Looks like another beautiful, snow-covered day down in Peoria.
So cozy. So serene. So snowy. Until you look a little bit closer…
and what do you see???

Hidden deep inside the snowy branches…. still standing…

The new “replacement” totem pole that I made for Gerry & Rosene after their first totem pole got smashed by a falling tree! Luckily, it looks like this one is okay… but WHEW!!!… that was a close call!!! I think they might need to buy a lotto ticket with that kinda luck!

While walking along the beach this afternoon, I found this “clump” of ice & seaweed. At first I thought it had little nuggets of ice stuck in it. Turns out it was more beach glass for my “quarantine collection”!!!

What started as another gloomy gray day, made a switch in the afternoon as the sun tried its best to come out. Which means… you gotta get outside quick to catch it while you can!

Dull dreary & cold Winter days are so much easier to cope with when you go down into my friend Rosene’s basement to find her coleus garden growing in full force! What better way to feed her own gardening addiction than to take cuttings at the end of Summer… and then root them & nurse them through the Winter! So many wonderful colors & textures on these gorgeous coleus plants! Perfect for a natural TEXTURE TUESDAY!!!

Too bad this little slice o Heaven is way down by Peoria!!!

Looking for something fun to do this New Year?!
Push yourself & play with your clay!!!

Registration is open for THE GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN – season four!!! Based on the BBC reality show, this class is for intermediate & advanced potters who want to jump-start the New Year. Creative projects, challenges, contests & races to keep it challenging & fun for everyone!!! Click on the link below to sign-up for this Thursday night class at Lillstreet Art Center… always one of my favorite classes to teach!

Click here – THE GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN

Apparently Allison & Terry have become just a little “addicted” in their quest to find more of my ceramic fortune cookies at Illinois Beach State Park. Their first adventure was Saturday, and they went back again yesterday to continue their scavenger hunt!!! I love seeing their adventures… and hope that others are having fun finding more of them!!! There were 21 hidden to kick-off the New Year…

21 fortune cookies for Good Fortune in 2021 !!!

Looks like Jody has made her Sunday a little more festive!
With peppermint ice cream & chocolate sauce… in a pretty little bowl!

With a fresh coating of overnight snow, this morning was a great chance to get outside to hike & play along the beach again. Not the sunny & warm most people expect while at the beach… but BEAUTIFUL nonetheless.

My new “quarantine collection” of beach glass grew a little more today too!!!

I know we’re all anxiously hoping to get back to a little bit of “normal” this year. Like biking, road-trip traveling & sharing adventures with friends! Heck, just seeing friends face-to-face!!!

But until then, it’s good to see that Kermit & Fozzie are staying safe in their own little ZOOM World… just like the rest of us! There may be a light at the end of the tunnel, but we all need to stay diligent until then!

Stay safe. Stay healthy. Wear your mask.
And keep ZOOMIN’ right along… dig-a-ding, dig-a-ding…

A couple of my friends went hiking today up at Illinois Beach State Park on a quest to find their “fortune.” I’m sure it was a little tougher now with a covering of snow! Thanks for playing Allison & Terry… and for sharing your new collection & adventures in the snow!

Six found, fifteen more to go!!!… or maybe some other cookies have been found already?! Or some may have been washed out into the Lake… waiting to be washed back in?! Either way, I hope finding a fortune cookie out in nature brings a smile to whoever it is!!! A smile AND good fortune!!!