Photography

Blackberry Blondies

/ Jodi / 15 Comments

Blackberry Blondies 1

My son, Nick declared these Blackberry Blondie Cookie Bars “the best dessert” I’ve made in a long time!  (I think he ate four last night – and he usually has extreme self control over sweets)  Score!  🙂

Anyway, I have literally been longing to bake something…

I had a big, juicy carton of fresh blackberries in the fridge I bought to eat with my morning cereal, but when I found this recipe for Blackberry Blondies from Nicole Weston at BakingBites.com, I knew this is what I wanted to make.  Thanks for sharing Nicole!

Blackberry Blondies 2

Blondies are basically the opposite of brownies in that they are the same idea of a bar-type cookie, but typically vanilla flavored instead of chocolate.  Blondies can be plain or they can be the base for many different additions – like these yummy blackberries.

blackberry blondies 3

And since this recipe uses fresh, vitamin-packed blackberries (not a sugar-laden preserve or fruit filling) – they are a teensy bit healthy – eh? 🙂

I only had a bite of one, so I could know what they taste like, and it was so worth it!  YUM!  (And yes – I did go to the gym today)

These remind me of blackberry cobbler in a cookie.  How divine is that?!?!

Here is the recipe from Nicole at Baking Bites with just a few small tweaks I made.  I was out of vanilla extract (seriously don’t know how that happened!), so I used all almond extract, and you know what?  I don’t think I would change it.

Hope you will try, and hope you enjoy.  Let me know if you do.

Blackberry Blondies

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tsp almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a square 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
Whisk together butter and sugar in a large bowl until well combined.
Beat in salt, egg, and almond extract until well combined.
Stir in flour and mix just until fully incorporated.
Gently fold in blackberries.
Transfer dough to prepared pan and spread carefully into an even layer.
Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until bars are set and golden.
Cool completely in the pan before cutting.

Makes 16.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Monday again

/ Jodi / 21 Comments
cardinal winter

I swear this cardinal is blowing a raspberry at us saying “Na Na Na Na Poo Poo – It’s Monday Again!”

Oh Monday…

You are a beginning,

and you are an end.

Like a glass that is half empty to one,

and half full to another.

You are just another day,

but oft with dreaded suspension.

Let us hang on to the hope,

that comes with your inception.

– – – – – – – – – – –

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Express Yourself

/ Jodi / 21 Comments

express yourself

Sometimes we blossom and bloom and exude radiant brilliance.
Other times our thistles and thorns protect us and guard us and hide us.

Reach, stretch, discover, grow.
Bloom where you are planted.
Evolve with your seasons.

Never be afraid to express yourself.

This week’s Weekly Photo Challenge asked us to post a photo to “Express Yourself.”
As I contemplated the subject, this photo I took a few months ago on a walk spoke to me.  It inspired me to express myself – as this thistle – in all of its ages and stages does.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Winter Months of Life

/ Jodi / 20 Comments

winter bird serenity monochrome

In the winter months of life,
there comes a balance between hanging on and letting go.
Should we stay or should we go?
Do we get to choose?
What do we have to lose?

 My Marty’s 92-year old Aunt lost the second love of her life this week.  Her near 93-year old fiance.

Rest in Peace dear Tilford.  Thanks for loving Aunt Francie.  Thanks for bringing her such joy in the winter years of her life.   You will be missed.  You were a good man.

Christmas 2007

Hugs,
Jodi

Happy Chinese New Year Party

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

We had a great time this weekend celebrating Chinese New Year!  (a couple weeks early – but as our Host “Oh Rob” would say, “Who has more fun than us??!!)

Such yummy food… like these crunchy egg rolls,

CNY bamboo and egg rolls

the MOST AMAZING homemade dumplings and dipping sauces,

CNY dumplings and egg rolls

fresh crisp lettuce wraps, oranges (for good luck), and of course fortune cookies,

CNY lettuce wraps fortune cookies oranges

along with tender tangy teriyaki beef skewers to start of the festivities.

chinese new year 2015 teriyaki beef

And after our bellies were satisfied with tasty treats and wine and Moscow mules,

CNY dragon lantern

and we all received our special hat and learned what animal our birth year represented (I’m a tiger in case you couldn’t have guessed – LOL!)

