Winter Sunset, Mars, PA – January 2018 – “Happy Endings”
Happy Endings.
The magical beauty
of a sunset
at the end of the day…
no matter how hard
or cold or uncomfortable
the day…
renews my faith
in the possibility
of happy endings.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
It was all such a Blur.
It was cottony,
it was fluffy,
it was soft,
it was flaky.
It was powdery.
it was picturesque,
it was drifting,
it was blowing.
It was cold,
it was wet,
it was icy,
it was blinding.
It
was
all
such
a
blur!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Yellow (rumped) Warbler in Winter Watercolor 11×14 140 lb cold press
A Winter Warbler Watercolor
I was looking at some beautiful photos on Mike Powell’s Photography Blog the other day of a fluffy little yellow-rumped warbler he spotted eating berries in the frigid winter weather at the Occoquan Bay National Wildlife Reserve in Virginia this month.
He was so cute, I asked Mike if I could paint one of his photos. He kindly obliged. My watercolor doesn’t do justice to the beauty of the bird or the magnificent shot Mike caught, but it was fun to do. It’s been a while since I painted a bird. And this little guy had his fluffiest coat on in the frigid temperatures we’ve been experiencing in the Northeast part of the United States lately, which made him just too irresistible for me to resist.
Thanks for giving me a shot at him Mike, and I hope you all might find some time to check out Mike’s lovely photography blog. And if you really love bird photos, you must also check out Kathy’s blog at Backyard Bird Nerd. Kathy has the best backyard birds I’ve ever seen. She claims one of her secrets is the bark butter. I think every bird on the planet would like to live in Kathy’s backyard!
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Backyard Sunrise – Mars, PA – January, 2018
Let Each New Sunrise…
Give you hope.
Fill you with gratitude.
Provide a clean slate.
Invent new explorations.
Start with a hug.
Include an “I love you.”
Not be overlooked.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Frozen Stream – Backyard – Mars, PA – January 2018
In Time – Seasons of Change.
Isn’t it so comforting?
Doesn’t it fill you with hope?
To know…
that the brittle frozen stream
will once again flow
with soft warm life…
in time.
Seasons of Change.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Red Male Cardinal – Backyard, Mars, PA – taken through glass window – January, 2018
A Bright Spot in the Storm.
Need we really look
any further
than out the window
amidst a storm
when searching
for a bright spot?
Nature’s examples
teach us
there is always a bright spot
amidst a storm.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Bright red male cardinals fill my backyard in the winter and seem even more vibrant when the snow is swirling and blowing and the tree branches are bare. Such a bright spot in my day.
Winter Solstice 2017
Winter Solstice.
The bareness of the winter landscape
has its own unique and particular charm.
The trees – unencumbered with leaves –
reveal their unique character and form.
Feathery branches and sturdy trunks
unveil intricate lace designed by nature.
The moon – no matter it’s phase –
shines brighter than ever against the clear, yet soft grey sky.
It brightens our path during the shorter days
creating shadows that stretch longer and more mysteriously.
Winter solstice beckons us home
to comfort and clarity.
To crispness and gentleness –
a clear view of this beautiful world we inhabit.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
December 21 begins the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Where many look upon this time as negative and dreary, I have grown to adore this season – even more so after reading the first few chapters of a beautiful book I just began, The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater, who practically creates a hymn to winter. Thanks for the recommendation Lynda!
When Timber Makes One Feel Small.
When I awoke yesterday morning,
I squealed like a elementary school girl anticipating a snow day.
We had our first measurable snowfall,
and this is the beauty I get to behold from my back deck.
As I took in the bright sunlight, the tall trees, and the long shadows they cast,
I felt very small realizing the expanse of nature and our world.
And it reminded me of a quote from a sweet little book I just read
and have been itching to share, because I think about it every day now.
If I got to talk to
me when I was little.
I’m not sure who
would be smarter.
Little me telling me
what not to forget.
Or bigger me telling
little me ‘if only I’d
known.’
What do you think? Which one of you is smarter?
Colleen is also a blogger, who shares little bits of insanely insightful wisdom with simple, adorable illustrations that really draw you in. Check her out at The Chatter Blog.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Purpose.
At night,
go to bed
and dream.
In the morning,
wake up with
a purpose.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Backyard Sunrise, Mars, PA – December, 2017
At Sunrise Each Day.
Your luminous rays
wake me from slumber.
Disturbing my dreams
and coaxing my eyes open.
But how can I deny
the bright, shining gift you bring.
Renewal and promise
at sunrise each day.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 