Nature

Out in the Woods

/ Jodi / 19 Comments

lovely as a tree sympathy baumgartel

I  recently made and sent this card as a sympathy card for dear friends.

I really enjoyed just sponging and layering and creating the background and using one of my all time favorite SU stamp sets, Lovely as a Tree.

When I saw the SUO Challenge this week was Out in the Woods, it seemed a perfect card to enter.  The challenge is to make a card featuring something you’d find out in the woods.

This card also reminded me of our great day at McConnell’s Mills on Sunday out in the woods.

Hope you get to enjoy some time out in the woods or just outdoors wherever you are and whatever season it is in your part of the world.  It’s always good to get fresh air whether warm or cool and enjoy the beauty nature provides us.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

 

McConnell’s Mills – A Sunday Fall Afternoon Hike

/ Jodi / 12 Comments

I can’t think of a much better way to spend a Fall Sunday afternoon than a hike at McConnell’s Mills State Park on a crisp October day with an all-time best friend.

McConnell’s Mills is only 30 minutes from our home; and I am shocked to say it has been years since I have visited.  That will not be happening again!  Janet and I spent three glorious hours hiking around the beautiful state park.

Enjoy the adventure with us.

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Log Cabin

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Log Cabin

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

  IMG_8787-001

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Janet

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

 

McConnell's Mills Covered Bridge Slippery Rock Creek PA State Park Jodi McKinney

Cheers & Hikin’ Hugs,
Jodi

 

Good Morning October

/ Jodi / 1 Comment

octoberfrom our little corner of the world to yours

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

Dazzling Dahlia

/ Jodi / 2 Comments

dahlia

Is there any more beautiful art than that created in nature?

(Thank you Gary for the beautiful bouquet!  Your dahlias are stunning!)

Real Life ANGRY Birds!

/ Jodi / 6 Comments

ab 3So at first I thought these new Blue Jays that started visiting the feeders on our back deck were so beautiful.

ab 1Look how dainty this one looks tip toeing across the deck railing.

ab 0and stopping to pose, but then…………….

SHEEEESH!

They sure get mad when the other nice birds (that all got along before) come to the feeders!  And this new GANG in town gets angry and mean with each other too!!

ab 6They holler at each other

ab 4

The pick and peck at each other!

ab 2I actually had to holler at them several times and tell them to share nice!

(even Mikey was yelling at them!)

I shooshed and shooed them a few times, and they seem to have left this side of the forest for now…..

And the sweet ones are happy — – the grosbeaks and wrens and cardinals and goldfinches and woodpeckers and hummingbirds all take their turns nicely.

Anybody else experience this?  Have suggestions for how to get everyone to get along?

I guess there’s always at least one in every group – eh?

Even in the bird world.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

 

 

Morning Walk with Mikey

/ Jodi / Leave a comment

Mikey and I often enjoy early morning walks.  One day this past week,  we took the camera along with us, so we could share just a small taste of the beauty we enjoy along the way.  Blackberries are done here in Western Pennsylvania, and now the wild black raspberries are prolific along the wood’s edge of our lane.

MWWM Juicy Berries

Mikey loves berry pickin’ – –  and he only eats the ripe ones.

MWWM Berries

I thought these were stunning with their purple bloom on top.  It is so amazing to see the colors change weekly on our walk as different things blossom and bloom.

MWWM Purple Flower

I never grow tired of the simplicy of daisies….
He loves me…. He loves me not….

MWWM Daisies

These Brown Eyed Susans still had the morning dew on them and just popped out at us in a field of green.

MWWM Brown Eyes Susans

And I loved the way the sun hit the dew on little spider and cob webs showing their fragile and delicate intricateness.

MWWM Spider Web

The sky was so blue above us with a few puffy white clouds to just make it look that much bluer.

MWWM Blue Sky

And wild morning glories were open and welcoming the sunshine.

MWWM Morning Glory

A Daddy Long Leg and an Ant were sharing time on this beautiful orange wild flower.  Do you see how Loooooong that one leg is?

MWWM Orange Wildflower

There is so much beauty to enjoy in the simplest of moments.  And Mikey is such a good partner, who waits patiently while I stop to photograph, soaking up the sun, and possibly wishing for some shades!

MWWM Sun in Eyes Waiting

Happy Weekend!  Hope you take some time to enjoy the simple pleasures along your walk, wherever it takes you to and from…

at Life In Between…

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Hummin’ the Hummingbird Tune!

/ Jodi / 8 Comments

hb1

And doin’ the Hummingbird Dance!

WOOHOO  – OOO – OOO – OOO!

hb2

Captured it!  The elusive (when my camera is handy!), delicate, delightful, dainty hummingbird.

hb8

Score!   Goal!    Touchdown!    Homerun!

Ok – maybe a bit of exaggeration, but super excited if you haven’t noticed.  🙂

And another checkmark to check off on the photography list.

Such a beautiful, tiny creature that brings me such joy!

Hope you enjoy it too.

Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi

 

 

Finally Caught a Butterfly

/ Jodi / 6 Comments

butterfly 2

Patience is a virtue I don’t have much of, and photographing nature – especially the living, MOVING stuff (like birds and butterflies and animals) – takes it.

butterfly

So I was super excited when I had the chance to quietly sneak up on this beauty that practically matches these posies on our deck it was enjoying this weekend.

(Sneaking up reminds me of one of Pap’s classic jokes – totally off the subject – but because I can hardly ever remember jokes, and I don’t know why I remember this silly one – unless maybe because he told it approximately 4,823 times that I can recall – here goes)

Q:  How do you catch a unique rabbit?

A:  You neak up on it.

Q:  How do you catch a tame one?

A:  Tame way

LOL!  HaHa! HeeHee!  Snicker Snicker!  🙂

butterfly 3

So YAY!  And Check!  Get to cross this one off my list.  (the photo opp – not the joke! 🙂 )

Still working on the stinkin’ hummingbird.  Those dang things move really fast!   Caught a few shots yesterday, but not good enough to share…. yet.

Happy Monday!

Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi

POST NOTE:  Showed my “butterfly” pictures to Marty…   and he thinks it is a moth……..  😦

Anybody know?  What do you think?

Did some research here at the The Library of Congress Reference Services … and I’m thinking because of the antennae and the way it held it’s wings – it’s a butterfly…

Anxious to hear expert opinions!

Oh well – I still think it is beautiful – eh?