Full Moon over Scottsdale, Arizona – July, 2017
The Magic of Moonlight.
The full moon’s smoldering glow
illuminates the evening desert sky
Peeking and hiding amidst billowy clouds
in shades of creamy coral and milky opal.
Palm trees elegantly pirouette
with delicate fronds fluttering fluidly
While the wind whispers a soft lullaby
in hushed tones of serene tranquility.
Good night sweet summer day…
sleep peacefully in contented slumber.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Easy Grilled Sweet Corn on the Cob.
It is Fresh Sweet Corn on the Cob Season in our part of the world!
Corn is a vegetable we rarely eat – except in the heat of summer when it is fresh and sweet and bought the same day it was picked from a local farm stand.
After being in Arizona for a week recently, where it seemed everything we ordered had grilled or roasted corn in it (even a delicious deconstructed Caesar Salad), I had corn on the brain.
We had always boiled our sweet corn on the cob, but I fell in love with the magically charred kernels we experienced on our Southwest trip, so we decided to grill it this time.
O.M.G! We LOVED it! Oh how easy! Keep the heat outside by using the grill. And save clean up time with no pots of boiling hot water.
When I buy corn on the cob, even though is only the two of us now, I buy a full dozen. We usually only eat about half of it, so we cut the rest off the cob and either freeze it in Ziploc bags for a fresh corn treat in the winter or save it for using in other recipes or reheating another day that week.
Here is how we did it. Quick, easy, and oh so delicious!
By the way – I think the mistake many people make with corn on the cob is OVERcooking it. Sweet corn on the cob truly tastes its best when you just cook it long enough to heat, but retain its wonderful sweetness, crunch and flavor. Also, don’t look for the biggest ears of corn. They could likely be tough. Look for smaller, young, tender ears, and buy them from the farm or farm market – not the grocery store, where it could be several days old. There is nothing like eating corn the day it is picked!
Roll it in some butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper for even more yumminess, but when you get fresh, sweet, seasonal corn, it barely needs anything else!
Here is how we made it.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Heat grill to approximately 450 degrees F.
Husk corn, and clean of the silks as best you can. Rinse under cold water.
Place cleaned ears of corn directly on grill for 5 minutes. Turn and grill for another 5 minutes.
Serve immediately with sweet butter, salt, and pepper.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Frozen Grapes in Pinot Grigio
Chilling White Wine.
I recently learned about this great tip for keeping your white wine chilled without watering it down.
Freeze a bag of grapes, and use them as “ice cubes.”
At the end of your drink, you have a wonderful treat of wine soaked grapes to enjoy! And your wine stays full flavored to the very end.
I am definitely more of a red wine girl, but I sometimes enjoy a light Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp, buttery Chardonnay in the summer.
Dropping in a few frozen grapes makes it even more of a treat.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Early Morning Front Yard – Mars, PA – June, 2017
Morning is worth waking up to…
When the warmth of the sun casts its golden magic,
and the shadows of the awakening trees begin dancing.
The cool dew is refreshingly invigorating on bare feet in the grass,
and the light breeze of the night still lingers.
The chirping birds are rejoicing, drenched with enthusiasm,
soaring and fluttering with the butterflies and the bees.
Steaming dark roast coffee is poured and inhaled,
lightened with Italian sweet cream, and then sipped with pleasure.
Sleepy, swollen eyes begrudgingly awaken and brighten.
It’s time to embrace the unending number of possibilities of a brand new day.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
If being in the second half of life means Sunday mornings are even more glorious than Saturday nights, I’ll take it!
Red Quinoa Salad with Avocado, Black Beans, and Corn.
I love legumes, and I am really growing to love quinoa. I recently tried this new salad for dinner that was so so delicious, filling, and healthy.
A one-cup serving of quinoa is packed with 9g proteins, 5g fiber, and 20g carbohydrate. Red quinoa is also rich in magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and phosphorous. It contains high quantities of lysine, an essential amino acid.
Legumes like black beans and edamame are also high in protein and fiber, and avocado is extremely nutrient dense.
To eat something that is so easy, so healthy, so pretty, and so delicious is a win-win in my book!
Are you a legume lover? Quinoa connoisseur? I’d love to hear your favorite ways to enjoy!
