A Holiday Reflection

 

Recently I gave myself a chunk of time just to be creative using markers, colored pencils, rubber stamps and an old sketch pad.  With Christmas just a couple weeks away, simple holiday images kept coming to mind.  What transpired was what is visible in the photo minus the black background and blur.  Next I took to photoshop to give it another round of edits and some text.  And, I liked it and wanted to share....but the message I really wanted to share is the gift we give ourselves when we simply allow ourselves time to do whatever we please without any goals to meet and criteria to satisfy..... a great gift for any day of the year.

A Christmas Favorite

Often in December I post images of poinsettias as, in my estimation, they are beautiful.  Here they are again.  Also, regarding these plants, there are a couple notable facts: what appear to be enormous petals are actually leaves and the tiny yellow berry-like pieces in the center are the flowers.  And given that there are more than 150 varieties, you can probably find one that's to your liking.

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, 

and behold everything is softer and more beautiful."

                                                                               --Norman Vincent Peale

 

Surprises in the Woods

A few days ago I opted for a walk along the same river but in a different place.  The wind was brisk and temperature typical of late November so I decided to check out Pin Oak, a Delaware County park located in eastern Iowa.  Since I hadn't been to this park since childhood, I noticed it no longer has restrooms, a shelter with picnic tables and a play area, but the beautiful forest bordering the river remains.  

In the above photo, it's easy to see the well-maintained path while the middle image shows an adorable, hand-painted birdhouse that was placed along the route.  And although I hadn't expected to find the former nor the latter, each was a perfect surprise and seemed like a welcome-back gift from Mother Nature, park workers and some other person who loves art and the woods as I much as I do.  Ahhhh....

"I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees."         

                                                                                                                                   --Henry David Thoreau

Leaf Your Mark

 

Although the calendar now reads December, my heart remains in the autumn woods with an assortment of leaves underfoot and others still dangling above.  Of course, I can easily envision all the beautiful shades of red, yellow, orange, green and brown as well as the exposed trunks, bark and branches.  Regardless of the season, this imagined place is always spectacular.  On paper I continue to draw what I love, including some tangles with gorgeous cascading leaves, as seen above, and also more recognizable forms shown below.

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree."

                                                                                                                                                    --Emily Bronte

Back in the Woods

 

Thanksgiving's now in the rearview mirror and our Christmas decorations are in place; however, my heart resides in the woods at the river's edge.  My thoughts often return to the trees, leaves, squirrels, songbirds, bald eagles, chipmunks, racoons, deer, owls, monarchs, swallowtails, woodchucks, wood ducks, coots, loons, trumpeter swans....some reside here while others just pass through while traveling to summer or winter homes.  These pictures are treasured artifacts from this space that always soothes my soul.  Ahhhhhhh...

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

                                                                                                       --John Muir

Thanksgiving

 

"When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around."

                                                                                              --Willie Nelson