a good argument, we probably did have better immune systems but then one could argue by saying the opposite. After I became an adult I didn’t like the idea of sharing drinks with anyone or eating after another except for DH or the kids when they were small. That was enough exchanging of germs and bodily fluids for me. lol It’s all in what one is used to when it comes to eating/drinking after others. I would hope those who are sick wouldn’t participate in community eating/drinking. I’m glad you liked my “Raining cats an dogs” illustration. It seems others like it, too.
I enjoyed your art pieces, Cathy, especially the raining cats and dogs ones. I used to drink out of a well with a dipper that belonged to a neighbor. We didn’t think anything of it. Thanks for the musical memories ~ I hadn’t heard terry Jacks in a long time. Happy September to you!
None of us EVER thought about drinking from others or eating after friends when we were younger. Sometimes that habit changes as we get older and sometimes not. But, it really isn’t a good practice because too often others pass something to others. Just think of the number of cases of mono get reported? Strep is another that gets handed off to others. I can’t tell you how often our kids got these after they moved out of the house and yet they continue to drink/eat after others.
I always enjoy your return to the fold … Your art work is awesome and funny. I love the “Raining Cats and Dogs”. I don’t think anyone, including myself, thought of that for the weather post. And LOL “don’t step in a poodle”. That is a first for me and a quite clever one at that. I have held a little hedge hog … people have them as pets here and so it is not unusual to see one around. They are cute little munchkins and your picture really captures that cuteness. I don’t know where you find the energy to create four weeks of posts at one time, but I always love when you do it. I turn your music on and then go back to the artwork while I listen. Wonderful post Cathy … look forward to seeing you on a regular basis.
Andrea @ From the Sol
Andrea,
I didn’t draw all of these pieces at one shot. I took the whole month to do them. This way I could just relax and share them at one time. Up until now, I haven’t had the energy to do new new illustrations but all of Rain’s prompts this month pulled me out of my summer time slump. I’m eager to get back on the road again to drawing weekly again. I’m surprised you hadn’t heard “don’t step in a poodle” before. That was something quite common we said when we were kids. I have no idea how it started but it always made me smile/giggle when I heard it. Ahhh, you’ve held a small hedgehog. Tell me does it feel a bit like a man’s short stubby beard as I thought?
Cathy, i always love your drawings and thank you so much for the trips down memory lane!
Mimi,
I’m glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane and my artwork. 🙂
Your drawings are really sweet ~ I never heard “don’t step in the poodle ~ That’s too funny! I haven’t heard that song season’s in the sun since the 70’s ~ it brought back memories of me listening to my record on my pink carpeted bedroom floor 🙂
Karen,
The 70s was chocked full of good music and for some reason Terry Jack’s “Seasons in the Sun” comes to mind as summer comes to an end. Thanks for joining me. I’ll hop over to check out your contributions this week next!
The hedgehog is so cute and I LOVE the raining cats and dogs. XO
Thanks, Ellen! I had a lot of fun sketching the raining cats and dogs artwork!
re your first comment about drinking in the same cup. If we can kiss and hug each other, why can we not drink in the same cup? Unless you know the berson before is sick.
I helped my father to boild wone well like that when I was young. He was digging and I had to remove the mud. Wet mud is HEAVY!
Love that little girl in the rain, remembering how fun it was to jump in the puddles. 🙂
Thanks for sharing and visiting my post. And yes. I love your hedgehog. I am a bit sad because I did not meet any real one this summer 🙁
Monica,
I’m not oppose to drinking after DH but anyone else I probably wouldn’t do it. I think many adult at least my age here in the US probably are more reluctant to sharing drinks/food with others they aren’t super close to. I guess if I had a beastie girl friend who I hung around with all the time then I might do the same but casual friends an family I do not see often definitely not. I usually don’t kiss other people because whatever comes in contact with my lips eventually make its way the mouth. Hugging is somewhat different somehow. Of course, you can get pick certain things off clothing that can get transmitted through your eyes, nose, or mouth. However, if I someone is sick then I won’t hug them. Those individuals usually understand and aren’t hurt by my decision to keep a little distance from catching whatever that person has. I think perhaps the whole refraining from drinking/eating from others is a mind set we move into as adults frequently here in the states, not always, but enough adults my age probably feel the same or somewhat like me. I’m probably a bit more cautious than most, though. Thanks for the return visit, my dear. Happy doodling!
Love the art and progressions really cute.
Please push for an answer even if they give you the hem-n-haw! There is nothing as bad as paresthesia. Nursey Dad says when it progresses it can be worse than pain as it is so annoying. Hope you get some help.
Purrs
Timmy,
Oh yeah, I will push for answers. The appointment went well. It was just an evaluation but he did do an x-ray of three views of my back. He told me it sounds like a bone piece or spur or just the bone is pressing on the nerve and ordered a MRI. The extra imaginary will show how much pressure is being put on the nerve and if he’s right in his early evaluation then he says a steroid injection in the back will help to calm the over-active nerves. I came home did a quick look online and this seems to be the first step they will take before considering surgery which is perfectly fine by me. I hope the shot takes care of it if that’s what it comes down to but I have to wonder will this require multiple visits or a time deal thing. Oh well…I’ll get the answers to these things and more. Thanks for visiting, my friend!
