A Little Bit of Nature to Start off the New Year

Happy 1st Saturday of the New Year!  It's a beautiful day here...breezy and sunny, with the hope of some rain tonight!! Keep Praying!  Speaking of rain and our "Still NO Waters Pond", this was the scene that greeted us early this morning:

It was quite unusual to see all these different species of water birds out on the dry pond together this morning! From left to right there were Canadian Geese, a Great White Egret, Sand Hill Crane, a Little Blue Heron that I almost didn't see because he's so small, another Canadian Goose  and a Great Blue Heron, and the other Sand Hill Crane! Normally they are rivals for any space on the pond, but today they are sharing what little bits of water rivulets they can find among the grasses and mud!

It really was quite a scene!!  We haven't seen any Canadian Geese all fall, which is unusual, but because the pond is so dry they haven't been landing here. So it was a surprise to see three of them out there today.  They didn't stay a long time, but it was a joy to see them at all!

You can see how pathetically dry the pond is.  It really is heart breaking.

But still they came and stayed a while and must've found something interesting out there to eat...and they weren't fighting over it either!

In this picture below, if you look way back in the back on that fallen tree, there are actually two of those pesky Muscovy Ducks sitting back there!  They didn't try to join the party of the other birds, however. Maybe they know they aren't welcome...

Hi Mr. Goose! I'm sorry there's no water for you to swim in right now.  

Still, I think these pictures are interesting as they foraged for whatever food they could find...

Looks like something must've gotten their attention! They are all facing the same way!

Except for Mr. Goose...something else has his attention:

I think these are his two lady friends...

Well, everyone is back to doing their own thing again...but wasn't it nice to see them all being cooperative with each other for a while? Gives us hope for our world in 2026...

Now, switching gears for a minute to a new location... Remember when I showed you these pictures HERE at the Kenwood Boat Ramp in October?

Well, we took a little ride down there this morning, and THIS is what it looks like now!

I don't think they need to worry about hitting any manatees in that water now...

However, don't be alarmed. This is NOT because of the drought!  This waterway is connected to a large dam and reservoir, and they do a "drawdown" of the water every few years to help restore the waters. Here is a link to more information: Rodman Reservoir Drawdown 2025

Even though we knew this was happening, it was still quite a shock to us to see it like this...

This is a close up of the area at the end of that canal above, which was a big lake before and a great place for fishing before the drawdown:

If you really want to know more about the controversy surrounding this place, here is an interesting article that gives you more information than you probably really want to know, but for some you may find it interesting: https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/11/rodman-drawdown-exposes-the-beauty-of-floridas-lost-springs/   That particular article doesn't paint our Governor in a very favorable light, and I must say on this subject I tend to agree with them, but in everything else he's been a remarkable Governor. Of course, I don't know all the ins and outs of this whole subject, but I would like to see the Ocklawaha River restored to its original beauty and place.  When man starts messing with nature, a lot of natural beauty is destroyed.  But that's all I will say on that subject. It will be interesting to see what develops on this subject in the future. 

I will close this post with this Psalm...I was going to just quote a few verses, but they are all so good I decided to include the whole thing. It just seems appropriate for all we are facing in this day and time.

Psalm 33

"1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

2 Praise the Lord with the harp;

make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

3 Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;

he is faithful in all he does.

5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;

let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,

the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the Lord looks down

and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth—

15 he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,

even as we put our hope in you."

Amen!

Oh, one more thing...thank you to all who commented on my previous post HERE. Some wondered about the Black Eyed Peas that we ate, and I should've said that what I made was called "Hoppin' John", which is a recipe that adds a few things to the black eyed peas to make them more tasty.  Here is a recipe I found online that is pretty similar to how I made mine, except I cheated and used canned Blackeyed Peas, so I didn't have to soak them and cook them all day.  Other than that, I did add the onions, green peppers and celery and some smoked ham, plus some seasonings to give it a little more flavor. We don't eat a lot of hot spicy foods, so my seasonings were pretty mild (not cajun, like this recipe).  Just a little garlic and a slight bit of cayenne pepper along with salt and black pepper. Everyone's tastes are different, so some make like it with a bit more "heat" than we do.  And we served it over white rice, but any other rice is fine too. It was very good!

Hoppin' John Recipe for New Year's

Happy New Year's again dear friends!!  

Getting the New Year Started off Right!

