We can confirm through independent sources, subtle sources built in iron and set along the highway, that Horsefest is July 29, 2017 in the tiny but feisty town of Taylor, North Dakota. If you like draught horses or old-time equipment, you really don't want to miss out. Last year there was some darn good Thai food. Here's hoping they are there again too!

Norwegian fjord teams, Clydesdales, Percherons, Belgians; all the feather-footed-favorites come out to play in Taylor. Be sure to bring your camera and your wallet. You're going to want some of those Thai plates and kebabs.

The weather is supposed to be perfect and plenty of parking. See you there, historic horse fans! 

Nibbler of leftover sandwiches, this kitty is the reason Hugh tells you that it's not to late to run to Mexico. 

​There's more to that story.

His code name is Schadenfreude.

Hugh is a gifted engineer in the late 19th century. Well read, likeable, steady job; it's hard to believe he's still single. Or still roughing through the winters in Dakota Territory, 1870s.

This gentle giant splits his seasons on the steamboats of the Missouri River and working for the hotels in Bismarck. He is known for being a fixer, engineering god, consumer of books, collector of untouchable tools, forming a bond with scrap wood piles on an emotional level, and finding cats very unhelpful.

Sometimes people get in their heads that summer programs are just for kids and since we are polite around here, allow us to practice the priceless art of fake smiles. Summer has been full of programs where fledgling nerds of all ages develop their inquisitive wings and finally find a group of friends that appreciate their nerdy sense of humor. 

So what makes a bird a raptor? Take a quick inventory. If the bird is equipped with a hooked beak, sharp talons, powerful eyes and built to take your face off, then it's a raptor. 

There are always different ways to approach your subject, but Jess is definitely the "Walkabout" variety. If you like to set up a shot in a hide, that's cool, but Jess can't sit that long. Along the hike, you can take in plants, geology, or even a little star gazing if it isn't cloudy and Jess goes on too long. Which she probably will. In her defense, we were lucky enough to see loads of animals and honestly, when was the last time you walked through a petrified forest? 

Here are 7 tips from Jessica Magnus-Rockeman to help you take wildlife photos of raptors: 

1. Take the camera. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. 
2. Know where to look. Eagles build some famous nests, but MANY raptors don't. Harrier hawks like it low-they hunt low to the ground, they nest on the ground, they perch on low trees. They have a fear of heights apparently. 
3. Know when to look. It sounds simple, right? But it's easy to miss. Family season for many animals is a short, open window. If you miss it, well, there's always next year. With these ND hawks, they build a next site in usually about a week in the grass, and the incubation can be over a month, but their nesting period is only about 14 days. Timing is everything. 
4. Watch the lighting. Wildlife loves to not sit in the right spot. They are helpful like that. 
5. Be respectful. That one seems obvious, but sometimes you see people that push beyond the line. Having a camera doesn't give you special privileges-harrier hawks can take off, but other animals, such as bison, could tap dance on your skeleton. It's never a good idea to stress your subject. Be nice. Life in the badlands is tough enough.
6. Harriers are a great subject because they are fairly common in North America. And the females have this brilliant, owl-like face markings. In winter, you won't find them in Canada/North Dakota. Go slow. 
7. Ask. Wildlife photographers are usually a pretty fun bunch. Stop in the visitor centers, such as the one in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Wildlife sightings/locations are updated there daily. 

​Keep your sense of humor out there! Cheers!
PS: All photos by Jess, but you probably knew that already.

For a while now, people have kindly been sending us a link for an app that actually colours your lineart. And because the 4 Dog Studio is a crackerjack group of responsive folks, we jumped on that in just under 4 months. 

Shamelessly, I admit, we expected little. These sorts of promises have been made, tried, and shown to be laughable failures. The mere idea that a machine could possibly compensate for the creativity a human being by the age of 3 possesses, well quite frankly, it's a laughable idea.

*cough* May I admit. We had a real serving of humble pie. For breakfast. Lunch. And dinner. 

If you are new to the application, the link is PaintsChainer. And it is just about the object of every sketcher's dreams. Possibly every digital colorist's nightmare. Ladies and gentlemen, we present, an app that, if you are a sketcher who likes to see the sweet colors slapped on your works, saves you buckets of time. 

​We haven't played around with it enough to learn each feature. Searching around the site, we found enough instruction for this sketchy, steampunk comic goodness. And while we could not figure out a way to save at 300 dpi, that is not to say it doesn't exist. 

In the fullness of time, I'm sure I will be laughing at the fact we were ever amazed at these features. Sort of like looking back at an early version of Photoshop and drinking heavily. Today however, ladies and gentlemen-we tip our hat to one creative coloring app! Even if we are a bit late to the party.

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American Profits: Ambroella Character Sheet
​
As the finest gardener this side of the Missouri River, Amborella is the product of a profession which allows you to carry a knife and a dig holes. On purpose.  Her open heart for curiosities, such as her pet turtle, Diefenbaker, is as keen as her disturbingly lighthearted approach to crushing her competitors. 

Amborella's opportunistic business style is as well cultivated as her vines. She is the archetype of the best marketers-authentic-and let's the customers do the rest. Equipped with an intuition that few poses, she can mediate almost any situation. Or know the best place to bury the bodies. 

Unburdened and carefree, Amborella is a free spirit and may we suggest, best approached on her own terms, who is forced to make her way in the very unpredictable Victorian world of 1870s.