TINA THE GREAT, JASON THE PRUDE

The other day, my neighbors decided to invest in a llama. Why a llama? I have no idea.

I decided to call her Tina, in lieu of the llama from the movie, NAPOLEON DYNAMITE. She doesn't eat ham, but loves to sneak a kiss on your forehead if you're not careful. However, she can be weird sometimes.

For instance.

When I don't feed her any veggies, she sticks her tongue out at me and let's out a raspberry (PBBBBBBT!). One day, I was afraid she'd spit on me, but she gave me a kiss...right on top of my bald head. And then wants to blow me kisses from a distance. No joke! It's wild.

She's a sweet girl, but man, does she have a lot to learn about human interaction. HA! HA! But, oh well. Who can blame her? She does have live next door to my nutty, crazy self, so I'll overlook her just this time. =)

BIRD ON A WIRE

Once again, it seems as though Mother Nature has showered us once again with cold, white flakes in the Eastern Tennessee region. Grant it, I'd love for it to be Autumn all year long but can always make an exception when it comes to the serene hills of the Appalachia to be draped in white beauty.

As I was taking pictures with my camera, I noticed a bird--a brown, orange-beaked cardinal sitting so very still on the metal fencing connected to wooden fence posts.

Then, for a split second, my hunger for Autumn wavered, but only for a moment. The wind whistled gently, and there didn't seem to be any problems with the world. It was just me, winter's wonder, and a sweet little cardinal who decided to spend part of his busy day enjoying it all with me.

What could be any better than that?

TURTLE HEAD ROCK

Somewhere in the heart of East Tennessee, there's a big rock called "The Turtle Head."

One day, someone decided to get creative and paint an image on a rock shaped like some sort of amphibious creature. With so many people placing their creative mark along nearby bridges and underpasses, someone decided to take their creativity and shed light on something awesome. The pictures don't do this creation justice. In person, it's pretty cool and fascinating! And all because someone decided to not only think outside the box but also do it for all to enjoy.

The lesson to be learned is instead of thinking and/or talking about your vision, go out and make it visible to everyone around you to see as well and be in awe along with you. You might be surprised what could happen.  

THE MULLING CAULDRON

Now that winter's here, one of my favorite things to do is to get crafty and hands-on.

I purchased this green bell pepper-shaped pot a few years ago for the sole purpose it made the rest of my kitchen look warm and welcoming. Since I'm unable to cook a lot with it, it had to have some use other than to, as my granddaddy would say, "sit around and look pretty."

So...with a lot of love and TLC, I decided to designate it as my mulling cauldron. I call it a "cauldron" for the simple fact that I love anything mystical and Halloween-related. The last time I used it, I mulled something that smelled like a citrus grove and it refreshed the kitchen and even parts of the house. I took pieces of sliced lemons, limes and oranges, and created the most wonderful-smelling concoction.

Don't get me wrong. I can't walk out the door without my cell phone, my laptop possesses a great deal of importance, and my Kindle Fire rocks, but there's something about mulling spices and sipping delicious ciders and gourmet cocoas on cold days like today that make this chilly season oh, so perfect!

FIRE AND ICE

Somewhere deep within the recesses of a winter's evening is a sight that can only be see with the naked eye and appreciated by those who look outside the box of norm.

Deep oranges mixed with hints of cold lavender blend together to create the most gorgeous light show in the chilly January sky.

Is it the evening itself on fire? Or perhaps it's nothing more than several cauldrons of a thousand witches? Or maybe, just maybe it's the heart of the sky beating?

Either way, it's gorgeous, and that's the only thing we need to worry about tonight--not bills, not people, absolutely no event we can't change or stop. Simply the beauty of it all that makes us so glad to be alive.

BEAUTY AMONG THE BEAST

Even though it's the middle of January, my household's getting ready for Springtime buying garden supplies at estate sales and flea markets before they're gone.

This was one of the things we put in our garden on the back porch. The rustic, antique chair may not look appealing to the naked eye, but there's something about it that possesses character unlike any other.


And I'll admit. It's not the most eye-catching beauty, but it sure does tell a story. And, just like with anything in life, when we look beyond the mundane and find the exquisite, we also find ourselves loving one the greatest stories ever told.

And in the end, among its years, we'll be blessed to have experienced it all.

EVENING SHADES

When I was a child, there was nothing like nighttime. Its whimsical, care-free contrasts and creatures of the night, like fireflies and twinkling stars, adorned every corner of the pitched black ecstasy.

The orange cream hues mixed with periwinkle colors, and a certain chill in the air. Early yesterday evening, I couldn't help but notice the most beautiful evening I've ever seen.


And so there it was: beautiful and radiant. Yes, there it was, and so was I marveling in the breath-taking wonder of it all.

"LOVE LIFE"

The one thing I love are old cemeteries. Call it creepy, or the macabre, or even just-plain weird but it is what it is.

This past Summer, I was walking along an old hiking trail when I came across an old cemetery along a partially-overgrown path. As I walked along and noticed headstones that dated all the way back to the early 1800s, one particular scene intrigued me. 
 
 I came across an old wooden bench, preferably for people who are paying their respects to sit down and reflect. Something about it stopped me, as I studied it carefully. I think it's appropriate to call it sheer irony, but it was definitely different. Two words were spray-painted with black paint along the side of the bench.

"LOVE LIFE"

As a knee-jerk reaction, I couldn't believe anyone would vandalize such a sacred ground, but another part of me stopped and understood. LOVE LIFE. Why? 

Because none of us are promised another one. So, all-in-all, take time to smell the roses, taste every kind of food you can, and share a smile. Because when life's over, the only thing we can do is either thank the Good Lord we lived life to the best of our abilities and talents, or die with the regret we didn't live enough.

HIDDEN BLESSINGS

A few days ago, our country was rocked with the lowest temperatures in decades. Wind chills that, as my grandmother used to say, "could cut through you" penetrated through even the most impenetrable clothing.

Still, despite all the chaotic weather conditions came this gorgeous scenery. The skies were a stunning baby blue and the snow was as white as cotton. Grant it, temperatures reaching 20-below zero isn't necessarily my idea of a serene time...BUT...I made the best of a bad situation.

I took steaming coffee in my favorite mug, wrapped myself in my favorite blanket, sat on the couch, and watched the snow fall like tiny earthbound angels. No, there's nothing like the warmth of spring, the pool-splashing summer, and my favorite time of the year which is autumn. However, there's also nothing, and I do mean nothing like those precious moments when we step back, look at what we've been given, and simple smile, thankful to be alive to have experienced it all.