Snowy Pine Tree Way, Mars, PA – December, 2016
Just be…
whatever it is
you were meant to be.
Just be.
During this time of year, so many of us push ourselves beyond what any human is capable of doing.
Others suffer with stinging depression because their life is not like the “Hallmark” Christmas card or movie.
Remember to just be…
It’s okay…
It is actually more than okay!
It is what you are meant to be.
Let it go – let it be – and just be.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
No Regrets Abstract Watercolor
Never regret a day in your life.
Good days give happiness.
Bad days give experience.
Worst days give lessons.
Best days give memories.
(source unknown)
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
North Park Lake, Wexford, PA – November 18, 2016
Life can be so simple
yet so complex.
Much like nature.
And either way…
it is a beautiful thing!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
sunset on cranberry twp, pa 11-14-16
The sun sets
The moon rises
The earth turns.
The heart beats
The eyes see
The ears hear.
The clock ticks
The calendar flips
Time flies.
The hands touch
The nose smells
The mouth tastes.
The wind blows
The trees sway
The birds sing.
The soul feels
The brain thinks
The human being loves.
Experience every second
Appreciate every minute
Cherish every moment.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Super Moon over Mars (PA) November 13, 2016
Oh the mysteries of the moon and earth
You never realize how quickly our earth is actually rotating
until you try to pause long enough to capture a photo of the moon.
From afar, I always see a face…
the “man on the moon” I called it as a child.
As I look at this photo I took late Sunday evening,
it almost appears as if the moon is a large mirror
reflecting back the earth it sees.
The beauty of nature
It makes you feel small and insignificant
and large and important
all at once.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
If it weren’t for
the rocks in its bed,
the stream
would have no song.
Listen for the sweet songs
amidst the rocky stream
that is this journey of life,
and keep singing.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Alley at Marietta Square, Marietta, Georgia
Marietta Square
was so lovely.
Quaint little shoppes
with names like Lizards and Lollipops
where hubby and I giggled over stuffed pink owls
and old-fashioned toys,
and shared our excitement
for the upcoming birth of our first grandchild
while sipping peach tea
and frozen lemonade.
And I strolled through the most beautiful art museum
where local artisans displayed their heart and passion and craft
with the only criterion for this annual Metro Montage juried exhibition
being American citizenship,
but where I saw art that touched my heart even deeper
than the beautiful Monets
I had the privilege of viewing
at the Atlanta High Museum of Art only the day before.
The antique shoppes drew me in
with their charm and smell and nostalgia.
And we traversed the railroad track
envisioning the hustle and bustle
of the train station
that once was
where kisses and hugs
and waves goodbye
were followed by tears of joy and sorrow,
and dreams were created and shattered.
But the things that drew me in most
were the alley ways
where real life
happens.
Where shoppe owners
and restaurant chefs
and museum directors
do what they need to do
so we can enjoy
the things they have to share.
It’s that “in-between stuff”
that always draws me in.
The lives, the stories,
the struggles, the triumphs.
The day-to-day moments
that make it all real,
that make it all charming,
that make it all worth cherishing.
The in between alleys
that create our lives.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Jelly Fish – Georgia Aquarium
It magically floats
creating beauty
and light
in the depths
and darkness.
Glowing
with hope
and inspiring
the possiblility
that magic
can be created
and can happen
anywhere
Seek the magic.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
I smiled at you,
and I said “hello.”
You smiled back,
and we both continued on our way.
When we crossed paths again
in the next aisle of our local supermarket
you stopped me,
and you looked directly into my eyes,
and you told me
I was the most beautiful person you have ever seen.
I looked back at you
more than dumbfounded.
I am clearly not the most beautiful person
even in the supermarket that day
let alone being bestowed such an honor
as the most beautiful ever.
I told you
I am sure you are mistaken.
You said, “Oh no,”
I’ve seen many.
I’ve lived a lot of years,
and I have seen my fair share of people.
These days, I rarely encounter
anyone who even notices me passing by their way
let alone one who looks me in the eyes and smiles
and genuinely greets me.
You are the most beautiful person
I have ever seen.
I will never forget you
though many years have passed.
My skin is becoming more like I remember
thinking yours was.
You made my day.
You made my week.
Heck – let’s face it –
You made my year – maybe two.
I am still far from the most beautiful,
but you made me realize
beauty is so much more
than the physical appearance.
You – sweet, gentle man
may be the most beautiful person I have ever seen.
You impacted me so deeply
and so profoundly.
You taught me a lesson
I have carried with me through my life.
A lesson that has carried me through times
of darkness and doubt.
Beauty can take on many forms
and be seen through different lenses.
Sometimes beauty is a simple, sincere
“hello.”
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Queen Anne’s Lace – August, 2016 – Mars, PA
I wandered
and I wondered
surrounded by the intricate
delicate
complex
beauty of nature.
Did “the queen”
strive to achieve her beauty…
or did she just
allow it to happen?
Did she recognize her beauty
in the complexity…
Or did it
even matter?
Was she
a weed…
Or was she
a beautiful flower?
Is it a
beautiful question…
Or is it
a beautiful answer?
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 