Happy Thanksgiving!

The big storm is over here and the snow is still on the ground. It's warmed way up to 29 degrees! We had 60 mph winds here, but never lost power which was somewhat of a miracle. So here it is Thanksgiving and I'm feeling so much gratitude this year.  So thankful for my family, especially my beautiful girls, my dear friends and their endless kindness and support, being able to continue doing the work I love so much, my health and so much more.  I found this wonderful quote the other day and wanted to share it, along with the November painting from my "Bless This Garden" 2010 Time Factory calendar.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. 

It turns what we have into enough, and more. 

It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, 

confusion into clarity.... 

It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, 

the unexpected into perfect timing, 

and mistakes into important events. 

Gratitude makes sense of our past, 

brings peace for today and 

creates a vision for tomorrow.

                                                                                - Melodie Beattie

                                                                  ©Jane Shasky 2010

HELLO winter!

We've been blasted for the last few days with that bitter arctic air blowing down from the north, it seems like winter has arrived overnight. And, this morning, I awoke to a blanket of white and it's still coming down. The birds are everywhere...house finches with their bright red feathers, dark eyed juncos and the spotted towhees...all sharing the sunflower seeds with the little brown squirrel who is always in the feeders. As soon as it slows down, I'll be out taking photos for snowy paintings.

backyard snowy wonderland

love this moss

house finches at my kitchen window

that brown squirrel

the last rose of autumn

Scotti loves sledding, lookout Lilli!

Backyard friends

So, a few days ago I was walking out to my studio and noticed a little nuthatch nibbling on the sunflower seeds at one of my bird feeders. I quickly dashed to get my camera, and believe it or not, he was still there when I returned. He continued to just sit there, not noticing me, until I got within a few feet and took these amazing photos! 

Artist Signing

I'll be doing my first ever artist signing this Saturday, November 6th at Hearts and Homespun, in downtown Poulsbo (WA) from noon to 3 pm. This wonderful gift shop has been selling country style items for almost 24 years and has carried LANG products since the mid 80's. I've bought my LANG calendars there for years, so to have them carry my own calendars is so exciting.  Along with the calendars, "Birds in the Garden" and "Herb Garden" my mugs will also be for sale. If you're in the area, stop by and say hi!