Inspiration

The Rusty Old Bridge

/ Jodi / 54 Comments

Rusty old bridge

The Rusty Old Bridge

Your shiny metal has weathered to shades of orange and brown
like skin that has worked and played and laughed in the sun.

Your concrete pillars are beginning to crack under pressure
like wrinkles of worry from the stress of supporting such a heavy load.

You connected two sides – one with the other
as if you had open and outstretched arms.

And now,
though your original purpose is abandoned,

you still serve,
but in subtler ways.

a shady spot for respite from the heat
or a lazy day of fishing.

It’s time to rest Rusty Old Bridge.
You’ve earned this time.

Enjoy it
while I admire you.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Bloom Where You are Planted

/ Jodi / 50 Comments

bloom where you are planted

Bloom where you are planted.
There’s no better place to be.

Right exactly where you are
is where you’re meant to be.

Bloom where you are planted
for all the world to see.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Hope Thistle

/ Jodi / 61 Comments
Hope Thistle Watercolor

Thistle Watercolor

Hope Thistle bring a smile to your lips.

Hope Thistle bring joy to your day.

Hope Thistle help you see the beauty in nature.

Hope Thistle encourage you to create.

Hope Thistle brighten your day.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Opening Up

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

white tree blossoms

Open your eyes.
Close your narrow views.

Open your ears.
Close your inner negative thoughts.

Open your mind.
Close your ignorance.

Open your heart.
Close your hate.

Open your arms.
Close them in a hug.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Pansy for your Thoughts

/ Jodi / 64 Comments

pansies

Can you remember
who you were
before the world
told you who
you should be?

Be brave
and be that person.
It is undoubtedly
the best you
you can be.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Beauty in the Cracks

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

in the cracks stone wall flowers

The other evening
after dinner,
I went outside
to breathe in
the gentle fragrance
of the Spring air
and dig my fingers
into the warming earth
to clear the leaves and twigs and “weeds”
in preparation for planting
flowers and herbs and vegetables.

In the crack of the stone wall
in the landscape where nothing should grow
and where I tend to pull out things
that do not “belong,”
I decided to leave this tender
flowering plant
that added life
and its own kind of beauty
when you look at it for what it simply is.

Like life in between,
where I cherish the moments,
I cherish the beauty
in the cracks of life.

The crack in the chip
of an heirloom antique cow creamer,
or the crack in the humor
of a “dig” or a joke from one of my guys.

The crack in the corner of the lips
of a friend’s smile when they see me,
or the crack in the voice of my Dad
when we reminisce
about times we’ve spent together
or the times we sadly missed.

The cracks in the corners of
hubby’s (and even my) eyes
that show we have lived and loved and laughed
throughout the years.
(not to mention another cute crack
when he bends over without a belt!)

There truly is beauty
in the cracks of life
if only we open our eyes to see
the tiny little joys
in the cracks in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Be Kind

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

Be Kind Rose

Why does there have to be

So much fighting…
So much hatred…

Politics.
Religion.

In a world where
you can be anything,

Be Kind.

It’s really not that hard.

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

(pink rose from my anniversary bouquet)

Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay

/ Jodi / 56 Comments

old boat at three rivers rowing association youth boathouse pittsburgh pa

Sittin’ on the dock of the bay
watching the……

geese and birds and fishermen and rowers,
cars and bikers and joggers and walkers.
Soaking up the early Spring sunshine after a fun little field trip day with hubby on Saturday.

We stopped by the Three Rivers Rowing Association Youth Boathouse in Pittsburgh.

As I snapped photos, I was drawn to this beat up ole’ beauty that sat alone
amidst all the sleek and shiny new sweep and sculling boats.

It’s beauty caught my eye the most.

Kind of like people.

Youth is sleek and shiny and new and beautiful,
but the real beauty that more often catches my attention
is the kind that emanates from the wrinkles on the face of the older woman
who has spent decades loving and smiling and laughing
with her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

or the rough and calloused, knotty, sun-spotted hands of an old man
who worked hard all his life to support his family.
Hands with map-like veins protruding as if telling a story of the places he’d gone and the things he’d done.
Hands that hurt, yet gently stroke his wife’s cheek, guide his children’s path, and cradle his grandchildren.

Yep – sittin’ on the dock of the….. river….
wasting time?
Maybe not.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Photo submission for the Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge:  Half-Light:  Share a photo inspired by a poem, verse, song lyric or story.  Also in loving memory of “Poops” Pap McKinney, who we remember lovingly today on his birthday.

Roses and thorns

/ Jodi / 53 Comments

pink rose impressionist watercolor 5x7 matted 8x10 2

I’ve never been very successful at growing roses,
but I thought it might be fun to try painting some this past weekend.

Roses remind me of love,
of Mother’s Day,
of Romeo and Juliet,
of Valentines and fragrance and summertime.

purple rose impressionist watercolor 5x7 matted xx10

Roses also remind me that there is always two ways to look at things…

Roses have thorns…
or
Thorns have roses!

May you see roses in all of your thorns.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

 

More AND Less

/ Jodi / 36 Comments

thoughts at dusk

Thoughts at dusk while riding home from a celebration of life service for a young girl whose life was cut short much too soon…

More presence –
Less distraction.

More compassion –
Less indifference.

More generosity –
Less accumulation.

More tolerance –
Less narrow-mindedness.

More kindness –
Less cruelty.

More love –
Less hate.

Cherish the moments!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi