Tag Archives: sketches

September 5, 2026 · 11:05 pm

Sunday 9-6-2026

Dr. Amber Rose – @beevenomtherapyforever on Substack

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I’ll have a quiet day today. I’ve been to the gym (no Ugly American), eaten breakfast with Brian, and actually fell asleep for a bit stretched out on my couch after getting my wash out on the balcony and things straightened up.

Today would have been my dad’s birthday. It’s to the point that it’s pretty silly to talk about how old he would have been. Suffice to say he loved the fact he was born on Labor Day – thinking that was quite appropriate – and that I’m doing what he asked, remembering him laughing. I was lucky to share his life.

I saw an ingenious method of giving support to a tree in a large pot this morning. I stopped and took pictures of it, hoping I can draw it so you can see it, too.

I’m going to try to write an article for Substack today, on ways Brian and I have found for dealing with stroke. I’ll also write my regular blog posts, of course, because I love doing that so much. I’m planning on trying to describe my favorite mall in Chiang Mai today.

I’m probably the last one in the world to discover him, but I really like a country singer who is new to me – Riley Green. He writes most, if not all, of his songs. I love his voice and his collaborations with others. The more I read, the more I find to like. He seems to be real, loving his roots, his family, and more.

I already showed you the sketches I finished yesterday. I only have new one started, of a frog sitting in a cup, so I’m planning to do a bunch of sketches today, including the tree support, if I can.

I hope that the heat in the U.S. will ease off very soon. The excessive heat has gone on for way too long and it’s time to start embracing the fall.

Annette Tomplait

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July 28, 2026 · 8:47 pm

Wednesday 7-29-2026

Pamela Schifano – @pammypoo on Substack

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Today will be a quiet day for me – HOORAY!

I’m doing some chores around my place, and then I’m going to do yoga stretches AND water bottle exercises today, since I’m feeling energetic. 💪🏻. I’ll then switch to the fun stuff – writing posts for the blog and then researching to find more things I would like to share with you. My jigsaw puzzle is coming along, albeit very slowly. (Brian is thrilled). I’m working on finishing one sketch, plus working on another in progress before starting more. I’m practicing my guitar, lasting a BIT longer with my practices before my fingertips yell at me. Laundry is on the balcony and life is good.

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I had an interesting thing happen yesterday. I was on the elevator with an older man and his two grown sons, heading for the cafe. He suddenly asked, “How old are you?” I told him. He looked astonished, then said nice things about my back being straight and looking healthy for my age. I told him he had made my day as we left the elevator. 😸

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I’m working totally out of my comfort zone on my sketches. The first is an abstract thing with lots of color. I have no clue whether it will turn out reasonably or not, but I’m having a good time. The second is a door. Yeah, weird, right? I think this door is a real beauty, especially with the handle, so I’m trying to capture it. Really difficult. Again, I’m not sure it will turn out. I’ve started my 4th sketchbook and decided to challenge myself even more to try things I never would have considered when I first started trying to get shapes down on paper.

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Khadija Ali

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Tagged as meeting in elevator, quote by Pamela Schifano - @pammypoo on Substack, sketches, summery of day, thoughts 7-29-2026, you matter quote

July 18, 2026 · 4:49 am

Saturday 7-18-2026

PictureQuotes.com

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We spent about half the day at the hospital. Harvey’s fever is gone and the antibiotic seems to be working to fight the infection. The doctor wants to do more to get rid of more of the ‘stuff’ in his lungs, and we don’t know the results of the A1C yet. They were going to do the procedure today and maybe move him out of ICU and into a private room tonight.

The one thing Harvey said that made sense was that he ‘thought he was going to die this time.” That tore my guts out. He was calm, though he said his right arm felt like it had been ‘chewed.’ It LOOKED a little like that, too, with all the bruising…

We’re taking one day at a time, either going to the hospital ICU, a new private room, or maybe they will let him go back to the nursing home.

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These are the two latest painted sketches. The first shows that the Thai people not only work to preserve trees, they actively build AROUND them, as it shows in my imaginary cafe, though I have seen shops and cafes built around gnarled trees. I think it’s great.

The second shows a gazebo featuring an elephant dressed in gold. I took quite a few liberties with this one, wanting to get the FEELING of the place and the honor shown the elephant, rather than the actual dimensions of the gazebo. The actual one had the elephant looking smaller up on a block of cement so you looked up at him, and there were two elephants side by side, rather than only one. The gazebo was very tall and spacious – quite a sight to behold.