 This is how I felt when I was beholding the beauty of the skies this evening...What a beautiful way to start off the New Year!!!

Psalm 19 NKJV

 1 The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

2 Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language

Where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,

5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,

And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.

6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,

And its circuit to the other end;

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Psalm 8:3-5 NIV

3 When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,

4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,

human beings that you care for them?

5  You have made them a little lower than the angels

and crowned them with glory and honor.

Psalm 104:1-4

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, You are very great:

You are clothed with honor and majesty,

2 Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,

Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

3 He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,

Who makes the clouds His chariot,

Who walks on the wings of the wind,

4 Who makes His angels spirits,

His ministers a flame of fire."

‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth 

by Your great power and outstretched arm. 

There is nothing too hard for You.  

Jeremiah 32:17

I hope you enjoyed those beautiful views of the sunset and the moon rising into the clouds as much as I did. I apologize for so many pictures, but it just kept changing, and it was all so amazing! We are thankful for the clouds, because there is a prediction of some rain tomorrow!  We are truly hoping that is the case!! Our "Still NO Waters Pond" is in great distress!  So we are praying that 2026 will turn that situation around and provide the much needed rain. I will keep you posted.

So, how did YOU start out the New Year?  We actually had our traditional New Year's Day dinner last evening...the southern tradition, that is, of Black Eye Peas cooked with some ham, Collard Greens, Cornbread, Rice, and also a Meat loaf (which isn't the tradition but it's what we wanted).  And do I believe this will bring us "good luck" in the New Year? No, I don't believe in luck, bad or good. We just eat it because it's the southern traditional meal for New Years and it's a fun way to start off the New Year. When we lived up north we often had pork roast and sauerkraut on New Year's.  Whatever the local tradition is, we enjoy trying it.

Anyway, I cooked the food and we took it over to Benton and Rose's house since they were busy working on a project and didn't have time to stop and cook.  

Here's my plate: (Sorry, I had already started eating it before I remembered to take a picture)

Here we are, and yes, thankfully we are both feeling much better than we were and it was fun to get out of the hoouse and be with the kids at their house for a change...

Rose's sister Tina and her son Charles were there helping them with their special project...

Charles and Benton (and John too)

After supper Tina and Charles had to head back to their home about an hour north of us, but we settled down with the kids in their living room and they put a fire in the fireplace and we enjoyed visiting in their cozy Christmassy home. You can see Sugar and Spice there also...

So what's the big project they were working on? Well, they have a shed that mostly has been used for storage, but they've been wanting to fix it up to use it for a possible guest cottage in the future, so they needed to insulate it and put a few more windows in...

Here's Rose with new window #1,

And Tina getting ready to install window #2:

And Benton showing me both of those new windows and also the wall insulation:

Charles and Tina both working on the other side, doing a little bit of wiring and more insulation....

and here's window #3 on the other side and that wall insulated...

Eventually they will finish insulating the ceiling and then will figure out the rest of the interior layout. They won't be able to install a real toilet due to the distance from their septic tank, but they will put in a sink and shower and whoever stays out there will have to use a "honey bucket" or a camper toilet. There will be a small kitchenette as well.  Except for the "honey bucket" thing, I wouldn't mind staying there myself,  but I'm not so sure about that honey bucket idea. A toilet is one of those "necessities of life" for many of us older folks...

But all that notwithstanding, it is a great idea and a lot of fun. They have wanted to do this for a long time, and now I hear that two of Rose's other sisters from Minnesota may be coming down for a visit in February, and so the goal is to have it ready by then!  They are the younger more outdoorsy type who won't mind the inconvenience so much...and it should be a lot of fun!

So, that's how our New Year has started out so far!  I'm excited for them, and happy to see things starting out in a positive and productive way!

Next on my agenda is to get the Christmas decorations/tree put away, but I am not in a big hurry and will take my time. We enjoy the lights of the tree and other things, so I kind of hate to put it all away while it is still so dark so early! Then again, some days I just want all the clutter out of the way, so we'll see which side of me wins out. LOL.

I hope you are starting out the New Year in a positive and productive way too!  

Here's a positive thought from the book of Revelation:

Revelation 21:5 a  NKJV

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

I am looking forward to that day.  Amen.  Be blessed my friends.

Happy New Year 2026 and New One Word

Sunrise, January 1, 2026!

There's still no water in Still Waters pond, but there is frost on the pond this morning!

