Wednesday, December 29, 2010

walking lightly upon this earth.....


this book.......

profound....

it helped me see how
far off my true path i've wandered...

i have to share this passage from the book....

"This is the same fire that burned with the blast from Hiroshima," Masanori Oe says to me,
pointing to a small brass lantern on a table in front of us with a tiny flame burning inside.
"This very flame?" I ask taken aback somewhat.
"Yes. It has been kept burning, passed on from person to person to help us each remember
what happened that day, and how it must not happen again."
He explains that in August 1945, a woman who lost her son in the bombing went to the city
while it was still burning and, believing that the spirit of her son was inside that flame,
captured a bit of fire and brought it to her home a hundred miles away. She kept it burning
for more than twenty years, and then passed it on to a Buddhist priest, who decided to make
it a symbol of peace, and took the flame on a walking pilgrimage across Japan, burning in
a lantern, and passed it on to others, lighting new lanterns for those who would take the flame."

this book is about "simple living and inner abundance"....

of being one with nature...

art....

music...

creativity....

sustainable living....

of walking lightly...

upon this earth...

Monday, December 27, 2010

an infrequent visitor


..... snow
an infrequent visitor
to my home
magical...
a christmas gift...
in a small
southern
town...

Thursday, December 23, 2010

a gift of peace.....


may peace be your gift
at Christmas and your
blessing all the year
through....

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

my empty begging bowl...


"even in my empty
begging bowl
a piece of hail"
~ haiku by Santoka

.....a gift from nature in my sleeping garden
.....hello hyacinth!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Friday, December 10, 2010

these old bones.......

we've had unusually cold weather for this time of the year.....already down into the teens at night....and the wind....it'll sure put some pep into your step. as i stepped out into the garden to check on my bird feeder i could hear my cat purring....it took me a minute to figure out where he was....hidden in the vinca.... in a patch of sunlight.
he didn't feel it was necessary to get up and greet me....as he usually does. i guess his old bones are feeling like mine in this frigid weather. we're both moving kinda slow.........

Sunday, December 5, 2010

someone's confused......

i spent much of my afternoon belatedly tucking my garden 'chillrens' in for
the winter. even with the icy wind i enjoyed puttering around ....thinking
of plans for next spring.....and look what i found....

this is such a poor picture that i really hated to post it here.....but.........
my jackmanii clematis is BLOOMING....
.......on december 5th!

someone's confused......
and this time....
it's not me!

Thursday, December 2, 2010

move over Bridges of Madison County

move over Bridges of Madison County.....
i think you've been dethroned....

i'm not much of a "touchy feely" kind of person....
but i finished this book with tears in my eyes......
this would make a wonderful movie!

Friday, November 26, 2010

hello old age.....

ok.....last christmas i was officially the grinch!
my only decoration was a six inch metal tree on the mantel.
after being the ultimate couch potato today...
as i watched all the hgtv christmas specials...
i was inspired enough to pull out some of my decorations
and start transforming the house into a winter wonderland.
the good news is....i've dusted places in my house that
haven't seen a dust rag in a while...the bad news...
it looks like a bomb went off at the north pole in here...
good grief.......there's STUFF every where...
and i've run out of steam.........
LOL....hello old age!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

it's turkey day......

i hope each and everyone one of you have
a safe and happy thanksgiving....
bring on the turkey!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

three muses #78 - shoes challenge

the theme for the challenge at the three muses this week is shoes....this piece started as "the old
woman in the shoe" kinda thing but somehow
morphed into....well...this!

(the moon, arms, and bird feet images are clipped from old magazines; all other images are my creations and images)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

...a pain in my heart




twenty five years today...


you didn't make your 8 seconds cowboy


that ole winged horse threw ya....


one last time....


no brushing yourself off...


grinning that grin...


no coming home again....


i miss you...my space cowboy


sending hugs and kisses on the wind......


Tuesday, November 16, 2010

sometimes.........


i'm there..........

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

thank you.......

THANK YOU.........

Monday, November 8, 2010

sigh..........

wow.....it's really getting hard to take pictures inside since it gets
dark so early....these sheets are actually WHITE and red...but i
do kinda like this color combo!darkness falling early heralds the time to bring out the flannel sheets!
sigh.........
i love flannel......
and fall...
and wrapping up in a blanket on the porch...
under a kzillion stars...
on a crisp night....
just letting the worries of the day...
melt away...
ummmmm...
finally feels like fall....

Sunday, November 7, 2010

in her footsteps.....

my youngest daughter just graduated from cosmetology school
....52 years after her grandmother.

i'm making her a shadow box with my mothers diploma...
a transparency of my mother over the diploma...
her scissors...comb... a couple of clips
that she used when she was a beautician.

i think she would have liked that her granddaughter
is following in her footsteps....

Saturday, October 30, 2010

family

"other things may change us...
but we start...
and end...
with
family..."

~anthony brandt

happy halloween!

Hope everyone has a safe and happy halloween!



Candy...Candy...Candy....!

(old metal alpha lettering by paula kesselring designs)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

when i was in your heart....

once upon a time.......



Tuesday, October 26, 2010

time flies.......

time flies.........it sure does!
my dad's birthday is rolling around again next week.
i'll use this little ditty to make his birthday card...
and yes........
that handsome fella is my dad...

Monday, October 25, 2010

she who must be obeyed......

still playing...........

Sunday, October 24, 2010

how sweet it is.......

i have just been determined to learn how to collage digitally. i'll have to say it's a whole lot easier way to collage than the ol' cut and paste deal..... photographing and making my own elements has sparked a multitude of creative ideas.....i'm loving it!
digital collage.........
sweet!

Monday, October 11, 2010

rediscovering jody.....

"some things you can't find out...
but you will never know you can't
by guessing and supposing...
no...you have to be patient
and go on experimenting
until you find out that...
you can't find out.
and it is delightful
to have it that way...
it makes the world so
interesting."
~Mark Twain, Eve's Diary

if there is one thing that i do know...it's that i am where i am because of decisions that i have made. it appears i've come full circle in my life...after many detours off the path i'm returning to myself....welcome back jody...i've missed you...

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

love pours from heaven....


perhaps they are not the stars
but rather openings in
heaven where the love of
our lost ones pours through
and shines down upon us
to let us know they are
happy.
~ eskimo folklore
basking in the glow of love from above..........
hello my space cowboy......

Monday, September 27, 2010

...i would pick more daisies

If I Had My Life To Live Over

I'd dare to make more mistakes next time.
I'd relax, I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.

I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.
I would perhaps have more actual troubles,
but I'd have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I'm one of those people who live
sensibly and sanely hour after hour,
day after day.

Oh, I've had my moments,
And if I had it to do over again,
I'd have more of them.
In fact, I'd try to have nothing else.
Just moments, one after another,
instead of living so many years ahead of each day.

I've been one of those people who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat
and a parachute.
If I had to do it again, I would travel lighter than I have.

If I had my life to live over,
I would start barefoot earlier in the spring
and stay that way later in the fall.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

Nadine Stair,
85 years old.

Monday, September 13, 2010

an insatiable thief.....

"age is an insatiable thief.
it steals the pleasures of your youth...
then locks you inside your own body
with your desires
still
glowing...."

~james lee burke
the glass rainbow

mr. burke....
truer words were never spoken.....

Thursday, September 9, 2010

reminiscing....

“life: a cycle.
a series of events…
meetings…and departures.
friends discovered…
others lost.
precious time wastes away.
big droplet tears
are shed
for yesterday…
but are dried
in time for tomorrow…
until all that remain
are foggy…
broken
memories…
of a happy
yesteryear.”
~daniela gallo

yesteryear is much on my mind lately
a byproduct of aging...
probably
so many memories...
regrets...
loves...
playing...
like an old 8mm film...
scratching...
and popping...
behind closed eyes...
as i sit
quietly
sipping wine...
reminiscing....