Hi Cathy! Thanks so much for joining in the Throwback Thursday. I was just thinking about your selection the other day as well. Great minds must think alike. Hope all goes well with your appointment. I’ve been exhausted the past 2 weeks. I hope it’s not an indication of something else going on. My next appt is early next month (september) so I guess I’ll wait to find out.
Mary,
Oh dear, I hope all is well with you. Hopefully, it’s just the heart that has you exhausted or something far less worrisome. I’ll keep you in my prayers, darlin’! Thanks for the return visit. Have a good weekend, my dear!!
Glad you caught up with the challenges, well done, along with some good memories. I hope you find out what this tingling is all about I can identify as the past few months I have had a swelling in my right ankle…the doc thinks it’s one of my bood pressure meds so I am testing the theory by going off it completely.
Christine,
Oh, my swelling of the ankle! That has to be uncomfortable. I’ve heard of meds causing such problems. Blood pressure issues are concerning. Thankfully that’s something I don’t have to worry about. I know my daddy has trouble with his and he might be on meds, too. It’s hard to keep up with what ailments he has or mommy. With aging comes difficulties sometimes. We have only one life, one body, it’s up to us to take care of what we have. Thanks for joining me, my friend. I’m heading your way now. 😉
I love them all. You’re so talented. Raining cats and dogs literally.
Have a fabulous Thankful Thursday, Cathy. Love and hugs. ♥
Sandee,
Yep, literally raining cats and dogs in my imagination anyhow. I had such fun drawing this one. Thanks for stopping by!
Some nice ones.
Good Thursday
much❤Thursday
Thanks, Gillena! So, happy you stopped by, my dear!
I love your sketches, they are fun ones! Good luck with the MRI and I hope they figure it out for you, I really do. We have blogger friends in Australia who take care of outside hedgehogs, they have a little living space for them. Thanks for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!
Brian,
How darling to know your Aussy friend takes care of hedgehogs! I’d love to see a baby hedgehog. 🙂
Hi again, Cathy!
Wow, you came back today in full force, dear friend! I’m glad I found both of your posts and didn’t miss the chance to gaze upon your excellent artwork. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I am stunned by the quality of your color illustrations. They are top notch, filled with nostalgia, fun and whimsy. While all of your creations are terrific, my favorite is “Raining Cats & Dogs.” I keep coming back to it, examining its detail. It makes me smile and warms my heart. That’s what great art does for the beholder! Like you, I remember drinking fresh cold well water when I was a boy, and yes, I used a metal ladle just as you described. We never gave a thought to the danger of sharing the dipper. Shucks, when I was little, I drank water straight from the backyard garden hose. Sometimes, to be funny, kids drank the pool water they were swimming in, and when I played little league baseball, the whole team shared a ladle and dipped drinking water from a bucket that sat next to the dugout and the dusty playing field. Your reminiscing also reminded me of my dad rubbing his stubbly bearded chin across my belly when I was very young. I begged him to do it, because it scratched and tickled at the same time and made me squirm and giggle. I haven’t thought about that in more than 60 years, Cathy. Thanks for triggering such a fond memory!
Good work tracing “Seasons In The Sun” all the way back. Terry Jacks’ hit version was a biggie in my neck of the woods and remains very popular today. I also enjoyed hearing Terry and The Poppy Family group doing their cover of “I’m Gonna Love You.” I knew right away it sounded like Buddy Holly, and my research revealed that Buddy originally waxed the song in 1957 and released it as a single in 1958.
I hope the specialist can give you answers and solutions for the numbing and tingling sensation in your leg. I’ll be thinking about you this afternoon and hoping it is a fruitful doctor visit. Let us know how it turned out. Have a wonderful Thankful Thursday and a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Cathy!
Tom,
Thanks for bouncing back over to look at today’s artwork. That was very kind of you. I’m glad in sharing my memories, I brought similar ones for you to mind. It’s funny how we never thought about doing the things you mentioned. We drank from the garden hoses, too. I never drank pool one on purpose, though. I thought it was awful when I accidentally got a big gulp. I was thinking the other night, we did stupid things as kids and thankfully survived all before the day of social media where kids only prove to the world just how stupid they really are. At least our stupid stunts weren’t broadcast globally. 😀 Thanks for the thoughts and well-wishes for my appointment. I’m sure I won’t know too much when I leave but just as long as he puts things into motion to getting this solved will be a good feeling. Not being able to do what I want just to keep the symptoms from flaring is aggravating. I want to be active!
You have been busy catching up with all the themes, well done! Hope all goes well with your doctor’s appt, I have an MRI coming up next week, too. I remember the ‘seasons in the sun’ song, too. You made some lovely illustrations. We have a lot of hedgehogs round here, they are always pretty creatures. Hve a great day, and a good and safe weekend, hugs, Valerie
Valerie,
I’ll say a prayer for you during your MRI. Have you seen a hedgehog in the wild? I don’t think I have ever seen one, other than in pictures. Baby hedgehogs look so cute! Thanks for the return visit, my friend. Be well!