Year: 2017

Earl the Squirrel

/ Jodi / 59 Comments

Earl the Squirrel Watercolor 8×10 140lb Arches Cold Press

Earl the Squirrel. 

On the edge of the forest lived a squirrel named Earl.
He had a sister, whose name was Pearl.

The two of them loved to dance and twirl,
especially when visiting their cousin, Cheryl.

They sometimes ate ice cream cones of chocolate and vanilla swirl
that were tipped on the top with a frosty curl.

But more often they caught an acorn or berry that was hurled
on a branch or the trunk of a tree that was burled.

Their tails were fluffy but they kept them at a furl
in case they would have to run and scutter and whirl.

Which was often the case when a dog named Merle
chased them back to the edge of their world.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This is one of a series of fun animal watercolor paintings and rhymes I am pursuing.
See the others:
A Rare Hare with Flare
A Duck Named Chuck
A Fawn at Dawn
Rooty the Rooster
A Precocious Pink Pig  
Hal the Colorful Cow
A Mouse named Klaus
Pam the Lamb
An Otterly Awesome Otter

The background blue on this painting was done using my new Rembrandt Series 3 Artist Quality Cerulean Blue Watercolor Paint I WON for FREE from Charlie at Doodlewash for #WorldWatercolorMonth.  Thanks Charlie!  I’ll be trying more of the wonderful colors soon.

Earl the Squirrel was inspired by my loyal TheCreativeLifeinBetween.com blog-following friends, Ellen and Benjamin.

Red Rock Mountains of Sedona

/ Jodi / 56 Comments

Last week, Hubby and I had the great privilege of traveling approximately 2,000 miles across the U.S. to visit a beautiful area of our country far different from the area we live in – the desert Southwest of Scottsdale and Sedona, Arizona.

A highlight of our trip was sightseeing the beautiful Red Rock Mountains of Sedona.  I took quite a few pics, but haven’t had much time to look at yet since we’ve just returned.  Here is one I really like, but even it doesn’t compare to the enormity, the vastness, and the beauty of experiencing this beautiful corner of the world in person.

The rocks in Sedona are a deep, rich, orange-red like no others around.  Apparently, they are comprised of sediment layers deposited over many millions of years*. The shale foundation is the remainder of ancient swamp lands. Other layers are the remainder of an ancient beachfront, known as the “Schnebly Hill Formation,” that deposited iron about 275 million years ago. The Coconino sandstone layer was formed at a time when Sahara-like dunes covered the majority of the Western US.  The Kaibab limestone layer was deposited when a warm shallow sea covered the area about 250 million years ago.

The Red Rocks we see today were formed several million years ago when the uplifting of the Colorado Plateau that created the Grand Canyon also caused water to carve out Sedona’s red rock, cake-like layers. Currently, Sedona is considered to be a part of the Colorado Plateau and is in the process of making mountains, raising an average of one inch every 60-80 years!

The temperatures during our one-week visit ranged between a  low of 102 to a high of 117 degrees Fahrenheit!  Whoooowheee it was hot!  It was a different kind of hot than we are used to in the Eastern part of the U.S., however, as the humidity levels were only around 10% as compared to our typical 50-100%, so it was much more pleasant.  (Especially when in the pool with a frozen margarita!)

This is a place in the U.S. that anyone who can, should experience!

Thanks for the memories Sedona!
I look forward to creating some paintings from your beautiful inspiration!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

P.S. Thanks Jayme and Ryan for being our gracious tour guides!  ❤

* https://redrockscenicbyway.com/

Distant Memories

/ Jodi / 55 Comments
A Distant Ship from Shore Watercolor

A Distant Ship from Shore Watercolor

Distant memories.

I’m not much of a landscape artist.
I try, and I struggle, but I’m going to keep on trying.

One day I was practicing skies and clouds as a warm-up,
and came up with this super quick, simple little study.

It just kind of turned into a beach scene
with sea and sand and tall grasses.

It reminds me of lazy summer family vacations spent
when the boys were young (and so were we!)

It reminds me of Nagshead and Corolla and the Outer Banks in North Carolina.
It reminds me of Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head in South Carolina.

It reminds me of Ocean City, New Jersey and Maryland.
Of hot sand and cool breezes and refreshing, salty water.

Distant, joy-filled memories
like this distant ship from shore.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

#WorldWatercolorMonth

Blossom through the Darkness

/ Jodi / 41 Comments
Orange Begonia - July, 2017 - Mars, PA

Orange Begonia – July, 2017 – Mars, PA

We don’t always grow when things are easy,
We don’t always blossom when the sun is bright.

Grow through the challenges.
Blossom through the darkness.

Life your life as fully and courageously and boldly as you can.
It’s your opportunity to bloom!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  Thanks, Jan, for these beautiful flowers, they are still vibrantly blossoming!

An Otterly Awesome Otter

/ Jodi / 40 Comments

An Otterly Awesome Otter.

Near a barn was a body of water.
In it lived an otterly awesome otter.

This particular otter
had the distinguished name of Potter.

Potter loved when the weather got hotter,
for he loved to swim and was quite the yachter.

One day while sunning, with a glimpse he did spot her,
he believed her to be his Dad’s friend’s daughter.

