§ It's a Draw!!

I mentioned the other day in a blog post that when it is too hot or raining [it's threatening rain right now with thunder and dark clouds overhead], I read, draw, or find something to keep my brain and idle hands active if only for a few minutes at a time. I can't sit long. Mostly just out of boredom and to me, even computers have become boring, since I'd rather be outdoors...when it's cool, and the sun is up and shining. Outdoors is my element. I'd rather be there than inside, home, doing nothing but sit, sit, sit. I allow my quiet time in the evening after all the work is done that is expected, while I enjoy a couple hours of a movie on Netflix or one of our DVD movies. Wednesday is my favorite TV night - Nature and Nova on PBS. Do any of the bloggers watch NATURE? Last week it was "Batman"...the guy was a little eccentric in my opinion [one time he mentioned he'd gladly nap on bat guano?!! I think not!!]...but the program was interesting. Long ago, I went spelunking with a Biology teacher and we found bats. He caught one, I held it...the wings are like velvet!!! Since that time, I've always enjoyed those and learning more.

Anyway, I did start a sketch last week while it was raining heavily, but never finished until this morning...[Monday] adding some shading and using colored pencils to add "natural" colors. It's a Northern Flicker:

...and to continue showcasing my Trolls...

↓ My 19th Troll Share ↓

TROLL DOLL COLLECTION Holiday Themed Kiss Me I'm Irish! St. Patty's Day circa: 80s?

§ PBS

On Wednesday evening during our dinner hour, Bud and I watch PBS. One of our favorite programs is NATURE. A few weeks back, they aired a "New" episode on the Panda Bear. Pandas - Born in the Wild. It followed the research and care of Panda bears, raising cubs to eventually be released into the wild Bamboo forests. But, near the end of the 45 minute program, the same researchers were out IN the wild searching for new born pandas. After weeks out in the open land of their "Journey through the steep Qinling Mountains with filmmakers, scientists and rangers to witness pandas’ startling courtship and aggressive behaviors", they came upon an infant high up in a tree. When I saw the image on the screen, my heart burst. I took photos of those images with my phone. I have no intention of infringing the copyright; used just for an educational purpose on my blog. Anyway, during the few minutes of this open country search, it was revealed that baby pandas are left in the treetops as the mother goes hunting or perhaps breeding. Just to keep them safe from the male pandas, known to kill their own offspring...

Another episode, I believe it was last week, also a new one, was about the Australian fires and animal rescue. So sad, yet so compelling to think of all the rescue attempts [both successful and not so much] with the unique animals of the continent. Excellent and educational viewing. I recommend them to anyone that loves the wild!! What was most interesting that was brought to our attention was that kangaroos, during the bushfires, they would follow the fire line, and CROSS the fire into the already burned areas to evacuate...they most likely had a better chance of survival than those that would try to out-run the fire.

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A few months back I read a book review on a blogger's blog of one they just finished. Giving it a "thumbs up"! The other day, when I cleaned out my clothes closet that I do bi-annually, I took them to the donation station here in town and as I was walking out of the building, I saw the book...Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. I've read several chapters and have been enjoying it a lot. The dust jacket tells me it's part murder mystery. I think I have it figured out who killed Chase...but, I could be wrong. LOL I am using all my will power to read it in its entirety and not cheat and read the ending first before I finish. I will be surprised, I just know it!!  "A surprise ending is promised".

Panda bear images courtesy of PBS

§ What's My Line...aka MORE sketches

Once Agent Tony left NCIS, the program[tv] has slowly become stale. No more do we have any comedy relief [at least with Tony "in the picture" I could laugh often at his antics]. Now, Abby is gone, and Dr. Mallard is hardly there. The three replacements truly do not fill their shoes!!! I drew the top two many years ago when NCIS was popular in our household...

Abby...the Forensic Lab Technician that uncovered many clues to crimes...



Dr. Mallard "Ducky"...the forensic Coroner on NCIS



Geflings, from the animated puppet movie DARK CRYSTAL




...and of course, my #1 movie of all time...a caricature of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid [c. 1969].  On the left is Sundance [Robert Redford] and the right is Butch [Paul Newman]

§ Seeing Double!

