Friday Foto Friends on Thursday Night!

Here it is almost Friday again! Wow! This month sure has flown right by! Summer is definitely on it's way! We've had some beautiful days this week...low humidity, breezy, and lows in the low 60's and highs only to about 82. That's pretty close to perfect for us here in Florida! We are enjoying it while it lasts!

This morning I looked out toward Still Waters Pond and saw something purple blooming in the grasses along the shore.

Upon closer inspection, it was these lovely little purple marsh flowers smiling back at me! Such a delightful surprise!  (Pale Meadow Beauty: https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-rhexia-mariana/)

I've really neglected to get pictures of the water lilies on the pond this spring. I haven't been out on the kayak at all, and really contemplated doing so this morning, but we had to mow the grass first, and by the time I was finished mowing I was too tired for rowing! But at least I was able to capture this picture of a water lily near the shore.

This afternoon as I sat on the swing in the Secret Memorial Garden, this young juvenile cardinal (male or female? Still may be too soon to tell for sure) landed on the bird feeder pole in front of me. I guess my presence there was a secret, because he didn't seem to mind my watching him.

I love it when I can watch birds up close when they don't seem to know I'm there.

He kind of reminded me of a young chicken pecking around on the ground for seeds...

What a delightful time for me!  But then the mosquitoes discovered me and I had to go inside. (I am writing this on Thursday evening).

I thought I would team up with Lily Grace for our Friday Foto post, so you don't have to go back and forth between our blogs to see everything. I hope you don't mind. 

Yesterday I needed to get my hair trimmed, so Lily went with me to the beauty shop. This is just a little country shop out here in the middle of nowhere, but I enjoy going there. Nothing fancy, but I do get good service there.

Here's my hairdresser now, Paula!  I asked her if she minded if Lily came and visited while she cut my hair, and she was delighted to have her there. She even let me take their picture together! (Oops, I just realized I also included the other hairdresser, in the mirror, who is actually a barber and she does my hubby's hair)

There I am taking a selfie in the mirror after my hair was cut. Lily enjoyed watching, and was very quiet and good the whole time.

Maybe next time Lily can get her hair done too! I am not the world's greatest hair braider!

When we got home it was time to fix supper. We had some leftover chicken, so I decided to make chicken and biscuits. It's kind of like a chicken pot pie, but with biscuits instead of pie crust, and we just pour the chicken mixture over the biscuits when they are done.

First I cut up the carrots and celery and let it cook until tender in the chicken broth. Then I add the chopped up chicken and let it all simmer a while longer, while I mix up the biscuits.

Lily wanted to help me make the biscuits. I decided to use my vintage biscuit cutter, but it also has a little center cutter that is used to cut out the hole in donuts. It can be removed to cut the biscuit dough.

We mixed up the biscuit dough and rolled it out on a floured surface, and then Lily helped me cut them out.

Lily asked if she could make some little tiny mini biscuits just for her, using the center piece out of the biscuit cutter.  It worked out just right!

(That jelly glass above is what I normally use to cut biscuits, but we wanted to do something different this time)

While the biscuits were baking in the oven, we thickened the chicken/vegetable mixture with flour and milk. Just kept adding a little at a time until it was thickened enough.

Once the biscuits were done we put them in the basket to keep them warm until ready to serve. 

Then we split open the biscuits on a plate and poured the chicken mixture over top.

For "dessert", Lily wanted her little tiny biscuits with some good blackberry jam:

Yummy Yummy! They sure were good, Lily said. (Of course, I had to sample them too!)

I hope you have enjoyed this little visit with Lily Grace and me. It's been a good week, and we are thankful for so many things.  Our home, our family and friends, our health, and all the little extra blessings that come our way to brighten our days.  Like flowers and birds, haircuts and biscuits with jam...and sunsets!

This was the view on Still Waters Pond last evening.

And most of all we are thankful for our salvation through Jesus Christ and rest in God alone.

At the end of a busy week it is good to reflect on these wonderful blessings.

Have a beautifully blessed weekend.

I am posting this Thursday night because tomorrow, Friday, I will be spending the day at Dixie Cottage with our kids. I am going to learn how to help out by waiting on customers so that they have more time to work on the furniture and other projects they have going on in the workroom that are hard to get to when they have to stay out in the store. I hope to spend at least one day a week with them. We'll see how that goes. It should be fun.  I think Lily Grace may just come along and help me too. I'm sure she will enjoy it, and I bet the customers will enjoy her as well!

God bless you all!!

Good Night!