He shuffled about trying hard not to totter,
and he hoped his wave and wink did caught her.

It worked!  She was smiling, his mind was a flotter.
An otterly beautiful otter for Potter.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This is one of a series of fun animal watercolor paintings and rhymes I am pursuing.
See the others:
A Rare Hare with Flare
A Duck Named Chuck
A Fawn at Dawn
Rooty the Rooster
A Precocious Pink Pig  
Hal the Colorful Cow
A Mouse named Klaus
Pam the Lamb

#WorldWatercolorMonth

Roasted Vegetables

/ Jodi / 47 Comments

Roasted Vegetables.

You know those times when you get to the end of what you bought for the week and before you get to the grocery store and only have a handful of this and a chunk of that and a sliver of this in the fridge?

One day last week, I wanted to make a vegetable, but only had a bit of this and that.  I had a quarter of a small head of purple cabbage, a bulb of fennel, a half a bag of carrots, a small bag of golden fingerling potatoes.

So I tossed these together with a sliced onion and a few bulbs of garlic, drizzled it with some wonderful olive oil our son and daughter-in-law brought us back from their honeymoon in Greece.  I sprinkled it with salt and pepper and some chopped fresh rosemary.  I roasted it in a 400 degree F oven for about a half hour, and it turned out amazing!

You could throw in any vegetables you have left in your vegetable crisper at the end of the week.  Roasting vegetables makes them taste so amazingly delicious!  They become caramelized and tender and mellow.

I tried fennel raw chopped up on a salad, and have to say it was a bit too strong for my taste.  Maybe I added too much.  But when I roast it, I seriously cannot get enough of it!  It transforms and mellows the flavor into something absolutely divine!

What combination of vegetables do you like best to roast?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Funky Flower in Amethyst Genuine

/ Jodi / 35 Comments
Funky Flower in Amethyst Genuine Watercolor 8x10 140lb Arches Cold Press

Funky Flower in Amethyst Genuine Watercolor 8×10 140lb Arches Cold Press

A Funky Flower in Amethyst Genuine.

Just some late night splashing that resulted in this beautiful surprise in the morning.

This Daniel Smith Amethyst Genuine is a gorgeous color with a bit of sparkle in the sunlight.  The photo makes it appear more blue than it really is, but I like it nonetheless.

Trying to at least do a watercolor painting to share every other day for #WorldWatercolorMonth!

A little diversion from my animal rhyme series, but more to come – watch for an otterly awesome otter named Potter in the next few days!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Chilling White Wine

/ Jodi / 39 Comments
Frozen Grapes in Pinot Grigio

Frozen Grapes in Pinot Grigio

Chilling White Wine.

I recently learned about this great tip for keeping your white wine chilled without watering it down.

Freeze a bag of grapes, and use them as “ice cubes.”

At the end of your drink, you have a wonderful treat of wine soaked grapes to enjoy!  And your wine stays full flavored to the very end.

I am definitely more of a red wine girl, but I sometimes enjoy a light Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp, buttery Chardonnay in the summer.

Dropping in a few frozen grapes makes it even more of a treat.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Pam the Lamb

/ Jodi / 58 Comments

Pam the Lamb
was happy as a clam.

She liked her muffins
with butter and jam.

One day after breakfast
she was playing with Sam,

when the postman arrived
with an urgent telegram.

Pam opened it quickly and found inside
a beautiful and colorful diagram.

There was also a note in handwriting she knew –
it was from her dear and loving ole Gram.

It was instructions it seemed – a recipe indeed –
for cloverleaf muffins with butter and jam.

Oh how Pam delighted for she knew who was coming,
she better get baking for Pap Pap and Gram.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

This is one of a series of fun animal watercolor paintings and rhymes I am pursuing.
See the others:
A Rare Hare with Flare
A Duck Named Chuck
A Fawn at Dawn
Rooty the Rooster
A Precocious Pink Pig  
Hal the Colorful Cow
A Mouse named Klaus

#WorldWatercolorMonth

Caramel M&M Cookies

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

Caramel M&M Cookies.

Have you tried the new Caramel M&Ms yet?

O. M. Geeeee!

I would never have believed the Mars Candy Company could made an M&M better than my favorite – Peanut.

My sons love the Peanut Butter M&Ms, and I know they make Crispy and Pretzel and Dark Chocolate, and of course the good old standby – Plain – but these Caramel M&Ms….

They are just the Rock Stars of the family!  The cat’s meow… The bee’s knees.. The bomb dot com!

Once hubby talked me into buying a bag and we tried, I knew I had to make cookies out of these little gems of heavenly deliciousness!

And they did not disappoint!  I made them for a picnic this past weekend, and it’s a good thing I took them all, because I might not be able to resist these babies!

I used my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe – replacing the chocolate chunks with the Caramel M&Ms.  Simple – but oh so delightful!

Give them a try!  Let me know if you agree.

Caramel M&M Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

4 sticks (1 lb.) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
2 9.6oz bags Caramel M&M Candies

Directions:

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.

Fold in Caramel M&M Candies.  Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.  Place on baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on baking stone for 5-10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

#MadewithM

I am not being paid by M&Ms to promote them, though I wish I was!