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.
Be a Sunflower.
Be a sunflower
on a cold winter day…
A burst of sunlight
when the clouds are heavy and gray.
Grow in places
people never thought possible.
Have a sturdy stalk and soft petals…
be wild and unstoppable.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
This little poem was inspired by a birthday bouquet of flowers from hubby. As I gazed at them sitting bright and beautiful on the kitchen table despite the bitter cold and gray just inches away through the window, I realized we can all be bright and sturdy and soft and wild and unstoppable no matter what we or others think is or is not possible. So let’s be a sunflower today.
Shine Bright.
May your cup be full,
and your heart be warm.
May the light outshine the darkness,
and your soul shine brightly.
May the new year bring simple pleasures
that make up a year of cherished moments.
Happy New Year 2018!
May it be a good one.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Merry Grinchmas Celebration.
As I sit by the fire late Christmas evening – basking in the warmth and glow of a wonderful Christmas holiday spent over the past week or so with many of those I love most, I feel so grateful. The house is quiet, except for the dishwasher running, the fire crackling, and a holiday movie playing in the background.
I’m feeling peaceful and content.
There is nothing like the excitement leading up to Christmas, and I loved hosting three dinner parties three days in a row (and that’s not counting one the weekend before). But there is also something very special too about the days that follow Christmas….
The calm afterglow… The snuggling in… The nesting… Looking at pictures… Smiling at the memories.
Movies, books, leftovers, jammies…
Today, I want to share a fun party we had this past Saturday, the eve of Christmas eve, with our McHendy family.
My bestie, Jill and I decided we wanted to surprise our families with a theme, so we created a McHendy Grinchmas Celebration.
A Happy Whoville feast –
complete with Roast Beast (Beef Tenderloin),
Who Mash (Mashed Potatoes),
Grinch Greens (Sauteed Fresh Green Beans with garlic),
and Cindy Lou Who Salad (Crisp Greens, Tart Pomegranate Seeds, Crunchy Pecans, and Creamy Goat Cheese).
This feast was preceded by some fun appetizers earlier in the day, including Grinchy Green Deviled Eggs,
Grinch Santa Hats,
and a Tortilla Wrap Christmas Tree.
And it was followed by a tiered tray of Grinchmas Cookies,
and plenty of other sweet treats.
Each guest received a little favor bucket that included a green ornament with a tiny red heart and lime green and red candies,
as well as a Grinch beanie hat (which we all wore for a fun family photo – with the exception of hubby who wore a full furry Grinch onesie!)
The games planned took a different twist than intended, but ended up being just as fun!
There were sleigh rides and races,
I Spy the Who Hash,
and boxed games around the cleared dinner table.
adorned the powder room and office doors.
And as we ate and played and talked and laughed and cried, we celebrated being family in every true, authentic sense of the word. And we reminded ourselves that “Merry Christmas doesn’t come from the store. Maybe Christmas perhaps is a little bit more.”
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
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!
Christmas Tree at Night – Basking in the Glow -12/19/17
Basking in the Glow.
Basking in the glow
of the moment.
When even if just for a heartbeat…
everything is perfect.
The moments come and go,
but the memories stay forever.
Life is a collection
of moments.
Bask in the glow.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 