Monday, September 6, 2010

wassail and pumpkins....

i woke up this morning to a beautiful...crisp...fall like day....drove up to windy hill orchard and bought some wassail. evidently... before the shelves held the bottles of cider and wassail they were the proud nesting place of one 'henny penny' cause we had to keep shooing her away as i made my purchase. maybe she was the welcoming hen....or just trying to help me make up my mind between the cider and wassail....

on the drive to the orchard i passed our local produce stand and.........PUMPKINS! it sooooo feels like fall today. after a lunch of carolina barbeque and potato salad i'm retiring to the couch with a wonderful smelling cup of joe (does anything smell better than a fresh cup of coffee...organic peruvian...YUM) to watch a christmas movie i found on the dvr....that's right...CHRISTMAS....and last night i worked in my studio on some halloween goodies.....

can you tell this is my FAVORITE time of the year?

happy labor day


have a cotton picking safe and happy labor day!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

stone me to my soul.....


Happy Birthday Van Morrison!
after all these years....
you still
STONE
ME
TO
MY
SOUL...

Monday, August 30, 2010

she slipped on her wings...

" having tired
of the negative words...
she laid them down.
being finished
with the weighted boots...
she burned them.
touching a feather to her tears…
she slipped on her wings…
turned to her sky….
and flew…."

~terri st. cloud

Friday, August 27, 2010

memories....


sunbeams filled with fairy dust....the sweet smell of fresh cut hay....laying in a secret hide away... under the creaking ....popping....tin...reading.....daydreaming....just... being.........memories......

Thursday, August 26, 2010

a flash of harmless lightening


“a flash of harmless lightening…
a mist of rainbow dyes…
the burnished sunbeams brightening…
from flower to flower he flies…”

~john banister tabb

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

two bare feet on the dashboard....


"two bare feet on the dashboard
cheap shades and a tattoo
and a yoo-hoo bottle rollin' on the floorboard..."

~kenny chesney

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

pencil art

someone sent me these pictures in an email...
i think they are awesome!
there was no info about the artist....
dear artist...
who ever you are....
you do amazing work!
























































































































Sunday, August 22, 2010

they teach me how to listen.......


“i pray to the birds
because i believe they will carry the messages of my heart upward.
i pray to them because i believe in their existence...
the way their songs begin and end each day...
the invocations and benedictions of earth.
i pray to the birds because they remind me of what i love
rather than what i fear.
and at the end of my prayers...
they teach me how to listen.”

~ terry tempest williams

Friday, August 20, 2010

always trust your cape......


"life is just a leap of faith...
spread your arms...
hold your breath....
and always trust your cape....."
~eric bibb

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

dear melancholy.....

i love reading leah dieterich's daily notes.....
this one is so true.....
thx leah..

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

offer myself humbly........

in the name of the daybreak
and the eyelids of morning
and the wayfaring moon
and the night when it departs...
i swear i will not dishonor
my soul with hatred...
but offer myself humbly
as a guardian of nature...
as a healer of misery...
as a messenger of wonder...
as an architect of peace.
in the name of the sun and its mirrors
and the day that embraces it
and the cloud veils drawn over it
and the uttermost night
and the male and the female
and the plants bursting with seed
and the crowning seasons
of the firefly and the apple...
i will honor all life
wherever and in whatever form
it may dwell
on earth
my home...
and in the mansions
of the stars.
~ diane ackerman

Saturday, August 14, 2010

happy birthday big brother.......

my older brother's birthday is this monday......tomorrow there's gonna be a surprise party for his 60th birthday...... like most of us of a certain age......he seems to be hanging on to his glory days........

he was one of the few....the proud.....the marines.........


now he's a harley riding old fart.......


happy birthday...brother
i don't think i've ever told you this...but....
i love you.....