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My time at the cafe is a lifesaver for my sanity and peace of mind. It’s very calming to go to such a welcoming, comfortable place where I can sit and drink an iced latte and draw to my heart’s content.

Yesterday I had a nice thing happen. A man from India stopped and said it was a ‘beautiful sight’ to see someone sitting and drawing. We had a chat and I showed him some of my stuff. He is here in Thailand with his wife. He makes jewelry. It was interesting to visit with him.

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It’s almost time for dinner, so I can’t promise to write more today, but I’ll try.

Simply True Designs

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July 8, 2026 · 11:21 pm

Thursday 7-9-2026

Kris Vereecken

I don’t just mean the cliche’ here. I am trying to shed worry about things I can’t do anything about anyway. I am working on NOT imagining possible scenarios that MIGHT – but almost NEVER – happen. I’m concentrating on seeing the good wherever it might be and enjoying every moment of it.

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I’m still working on two sketches today – one of an old woman’s hand (mine) and a church-steeple-spire building I took a picture of recently. If I can finish them today, I’ll share them tomorrow.

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Yesterday afternoon there was a wreck in the street that runs in front of my building. I heard the sound and ran to the window to see a sedan type vehicle and a pink motor scooter with a girl on the ground. I couldn’t tell what had happened. The girl was able to get up and there was no blood. They both took pictures and moved their vehicles to the side of the road, and got on their phones. They were there a LONG time waiting for the police to come. A lady came to sit with the girl, and the two of them eventually went away in an ambulance. (I didn’t see what happened to her scooter.) The man was still waiting (I guess for insurance or possible tow truck) to come. I’m amazed that this doesn’t happen more often. This is the only wreck I have seen the aftermath of in the over a year since I’ve been here.

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I’m trying again on getting my wash from yesterday dry, plus added to it this morning. It’s cloudy, with rain forecast, but hopefully I can get things done today.

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Today is the day I get ready for my housekeeper to come tomorrow. (I will NEVER take this for granted. I have always done my own cleaning, but now am definitely getting too old in the tooth to get down on my hands and knees and scrub anymore.) I will change the sheets on my bed, put out fresh towels everywhere, gather and empty the trash, general straightening, otherwise.

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Tagged as don't worry - be happy, getting ready for my housekeeper, laundry, sketches, smile quote, thoughts 7-9-2026, wreck in the street

June 27, 2026 · 4:35 am

Soggy Saturday 6-27-2026

Substack

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Latest painted sketches

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We visited my husband this morning. It was challenging, in that there was very little of my husband “there” today. He acknowledged us, but had nothing to say that made any sense at all. I think we brightened his day a bit, and he wasn’t upset or hurting.

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Fit & Well

I went to the cafe this afternoon. It rained twice while I was there, and still looks like it could rain again. I came home between rain showers. I’ve just finished a good session of yoga stretches. Ahhhh!

I never realized before how much I clench my jaw. When I’m doing my yoga stretches, I have to consciously remind myself, “Relax your jaw. Relax your face.” It’s amazing how much that helps. I spent about 45 minutes today and feel good now.

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I checked on my puzzle that we ordered from Amazon this morning. It showed, “Unavailable. Not sure when or if it will come back in stock.” Brian is going to check to see if he has received any notices about the order or if we lucked out and got the last one or something. If we didn’t, I’ll need to start over on finding a new puzzle. 🧩 ☹️

I went ahead and took apart the “Cats on the Beach” puzzle this afternoon. I bagged it up carefully, included the reference picture, and put it in the original box for donation. I left it in the donation area before I left for the cafe. My puzzle area looks really empty right now. I’m looking at that as a character building exercise.

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I haven’t practice my guitar yet today. I’ll spend some good time on that this evening after dinner. I found diagrams of the chords needed to play the two songs I want to be able to sing one day again. I’ll start practicing all of these at least once a day until I’m able to go from one chord to another without having to check the diagram or fight with the fingers of my hand to stretch them into the proper position without messing up the sound. I AM making a slight bit of progess – not so that anyone but ME can tell, but it’s there. 🎸

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I’m going to look for a video that shows the steps in growing rice. I’m working on a sketch now that shows some people in the rice field outside Harvey’s window at the nursing home. I want to know more about the process and hopefully can do at least one reasonable sketch of how the process is done here. 🌾

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Tagged as growing rice, guitar, photo by Apapach-Arte - Substack, puzzle, rain, sketches, smile quote, thoughts 6-27-2026, visited my husband, yoga

May 17, 2026 · 1:18 am

Sunday, 5-17-2026

Burgess Health Center

Both Brian and I had our colds get worse yesterday. We opted out of the yesterday and today. We shared breakfast, then I took the new medicine. Two and a half hours later, I woke up from a ‘nap.’ One good thing, these meds are helping me get rid of the congestion in my chest. The bad thing, I’m using up an entire box of Kleenex blowing my nose….

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I’m beginning to paint my impression of a “house shrine.”

“In Thailand, a spirit house (known as San Phra Phum) is a miniature, ornate shrine built on a pedestal to shelter the guardian spirits of the land. Found outside homes, businesses, and temples, these shrines are actively maintained with daily offerings of food, incense, and brightly colored drinks to ensure good fortune and protection.” ~ Wikipedia.

My understanding is that the Thai people are thanking the spirits for allowing them use of the land and they are promising to maintain that land for the spirits and themselves. You will see the shrines all all over the place here. They are quite beautiful – all different – all beautifully maintained.

I will see how the painting goes, and may be able to share it tomorrow.

I also did some other sketches, plus 4 more ‘thank you’ cards for our housekeeper’s sister. We don’t know how long Khun Bpaum will be helping us, and I want to be sure I have enough cards to thank her for her good work.

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The cheetah puzzle is coming along nicely, although this last part is the most difficult. All the pieces are basically the same color, no outstanding shapes, no way to put together a group that might slide into place…. Character-building time for sure.

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I hope that you are having a great weekend.

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March 25, 2026 · 12:28 am

Wednesday 3-25-2026

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Pacific Prime Thailand

We are just back from going to see Khun Nan, the lady at the agency who helps us get our visas and handles our 90-day-reporting required in Thailand. Brian said when he first got here, he and his friends had more challenge than they wanted trying to be sure they were legal. The Thai government is really serious about making sure that everyone is here legally. You carry your passport everywhere, having to show it at the doctor’s office, for example, and for other services. Since you never know when it will be required, you carry it all the time.

Brian needs to renew his, and the 3 of us needed to file our 90-day reporting, so Nan busily shuffled papers, made copies, had Brian sign all the paperwork, etc. He paid for everything and we go to the 2nd floor of the big mall this coming Friday afternoon to finish the process. A person from the office will meet us there and get us through whatever is needed.

Brian has some kind of “VIP” visa. I have a “retirement” visa, and Harvey has a “medical” visa. The requirements for each are different. We have to be careful to note when to contact Nan again for an appointment to do whatever comes next. We think she is worth her weight in gold.

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I’m planning to work on my jigsaw puzzle

and do some sketching this afternoon,

One Green Planet

and today is yoga stretches,

plus my Qigong video.

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The pollution index changed fast this morning. I opened my windows when we returned from the gym. When I went up for breakfast, Brian was cautioning me that the index was bad this morning, since his air filters were “complaining” a bit. I came down, closed everything up and turned the filters back on. They shot up to the high 50s. That’s the highest I have seen them. It’s already 93 outside now, so I guess we’re officially into the ‘hot and hazy’ season now. I’m grateful that I have good air filters and an a/c that works now.

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“Remember, you’re the one who can fill the world with sunshine.” ―Snow White, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

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Tagged as jigsaw puzzle, Joy meme, Qigong video, sketches, unhealthy pollution index, visa renewal in Thailand, yoga stretches

December 24, 2024 · 10:53 am

Wish I Could Draw Like This

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Tagged as beautiful drawings that make you feel, I wish I could draw like this, pencil drawings, sketches

May 5, 2023 · 9:45 am

Found on Twitter Today

Uyi_draw$

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Tagged as comfort, drawings, love, sketches

May 4, 2023 · 10:11 am

Love One Day at a Time

“Hard Night”

Curtis Wiklund and his wife Jordan are photographers. He also undertook a challenge to draw something every day, whether in the mood or not. He decided to chronicle their lives together, the good and the bad, the happy and sad, and he has done a stunning job of showing love in all its shapes and forms. I just love the simplicity of his drawings. He has a book out called “US” I bought it and it’s beautiful. He has continued his drawings, now including his children. His drawings continue to touch me, bringing out ‘aws,’ smirks, smiles, and a few tears.