It doesn't seem to bother Mr. Blue Heron, who is out there every morning looking for food. Apparently there must be something there that he likes, because he comes back every day!

Good Morning, and Happy New Year 2026!!!  Wow! Back when we were kids, could we have imagined that we'd still be living in the year 2026? It seems like the years keep ticking away and here we are going along for the ride without realizing just how quickly they are slipping by us! The older we get, the faster this ride seems to go.  Sometimes I feel like yelling out, "Stop! I want to get off this roller coaster!"  But God has ordained how long I must stay on this ride, and it won't stop until He says it's time to stop and come on home. Thankfully I know He is riding with me, and I need not fear what is around the bend or over the next hill. He's already there, and just as He rides with me (yay, He even holds me closely in His arms as we travel), He will be there at the end of the ride with His arms open wide and ready to carry me safely home with Him to heaven, where the real "joy ride" begins and is never ending. I need not fear the future, because God is already there.  I am very thankful for that blessed hope and promise, and that gives me courage as I face each new day here on this journey until I reach the end.  

So with that in mind, let us step into the New Year with confidence and joy and peace of mind. It's going to be a great year!

But before we get to the new year, let's look at the last night of 2025...

This was the sunset last night over Still Waters Pond.

And then I turned around and looked back toward the east (and the back of our house and our Christmas tree still shining brightly), and I could see the moon rising.  

Not quite a full moon, but the night was clear and beautiful, and the moon gave us hope for a glorious start of the new year...

Then I decided it was time to change out the calendars and have the new ones ready to begin the new year...so let's do the calendar roll call for January, 2026!

Let's start with the calendars here in my "Room with a view"...

This is the cover for the new Country Season's calendar...Looks like a peaceful farm scene, with all the cows, chickens and cat contentedly enjoying their food, while the young boy is dreaming of his future...perhaps wondering if he will always be living there on the farm, or if he might some day explore the big wide world beyond.  Frankly, I wish more young men and women would choose to stay on the farm and keep our agricultural heritage strong in this country.  We need more farms and farmers who will take care of the land and feed our nation with wholesome food...

And someday when he is old, he will take an evening walk on the lane leading to his farmhouse with his faithful companion dog, and give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for him and his family... (This is the January picture).  Isn't it beautiful?  Wow! What a view!

Moving around my room here we come to the new Teapot Calendar, which was another gift from my sweet sister Doris...yes, another tradition each Christmas!

  

She started giving me this calendar years ago because of my love for teapots and all things "tea".

So it fits right in with this room.

Oops! Who's that?  Blackie! What are YOU doing in here in my "Room with a view"/tea room?

"Meow! Just passing through on my early morning tour of the house while I try to warm up a bit. It's pretty cold outside and even though I didn't want to stay inside during the night (Mom tried, but I like being outside on my porch better), I like to come inside and say hello in the morning and check things out.  Don't mind me.  I'll be on my way..."

Excuse me.  Back to the calendar tour...

 Isn't this a beautiful teapot?

Let's sit down and have a cup together, shall we? That would be so nice!!

But first, let's move into the kitchen, where I have hung the new Susan Branch Calendar...another gift! From a sweet blogging friend!!  And which just happens to have a picture of a cat on the front...

Here's the January picture:  Oh, it says, "Put FUN on your calendar!"  Great idea!

"Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning..."  I like that thought!!

Speaking of dreaming...I love that log cabin.  I also love that verse from Philippians 2:5..."Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."...That speaks to me of thinking like Christ...asking myself, "What would Jesus do?"...which may actually help lead up to something else I'm thinking about...my "One Word" for 2026...but let's get through the calendars first...Here's the new Thomas Kinkade calendar, which goes in hubby's bathroom...

Oh, this verse also reinforces that same thought..."Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me..." Psalm 51:10

Oh my...more of the cabin theme! Actually this was a new one this year and it's going in my bathroom  because I love to dream about living in a cabin in the woods...

But maybe not quite that far into the woods...LOL.

Ummm, excuse me?  Blackie? What are you doing in my bathroom??? Would you like to take a bath? LOL.  Not hardly, but he sure was curious about that bathtub and tried his best to get up in it. Maybe next time, Blackie...we'll save that experience for another time. 

Okay, back to the calendars again!  Our sweet DIL Rose surprised us with another calendar! So this one goes in the guest bathroom. It has quotes from Billy Graham on each month, along with an added scripture!  Beautiful winter scenes on all of these for us Florida folks to enjoy looking at while we thank the Lord we live where there is NO SNOW or ICE...but maybe just some frost now and then!