Not much going on around Hootin' Anni's abode. I was going to paint some more yard figurines after I finished the brown pelican last week which I posted pictures on Thursday, and then...a light bulb went on! I remembered that I threw out ALL my acrylic paints 'cause they were so dried out, even adding water did little good. So, I am slowly restocking my supply. I bought eight of the 'primary' colors that are used most often, and then will get more to replenish in time. Besides, the days are getting much warmer now and I will probably wait a while in order to be able to paint in the closed in garage. I WILL paint my rose vine bird bath tho...I need to buy paint for that too...I'm gonna use spray paint for that project.

I bought a Chromecast for our new TV [55" smart TV -we like to watch movies on a big screen!!]. Now, I can get free movies and cast TV programs that we would like to watch on a larger screen instead of the laptop. It took me a couple days to get the equipment set up [Bud is not internet tech savvy, his biggest accomplishments is operating the remotes]...but now we are catching up on the regular scheduled programs from the three free national networks. Fun now, but I was, at times, ready to throw it all out the window!!!  The piece of equipment is only a one cost payment of $35.  A lot cheaper than a monthly subscription to Amazon Prime or Cable installments. A savings of probably $1200 plus a year.

Now to some photo shares.  I've been wearing glasses since I was a teenager.  Recently while walking I was seeing double:

It's May already!  This month, will be my 6 month follow up appointment with the cardiologist.  IF I remember to set up an appointment.  Time goes by awfully fast these days.

§ "G"....It's a Favorite Day...Halloween!!!!

GHOSTS

Watching an episode of NCIS New Orleans, Dead Man Calling, it was so convincingly true that I had to do some research to see if the 'ghost' was real! [New Orleans has many ghost tours!!]  The synopsis:  In short, this particular show was about the history of an unsolved murder from 1867 all with a well-known New Orleans' family history...the Anderson family secret.  Well, using the public records, grave stones and burial records, and genealogy sites online, there is no listing of a certain Cornelius LaRue [the ghost].  Still, there happens to be a big "BUT" in this search....there are a lot of Anderson's listed in the state of Louisiana/Orleans Parish records!!  The eerie part of this is...there are many, many names listed with the surname Anderson that has the middle name of....yep....LaRue!!  Spooky.

ghost image courtesy of Google Images



A BIT GHOULISH
An Historic Cemetery
Nuecestown Texas [before Corpus Christi was established]



GRIM, GROSS GROWTH
The knotted burl of a tree in a city park [notice orange arrow]...
the remnant grows grossly!!

GRISLY





GHASTLY

Bud's Headless Horseman [our dining room centerpiece this year]



Taken last year - Port Aransas
A golf cart
[that may look like a pipe coming from the skeleton's mouth, but it's actually the car's antenna next to the cart.  And I'm pleased to say the skeleton was in the passenger seat instead of the driver's side!]

§ Five on Friday

one:  Y'all know by now if you read my blog much, that both Bud and I really like NCIS [and NCIS New Orleans]. Well, we've collected, over the years, the DVDs for both; having ALL seasons for them in sets. We watch them off and on, and a few weeks ago, we watched a couple of programs from the 11th season of NCIS. It's been a while and I had completely forgotten one episode entitled "Homesick". The short synopsis: several children are sick and hospitalized throughout the Navy and NCIS is there with their forensic scientist, Abby, to find a cure for those youngsters. And in the hospital lies a very sick, young, little girl*. She is the main child in question of the mysterious illness...anyway, long ago, when we first watched it, I told Bud "That looks just like me!" "When I was her age." The past week or so, I've been sorting through old photographs; some of which I shared here recently. I came upon my photo to show Bud how closely the two of us [the girl in the hospital on NCIS and me] resemble each other. You take a gander and see if you don't agree with me, Bud, and now that I sent it off to my sister, she too was flabbergasted at the closeness in looks and some features!

two:   Do We Look Alike?

Do We Look Alike?

Yes

No

survey maker

* photo of young girl from NCIS found with Google Search

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three:  I kept telling Erik that the Burgers at FIVE GUYS are the best! And this proves it. His favorite is Smashburger...well, I tellya now....Five Guys' burgers beat out Smashburger 'by a mile'!!!

photo source: Google Search



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four:  Once again, Colorado [my 'home' state] got bomb-blasted with a Spring Snow and Ice storm this week!! Power outages and other weather related traumas like broken trees and downed power lines. Here's a texted image of my sister's yard on May 18th...



...I am thankful Bud and I don't have to contend with this. I'll take the humidity and gripe all I want...I know it was our choice to get away from stuff like the above.