Ingredients:
Directions
Cook quinoa, and set aside to cool.
Toss vegetables together gently. Drizzle with lime juice, vinegar and oil. Season with salt, pepper and cilantro. Gently toss.
Spoon quinoa onto plate. Top with a generous scoop of vegetable salad. Garnish, as desired, with quartered cherry tomato.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
In case you forgot to remind yourself this morning…
It’s a new day ready for fresh beginnings.
Your smile can light up a room.
Your beauty is way more than just your appearance.
You alone are more than enough.
You are doing a pretty awesome job at this thing called life.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
PS – I also need to remind myself of this, and these maple tree seedpods I fondly remember as “helicopters” from my childhood spring days at Grandma’s remind me of the hope each day brings and the beauty and potential we all have within just waiting to be shared.
Cherish the Moments!
monochromatic-fall-landscape-raw-and-burnt-sienna-quin-gold-10×12-300lb-fabriano-artistico
I have really grown to have great respect for landscape, seascape, naturescape, and plein air watercolor artists! I find these scenes very challenging, but often get the itch to try.
Most attempts have been less than stellar, but I keep trying.
One of my favorite watercolor artist bloggers, Debi Riley, recently shared a simple monochromatic landscape that was so striking in a blog post she called, “Start Easy (and don’t poke the bear). I had to give it a try.
I mainly used Raw Sienna in various tones using the simple design Debi created. I couldn’t resist adding a bit of Burnt Sienna and Quinacridone Gold and having it resemble Autumn (with some falling leaves made from my unavoidable “Jodi splatters,” but this was a great step in building landscape confidence.
Doing this one gave me the confidence to give landscape another try.
This time I followed the style and tutelage of Terry Harrison, an amazing watercolor artist from the UK I recently discovered through the ArtistNetwork.tv site.
Country Lane Late Summer Landscape Watercolor 11×14 Artistico
I had fun painting the rolling hills and trying a different way with trees using more of a stippling effect. I really didn’t have the right brush and subbed a scrubber instead – not quite the effect I wanted, but confidence-building nonetheless. I am fascinated with what a difference adding shadows makes too.
I may not be a pro at this yet, but I am up for the challenge, and I am going to keep on landscaping! Watercolor that is. I’ll leave the tree pruning, mulching, and grass-cutting to hubby. As long as I provide a cold iced tea every once in a while, there are cookies in the freezer, and I bake a pie now and then, I think I can get away with it…
Happy Landscaping – whichever kind you prefer!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Abstract Fern Watercolor 5×7
It’s that time of year
when the colors and smells and heat of summer
with lush greens and fragrant flowers
and thick, heavy air
are making way for
the colors and smells and chill of autumn
with vibrant reds and scorching oranges and deep hues of yellow
and a refreshing “nip” in the air.
It’s that time of year –
a change in seasons
A time for new beginnings
and a time for sweet endings.
It’s that time of year
that wonderful, lovely, sweet time of year.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
My sweet friend Janet found a recipe for this amazing summer vegetable tart, and I told her she had to come over so we could make it together and enjoy.
And that we did one evening this week.
Besides being so great to see her and spend time in the kitchen slicing and chopping and chatting….
O. M. G. – this turned out so delish!
With summer coming to an end and the abundance of zucchini and red-ripe tomatoes and eggplant and squash, this recipe is a must-do for a hot August evening dinner or Sunday lunch or brunch – or anytime really!
Anything smothered with Parmegiano Regianno is a winner in my book, but this savory summer vegetable tart is seriously a new favorite. Dare I admit I had 4 pieces?!
I think you are going to want to try this, so here is the recipe.
Ingredients:
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Roll out puff pastry or pie crust or crescent rolls on a baking stone or cookie sheet to rectangle or circle to form “pizza” tart crust.
Thinly slice vegetables with mandolin or sharp knife. Lay out on parchment paper or paper towel. Sprinkle with salt, and let set for 15 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Spread tomato sauce on pastry. Layer with vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until crust is golden brown, vegetables are tender, and cheese is melted and browned. Let set for 5-10 minutes, cut, serve, and enjoy!
Happy Eating!
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
the creative life in between 