This is another verse that goes along with something...

And that brings me to my ONE WORD for 2026. 

 

Last year my word was "Wisdom".  Throughout the year I prayed that God would give me a heart of wisdom, and help me to grow in Godly wisdom and knowledge. Perhaps that did happen in little ways here and there as life experiences helped me to draw closer to God and seek His will and direction.  But as I've been pondering what the next step would be in the development of wisdom, the word "Discernment" kept coming up to the surface.  So I wondered, what's the difference between wisdom and discernment? Aren't they basically the same thing?  Here's some answers I found in my research:

"Wisdom is the deep understanding and skill to live righteously, using knowledge and experience for good, while discernment is the specific ability to see and judge the quality, truth, or value in a situation, separating good from bad, right from wrong, or truth from deception, often in complex moments where wisdom alone might not see the full picture. Think of it as: Wisdom is knowing what to do (the good path), and Discernment is knowing how, when, and to whom to apply it, spotting potential pitfalls or hidden truths."

I asked the computer..."What Scripture talks about discernment?"  and here's some answers I found:

AI Overview   (Yes, AI does serve some useful purposes!)

"Scriptures on discernment emphasize seeking God for wisdom, testing everything, and distinguishing between good and evil through spiritual understanding, with key passages including James 1:5 (ask for wisdom), 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (test all things), Romans 12:2 (renew your mind to discern God's will), 1 John 4:1 (test the spirits), and Proverbs 2:1-5 (seek understanding like hidden treasure). These verses show discernment as a vital spiritual skill for navigating life and God's will, not just judging others.

Key Scriptures on Discernment
James 1:5:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22:
"Test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil."

Romans 12:2:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

1 John 4:1:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Proverbs 2:1-5:
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you...if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."

Philippians 1:9:
"And this is my prayer: that your love may more and more abound in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best..."

1 Kings 3:9:
Solomon's prayer: "Give your servant an understanding heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong."

John 7:24:
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

Core Themes in Discernment Scriptures:

Source of Discernment: Comes from God, through wisdom and understanding.

Method: Involves testing, renewing the mind, and spiritual training (solid food for the mature).

Purpose: To know God's will, approve what is excellent, and avoid deception.

Action: Distinguishing good from evil, truth from falsehood, and holding onto what is good.

AI Overview:

To discern which way to go, Scripture points to seeking God's wisdom through prayer, His Word, and the guidance of His Spirit, emphasizing trust in Him for direction, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6 ("Trust in the Lord... He will show you which path to take") and Isaiah 30:21 ("A voice behind you will say, 'This is the way'"). Key verses also highlight the importance of discretion, understanding, and aligning your heart with God's commands to find the right path.

Key Scriptures for Direction 

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths".
Isaiah 30:21: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left".
Psalm 32:8: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you".
Proverbs 2:8-9: "He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go".

Philippians 1:9-10: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ".

How to Discern God's Will (Biblical Principles)

Trust & Acknowledge God: Don't rely solely on your own understanding; acknowledge God in all your plans.
Seek Wisdom: Call out for insight, search for understanding like hidden treasure, and listen for wisdom.
Follow the Word: Meditate on God's commands and let His Word order your steps (Psalm 119:133).
Listen for the Spirit: The Spirit of truth guides into all truth and can speak direction.
Be Alert: Be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves, ready to receive guidance."

So there you have it. Discernment is my new One Word for 2026!  I am looking forward to the ways God is going to be leading and helping me use this "word" in action as I face situations throughout the year where Godly discernment is going to be needed.  It is an action of God's Holy Spirit in my heart and mind and spirit,  and I thank Him for this gift.  I pray I will use it wisely.

Happy New Year!! Do you have a "One Word" for 2026? I'd love to hear about it!

Below is a list of my previous One Words with a link to when they were chosen:

One Word 2025: Wisdom

One Word 2024: Strength

One Word 2023: Listen

One Word 2022: Delight

One Word 2021: Believe

One Word 2020: Joyful

One Word 2019: Abundance, and this link contains the links to all previous years, which includes the following words: 2012 was my first year doing the One Word, and it was "Hope", 

2013: Presence,  2014: Strengthen, 2015: Focus, 2016: Grace, 2017: Rest,  2018: Renew