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five:  I am definitely NOT naval jargon savvy! So, there is a supertanker supposedly coming into the Corpus Christi Ship Channel [at Port Aransas] to dock for the first time in its history at Ingleside, Texas. I wanna be there at the channel to watch it come in. Now, thing is, it's supposed to be here for a test run along the channel to see how everything goes on the 22nd of May....Monday. I was informed by the chamber of commerce in Ingleside that there is NO specific time frame ... it depends on tide and weather! Good grief. They're telling this novice in a round-about way that I need to read charts? Out to google I go! LOL What a riot...

Bud, being a Navy seaman long ago, told me that the ship will use 'high tide' to be able to make the run along the channel...the chart depicts high tide around NOON...that means I should be there anywhere from 7 am to infinity in my estimation! It's gonna be a long day. Just hope the weather is good on Monday

If this is successful testing, and all works well, Ingleside Texas will be the FIRST IN USA to have a supertanker dock area. Exciting.

Wish me luck...and hopefully if all goes according to plan, I just may get pictures.

photo source: Google Search

§ Haunting, the Dead, St. Nicholas...Thoughts of an Eclectic Nature

WANNA SNIFF?

I'm sure a lot of you bloggers have noticed a message in your comments from Jerry B. He has taken on a huge, time consuming, task. And it's worthy of giving it a look see!!! His new site, called SITE HOUND SNIFFS is a vast listing of blogs...all listed in categories!! I've been honored [both Hootin' Anni's and I'd Rather B Birdin'] to be added to the growing list. Check it out sometime soon...and take time to view some sites he has listed...don't forget to send along a note of thanks and appreciation for all his many hours of work!!  By the way, the image here is from the site...I hope I'm not infringing...I think it's adorable and needs to be seen more than just on Jerry's site.  After all, it's a valuable asset at our fingertips.

DAY OF THE DEAD - flowers too

...well, it isn't until October 31st thru November 2nd, but our city will begin celebrating with a street fair, parade and more on the 29th. Of course I'll be there, haunting. At least the craft booths, the wall of remembrance, and the parade. I have a room full of some of our Day of the Dead trinkets on display...

GHOST SHIP



In honor of Halloween...I write this:
The USS Lexington, an aircraft carrier from the 1940's is nicknamed the Blue Ghost for a reason...In our harbor, we have a real ghost ship! It's also a WWII museum. But there have actually been apparitions and odd things happening aboard!! Read about it HERE...from Haunted Places to go dot com.


TV - Online

I have yet to watch BULL online. According to the internet news, BULL is the #1 new show for the season. Of course, it's time slot is nestled between two of the most popular...what do you expect? I am ever so faithful of NCIS/NCIS New Orleans. Lots of new characters in each program. I'm not impressed with the two new agents on NCIS...hopefully they'll improve with time, but for now, it's wha, wha, wha....woe is me for the both of them [Torres and Quinn]. Then, watching NCIS New Orleans...I don't miss Agent Brody at all; she just didn't fit in to begin with in my opinion. Now we have a new agent on this program also...A supposedly temporary FBI agent that will most likely replace Agent Brody. As I watch tho, I get a bit of deja vu with her. This week, watching episode 3, it dawned on me...she looks a lot like Angelina Jolie! And I guess I'm not the only one who agrees...this split image was found on cheezburger.com's look-alikes. What do you think?

...then, Gregorio's FBI director, Agent Isler. He too looks like someone. And again, it dawned on me. Jeff Dunham's puppet...Peanut!!  [no disrespect here...I LOVE Peanut!!!]  You decide...

FIVE star BOOK REVIEW

Glenn Beck's The Immortal Nicholas. One word...awesome!! I know Mr. Beck is more popular as a radio talk show host, with a voiced opinionated political stance for the most part. I've always been a bit skeptical of picking up any of his published books. This one was on the dollar shelf at Half Price Books, and I figured you can't even buy gum for that price, if it's no good, it won't be a waste of money. LOL....

So, I bought it, brought it home, and truthfully, I don't want to put it down. Excellent. Mr. Beck brings the human touch of St. Nicholas, as a man, to life. Not as a rolly polly jolly ol' elf, but a regular man with a life as a guard to the three wise men on their way to Bethlehem. He meets the King of Kings and from there I haven't read beyond this as of this posting. I can't wait to see how it ends. I am totally impressed with this unique way of telling a fabled story of Santa Claus and joining it with the Biblical side of the meaning of Christmas.  From online reviews, the majority critics and 'common readers' rate this book FIVE stars!!!

"Before he was Father Christmas, he was a father"