CNY Joyce and Ella

and we were wished good luck by our happy hostesses (Mimi and Ella) in matching smiles and attire.

CNY gold coins

We learned a new game that, though we all had heard of,  none of us had ever played.

CNY bunco dice

Bunco!

CNY people 5

and though we don’t believe it has ANYthing to do with Chinese New Year,

CNY people 4

we patiently listened to the instructions,

CNY bunco sheep

fought to hang on to the “Bunco Sheep,”

CNY bunco playing

and had a great time.

Then, of course, it was time to eat again!

So fresh veggies got tossed into…

CNY veggies for stir fry

Chicken Stir Fry…

CNY stir fry

and Shrimp Stir Fry, with lots of fluffy steamed rice.

CNY Shrimp stir fry

We visited some more,

CNY people 2

hugged some more,

CNY Marty and Jill

and ate some more,

CNY people 3

and more…

CNY people

until the end of the evening, when we we lit Chinese lanterns,

CNY lantern 1

and made wishes,

CNY Todd and Mason

while we watched them float away over the lake – carrying our hopes and dreams for good luck in 2015.

CNY happy new year

Thanks for a wonderful time Joyce and Rob!  xoxo

Cheers & Hugs for a Happy New Year,
Jodi

Discover your own way

/ Jodi / 30 Comments

discover tree

Temperatures finally broke double digits yesterday allowing Mikey and I to get out for a short walk.

This tree captured my attention.

Every branch is discovering its own way,

and each has its own unique beauty.

Kinda like all of us…

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

P.S. I am sharing this photo on Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge:  Wood

Discover – One Little Word Wednesday

/ Jodi / 23 Comments
unmapped territory

Source: infinitesmiles

It just came to me!  Without even realizing I was searching for it…  My “One Little Word” for 2015…

DISCOVER

My focus this year is going to be to DISCOVER…

Discover the unmapped territory within me,

Discover things in life I have feared or not considered,

Discover beauty in the small stuff,

Discover my strengths, and accept my weaknesses,

Discover the world around me!

This journey of beginning my blog about seven months ago has been such a great Discovery for me.  It has enlightened me in so many ways to discover things about myself and to discover new people and places and things.

It hit me last night after having my BFF, Jill, over for dinner and a visit and receiving this awesome gift from her…

LIB Camera Strap

Is this awesome or what?!?!  A new personalized PhatStraps Camera Strap with my blog name on it!!!!!!

It makes me feel sooooo official!  🙂

I squealed!  I hugged!  I love it!!  Thank you Jill!  I love you!

I am so fortunate to have the support of my friends and family in this journey of self-discovery, and I love discovering new things every day in this journey of life.

Thanks for sharing it with me here…. at life in between.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Day Dreamin’ & the Dog Days of Winter

/ Jodi / 10 Comments

ice and leaf

Day dreamin’
While the rain is freezin’

With a look in his eyes
That longs for blue skies.

Mikey and the ice

Mikey McKinney – 7 years old

 

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

The Old Porch Swing

/ Jodi / 28 Comments

snowy swing black and white

Oh the stories this old porch swing could tell…

Of afternoon story time with mama and sons,

and little boy shenanigans, plots, and plans.

Afternoon breaks for dad and mom,

important decisions discussed and planned.

Moonlight kisses,

and engagement photos.

Tears shed while swinging,

both happy and sad.

Deep conversations,

and happy reunions.

You have carried us through,

and will continue to do.

Oh Deer!

/ Jodi / 24 Comments

deer

Living surrounded by woods is such a nice way to share our home with the beauty and the beasts nature provides.

I think this girl is beautiful as she prances along the edge of the woods and our yard.

Our furry son, on the other hand, thinks these “beasts” need shooed away and makes it his mission to bark and chase and keep them out of “Mikey’s yard.”

So while Mikey was barking and acting tough and big and ferocious (to no avail!), I grabbed my camera and caught a shot of this girl in the shadows of the woods yesterday…..

and I told Mikey we are allowed to share our home with her…  (I just wish she wouldn’t eat my hostas!)

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi