Three years ago, Doubleday for Young Reader [a division of Penguin Random House] published my picture book The Donkey’s Song. Since the day that my editor acquired my book [about 5 years ago], I have repeatedly told everyone who would listen that everything about my picture book and its publication is miraculous. In fact, every…
Month: December 2025
Seeking to Find My Balance in the New Year
“Your hand opens and closes, opens and closes. If it were always a fist or always stretched open, you would be paralysed. Your deepest presence is in every small contracting and expanding, the two as beautifully balanced and coordinated as birds’ wings.”― Jelaluddin Rumi , The Essential Rumi It’s not a new thing for me — Every…
Peggy Martin Rose in December – A Perfect Climbing Rose for Southern Gardens — All Year Long
Peggy Martin Rose in Jacki Kellum Garden December 29, 2025 – After several freezes No doubt about it – Peggy Martin Climbing Roses are Perfect for Southern Gardens–All Year Long–Even in Winter
Winter Garden Chores – Cottage Garden Living
Winter Garden Chore 1 – Clean Up – Get Rid of the Trash
Toxic Trumpet Plants: Purple Datura [Devil’s Trumpet or Jimson Weed] & Angel’s Trumpet
Purple Datura – Devil’s Trumpet or Jimson Weed Image Credit: Wikipedia Today, I am battling a toxic nuisance in my garden — my Purple Datura Plant. I am also buffeting myself for my mistake in having allowed this guy to grow to become the large shrubby problem that he has become. You see, I love…
Winter Garden Chores in My Mississippi Garden – Christmas in Mississippi
Christmas in Mississippi-Jacki Kellum Watercolor about 7 Christmases ago, I painted 2 Christmas paintings — Christmas in Mississippi and Christmas in New Jersey – Jacki Kellum Watercolor Collection of the Governor and First Lady of New Jersey Both are pleasant paintings-in their own ways–but the paintings are vastly different. At that time, I was living…
Dogger – A Picture Book by Shirley Hughes
Dogger by Shirley Hughes was originally published in 1977. It is an an example of a picture book based on a true life story.
Snow Is Predicted for Chistmas in Water Valley, Mississippi — My Thoughts about Miracles
Before the first day that I visited Water Valley — a town which previously had been unknown to me — I thoroughly researched the place, and the thing that most fascinated me was this town’s celebration in December — Christmas in the Valley. I was fascinated that a small town would make White Christmas Dreams…
Princess Winter Wonderland Party at Jacki Kellum Studios
During December Jacki Kellum Studios and its Board of Directors Will Sponsor the First Ever Winter Wonderland Princess Party. Here is a sampling of what we will do at our Wnter Wonderland Princess Party: Everybody Clap Let’s Talk about What a Princess Is: There Are All Kinds of Princesses There Are Disney Princess –…
How to Make A Wreath from Things around Your House and Evergreens from Your Yard
I have just celebrated the first-ever Christmas and/or Advent wreath-making workshop FREE at Jacki Kellum Studios in Water Valley Mississippi. First Step for Wreath-Making: Find Something Round – Be Creative Second Step for Wreath-Making is: Wire Evergreens to Your Form Third Step for Wreath-Making: Believe that Everyone Can Make Art — Even You! When I…