sunrise

Even if no one bothers to look…

/ Jodi / 63 Comments
Sunrise on Forsythe - Mars, PA 5/8/17

Sunrise on Forsythe – Mars, PA – 5/8/17

Even if no one bothers to look…

The sunrise, of course, doesn’t care if we watch it or not.
It will keep on being beautiful,
even if no one bothers to look at it.

Gene Amole

Yesterday morning I was on the road very early
and couldn’t resist driving down one of my favorite roads in our little community.

It was a cold, but sunny morning
with a nip in the air and frost on the grass.

As the warmth of the sun shone,
the steam and fog rose from the ice crystal-kissed earth and cold creeks and ponds.

I drove home slowly on my way back from my early morning run,
sipping my steaming coffee, but drinking in the beginning of a new day.

I wish I took time to notice it more often….
It’s there – just waiting for me to enjoy its beauty.

And with or without me –
that sunrise just keeps on being beautiful!

It made me think a bit too…
About being beautiful.

No – not Hollywood beauty…
not Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition beauty.

But about being a beautiful person –
in my heart and in my thoughts and in my character and in my actions.

And I want to make an effort to be a beautiful person…
even if no one bothers to look.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Gene Amole also wrote a book I just bought on Amazon called “The Last Chapter.”  I look forward to reading it and will share my thoughts.

So Lovely is…

/ Jodi / 33 Comments

So lovely is…
the rise of the sun
on early morning walks
with a best friend
who is enthralled
with the excitement
of new discoveries
in the early dawn dew.

Seek
and
Cherish
the moments!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Smack in the Middle of Winter

/ Jodi / 34 Comments

february-18-2017-sunrise-mars-pa

Smack in the Middle of Winter

The sunrise was beautiful
that mid-February day
when Charlie and I went
on an early morning walk.

And the sun just shone brighter,
and the sky turned bluer,
and the air grew warmer,
until it reached a sunny 68 degrees!

A record was set that caused
the robins to sing and the breeze to gently whisper.
It encouraged the daffodils to pop out of the ground,
and the earth smelled like Spring.

Charlie snoozed on the porch,
and we opened the window
while we painted and pounded
wearing light t-shirts.

It was a beautiful Spring day…
smack in the middle of winter.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Misty Morning

/ Jodi / 55 Comments
misty-morning-mars-pa-0117

Misty Morning – Mars, PA – January, 2017

Oh misty morning…
with your subtle and mellow beauty,

You are like a soft veil creating the illusion
of a world that is blemish and scar free.

You are a gentle beginning
to the realities of the day.

Oh misty morning…
will you please just stay?

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Do Small Things with Great Love

/ Jodi / 22 Comments
september-sunrise-mars-cemetary-mars-pa

September Sunrise – Mars Cemetery – Mars, PA

“Not all of us can do great things.  But we can do small things with great love.”

-Mother Teresa

Don’t let it stop you
because it’s not grand…
because it’s not important enough…
because it’s just something small.

Do it anyway…
knowing it matters,
because it has been done
with great love.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Conneaut Lake Snowy Sunrise

/ Jodi / 84 Comments

conneat lake snowy sunrise watercolor

My sweet buddy, Oh Rob, recently posted a beautiful photo of his morning view waking up at Conneaut Lake, PA on his Facebook page.  It really drew me in, as it is one of my favorite places to be, mostly because it is with him and his sweet wife Joyce who are very dear to us.

I tried painting it in watercolor.  Need to loosen up more.  But I had fun thinking of them and this beautiful place on earth.  There have been so many beautiful pink skies this winter.  Am I just noticing it more, or is there more than usual?

conneat lake snowy sunrise photo

Wishing you beautiful sunrises.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

January

/ Jodi / 88 Comments

snowy tree landscape watercolor

January

a time to
nest and rest,
recharge and reinvent,
watch and listen,
contemplate and create.

January

a time to become.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

 

Watercolor done on 300 lb cold press paper following a tutorial posted on ArtistNetwork (I truly have a long way to go with trees, but cherishing the time spent on the journey!)

Thankful

/ Jodi / 20 Comments

sunrise gfcoib15

I am thankful for…
nights that turned into mornings,
friends that turned into family,
and dreams that turned into reality.*

As I spend time this week with some bestie friends that have become like family…
and got to experience this sunrise yesterday morning on the beach…
I thought it apropos to share this quote I found that resonates so deeply with me.

Wishing all of this and more for you as well.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*source:  http://bearandlionmama.com/2014/01/a-new-year.html

Reflections

/ Jodi / 7 Comments
Conneaut Lake Sunrise November 9, 2014

Conneaut Lake Sunrise November 9, 2014

Reflections on

a beautiful place to wake up to on a Sunday morning

after a beautiful weekend

with even more more beautiful people

 

Life is good

 

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Dreaming of a Serene Silhouette Sunset

/ Jodi / 17 Comments

serene silhouette paper players button challenge 207

I thought it would be fun to play along with the Paper Players Challenge again this week, and this week’s Challenge #207 is a Button Theme Challenge.

pp207

The guidelines were simply to include a button of any sort on your project. It can be an actual button, or it could be stamped, embossed, patterned paper, anything…

My card reminds me of the time of year we are at – August – nearing the end of Summer – and kind of a postcard also – from a vacation where you got to spend time watching the gorgeous sunset.

serene silhouette paper players button challenge 207

This card used the StampinUp Serene Silhouette stamp – one of my faves to use.  I used a brayer technique to create the background sunset, and a masking technique to create the “sun” and the mountain range.  The “postcard” language was embossed with a folder (can’t remember the name) that has a pretty script.  I just drew on the “birds” with a dark marker, added a couple dark brown candy dots and SU Naturals Designer Button and some twine to finish it off.

I hope you are enjoying your August, some nice weather and beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi