Friday Foto Friends ~ October Beauty

Happy Friday Foto Friends Day!  We've come through a whole first week of October, and there's been some beautiful things to see all around. Were you watching?

Since I am actually writing this on Thursday evening, I am limited to what I've seen up until now.

If something else pops up tomorrow morning I may have to amend this post, or just start a new one. We shall see what develops.  

Meanwhile, this was our sunrise Thursday morning:

It was a foggy start to the day, and the sun was trying hard to break through the fog. I think it was still a beautiful morning...don't you?

Then I noticed the most wonderful thing.  Another rose blooming in the Memorial Garden.

The thing that made this rose so special was that yesterday (Wed, Oct. 6th) was our grandson Noah's 22nd birthday.  This rose actually started to open yesterday, but I didn't get outside to get a good look at it.  This morning it really caught my eye, and I realized that it was blooming especially for Noah's birthday.  You see, Noah is Matthew's son.

I sent a text to Noah this morning with these pictures. I know he was probably working, so he hasn't responded yet, but I hope he appreciates the idea that a rose is blooming in his Daddy's Memorial Garden especially for his birthday week. I explained to him that this rosebush really only blooms for special occasions, and it has done so consistently even though it was transplanted from one house to another two years ago.

Of course I cut it and brought it inside so we can enjoy it all week. They last much longer that way, and I snip a little more off the stem each day to keep it fresh longer.

Happy Birthday, Noah!!   Oh, I neglected to tell you that we had a wonderful conversation with Noah on his birthday.  And he was so sweet to send me a video of the beautiful fall foliage along the roads as he traveled through Maine to the Fryeburg Fair.  He is spending the week there, working at the "blooming onion" booth...don't ask me how or why...but he seemed happy to have that to do. Work has been hard to find up there during the pandemic and he had to kind of set his plans aside for a while, but hopefully he will get back on the right road soon.  Meanwhile, he's having a good time and he's a great young man. I wish we were there at the Fair and could have one of his "blooming onions"! We used to always take him to the Fryeburg Fair for his birthday when we were able to go up there to visit each year. So that is a very special memory for us.

Moving right along...one afternoon I was sitting out in the Secret Memorial Garden, enjoying a nice autumn breeze and the late afternoon sunshine on Still Waters Pond.

I spied something way out there on the island that landed on top of those wild tall weeds...I forget the name of them...I know Annie from Cottage by the Sea knows...help?

Anyway, I zoomed in on it, and it was a dragonfly!! The sun is just glowing all around and through these so that they light up like torches!

I had a little visitor while I was sitting on the swing:

He said to tell you hello!

His lazy cousin was taking a rest in the loft of the bluebird house, which he has taken up for his own residence.  I told him he'd better move out before the bluebirds return in the spring, or he might find himself invited to be the main course at dinner! LOL.

I hesitate to tell you that I saw this huge bubble in one of the bird baths this morning. Yes, the bird bath needs cleaning, but it is under the holly tree and berries keep dropping in there and it's been raining and hot, and well, I can't scrub anything with this bad arm...so anyway, something was making a huge bubble that I thought was more interesting than whether or not my birdbath is clean or not:

If you look closely, you can see my reflection upside down taking this picture:

I think this bubble is very noteworthy, don't you?

One bright sunny morning we took a walk at our usual walking place, and these sweet little purple wildflowers were blooming everywhere:

And they were loaded with these bumblebees everywhere:

I had to be careful not to get stung while trying to take their picture!

I also spied this beautiful bright orange butterfly...he makes a lovely contrast to that dead looking wood:

And there are many of these bright yellow flowers blooming in clusters too. But you see why I don't pick them to bring them home in a bouquet? They always have some kind of bugs on them:

But they are so bright and cheery in the autumn morning sun...

Now, can you see the two Buckeye Butterflies on this leaf below?:

I think they were being quite "chummy"...

The certainly are well camouflaged...and again, very autumnal in appearance.

Here's a few more pretty purple wildflowers:

And here we are back home again...and look who found a new friend?

Yes, that is Lily Grace with a big old scarecrow! She said she wanted to name him "Joe"

So please welcome Joe the Scarecrow!

Well, it is bedtime and I need to get a move on.

Oh...thank you so much for your continued prayers for our niece Shannon. I found out tonight that she has already gone back to school, albeit, in a wheelchair, but she is able to get around to her classes and is trying to keep up with everything. Although her father said she is very very sore and tired when she gets home. Your prayers are still very much appreciated. I hope she isn't over-doing it. But then again, she is 17 and strong and healthy.  And our prayers are being answered.

So why should we be surprised?  God said Ask, Seek, and Knock...

Matthew 7:7-8

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

Thank You, Lord, for hearing our prayers on behalf of Shannon.  We give You praise for the healing we see taking place in her body.  We continue to pray for her soul and spirit to be turned toward You, so that she will know it is YOU who is healing her and who has a plan and purpose for her life. Amen.

Have a blessed and wonderful weekend, friends!!