aviary

Just Do it Anyway

/ Jodi / 37 Comments
Elvis the Penguin at the National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA - September, 2017

Elvis the Penguin at the National Aviary, Pittsburgh, PA – September, 2017

Just Do it Anyway!

It might be scary.
It is probably risky.

What if someone is watching,
and it turns out to be a flop?

What if people laugh?
What if they say, “I told you so.”

There’s a pretty huge chance it won’t work out.
But guess what?  That’s the point!

Be brave!
Just Do it Anyway!

 

This is a mantra I am trying to reiterate to myself.  I am taking on new experiences, new challenges, new risks – with my art, writing, self-development….

It might turn out to be a great big flop, but I’ll never know if I don’t just do it anyway!

Is there something you’ve always wanted to do?  Pick up a paint brush?  Write a book?  Travel to a faraway place?  Learn a new skill?  Begin a new relationship?  Record a song?  Learn to fly?  Heck – maybe it’s even just a new hairdo?

It might not turn out……..

But then it might?

If you don’t just do it anyway, how will you ever know?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

 

Parrot of Blue Part Deux

/ Jodi / 41 Comments
Blue Parrot Watercolor 11x13 140lb Saunders Waterford Cold Press

Blue Parrot Watercolor 11×13 140lb Saunders Waterford Cold Press

Parrot of Blue Part Deux.

Does this guy look familiar?

You may recall him as the handsome guy who posed for me at the National Aviary on our recent visit this past weekend.

He was just too irresistible for me not to have some fun with.

And I happened to finally hit it right and remember this month that it is our “official unofficial” Draw a Bird Day – which a group of bloggers celebrates every month on the 8th.

Seems it is a bit of a bird week for me this week at thecreativelifeinbetween.

This cutie is going with us to the Lake Latonka Fall Festival tomorrow, where he’ll be for sale as an original, prints or cards, along with loads of others you’ve seen here and that are in our McKinneyX2Designs ETSY Shop, as well as a wide variety of fall, holiday, kitchen, and farmhouse-design signs created by my daughter-in-law Colleen from reclaimed pallet wood.  My son, Jake, even got in on the action with some amazing artwork too that will knock your socks off!  He also built us a landing page website (mx2d.com), where you can access our ETSY shop, Facebook page, and Instagram.

If you are anywhere near Mercer, PA tomorrow, come find us at the McKinneyX2Designs booth outside the red barn.  We are having a drawing for a gift card to our ETSY shop and are doing some “show specials!” We’ll be there from 9am – 4pm.  Hoping for good weather and fun times!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS  This Parrot of Blue Part Deux Watercolor was done with Daniel Smith Cerulean and Prussian Blues, Cadmium Yellow and Orange, and M. Graham’s Neutral Tint, as well as a bit of Dr. ph Martin’s Bleedproof White.

 

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s…Birdly!

/ Jodi / 62 Comments

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s… Birdly!

Hubby and I made a little visit this past weekend to the National Aviary located in our beautiful city of Pittsburgh.

It’s pretty awesome having America’s only independent indoor nonprofit zoo dedicated exclusively to birds in our own “backyard” with a diverse collection of more than 500 birds representing more than 150 species from around the world, many of them threatened or endangered in the wild.

And guess what?  We’ve never visited it before this past weekend!

Bird lovers that we have become…..  meet some of our new friends.

I wish I could remember their names and species, but maybe some of you are better at identifying.  I simply found them fascinating and beautiful.

The eagle took my breath away.

But wait….. what is this rare bird?

It’s Hubby as a virtual reality eagle flying over New York City on BIRDLY!

Have you ever dreamed of flying like a bird?  BIRDLY has made that possible, and we were able to experience it on our recent visit.

The exhilarating flight simulation experience allows you to fly like a bird while lying on the simulator chest down, flapping your arms using hinged wings, and controlling  your direction and speed while a fan simulates headwinds. Motors and actuators tilt and dip your body in response. The sensory-motor coupling essentially tricks the brain, so between the motion, wind, sound and visuals, you are effectively flying!

For me it was exciting and terrifying at the same time.  Biggest ninny poo poo of all time, I am deathly afraid of heights.  But I wasn’t going to let that stop me.  It is clearly safe, and oh what a feeling of freedom it was!

So yep – got to experience flying like a bird this past weekend!  I’d say that’s a check off the ole’ bucket list for sure!  Hubby was so busy telling me how to flap my wings, he didn’t think to take a picture.  Does that surprise anyone that knows him!?!?

He really was trying to help me as I was…. [ahem]… let’s say the “most vocal” of all the flyers that afternoon…

If you get a chance, do visit the National Aviary and take a flight on Birdly where you can “Fly Like an Eagle.”

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

I Have Officially Become a Bird Nerd

/ Jodi / 88 Comments
purple finch

Curious the Purple Finch, Mars, PA

I have to admit I have officially become a “bird nerd!”

After sharing Happy, My Blue Bird of Happiness yesterday (well officially an Indigo Bunting, but I like to give most everyone a name), and sharing what a stand out he is among the crowd, I thought I’d share some more of my feathered friends with you today from our little backyard sanctuary.

From hummingbirds that are only about an inch and a half long…

hummingbird

Hummer the Hummingbird, Mars, PA

to Woody, the Pileated Woodpecker who is about a foot and a half long…

pileated woodpecker

Woody the Pileated Woodpecker, Mars, PA

our backyard is just chirping with charming chatterboxes.

Here is where we all hang out.  I took a few pictures very early yesterday morning, while the dew was still dancing and the sun was just summoning its presence for the day.

backyard deck

Our back deck is southern facing, so it is warmed up quickly when the sun rises and is shaded by late afternoon when the sun is hottest.

backyard deck 2

I am still patiently waiting for the birds to discover they can bathe in the bird bath.

backyard deck 3 birdbath

And when the sun gets too hot, we can round the bend to the side of the house for shade…

rocking chair and fern

side porch

where it is undercover, and we can sit in cushioned comfort.

backyard deck 3 side

porch rules

Even Charlie likes a break from the sunshine sometimes.

backyard charlie

The birds come out rain…

male cardinal

Male Cardinal, Rainy Day, Mars, PA

or shine.

female cardinal

Female Cardinal, Sunny Morning, Mars, PA

Mr Rose-Breasted Grosbeak always dresses for breakfast and dinner in his finest formal wear…

male grosbeak

Male Grosbeak, Mars, PA

and carefully watches over the little Mrs.

female grosbeak

Female Grosbreak, Mars, PA

There are many more – the sparrows and cowbirds, the bluejays and the goldfinches, the warblers and the nuthatches. There is a wide variety of woodpeckers and a huge extended family of mourning doves.  An occasional blackbird stops by, the robins romp about, and we are always excited to see a Baltimore Oriole hang out for a while.

baltimore oriole

We sure love our winged wanderers and welcome them with wonderment.

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse before you fly away to go about your day.

female grosbeak in flight

Cherish the moments!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS – If you too flock to the flight of fledglings, check out my blogging friend, Kathy’s site: Backyard Bird Nerd.  Kathy regularly posts photos of the birds that are lucky enough to call her backyard home.