Friday Foto Friends and Miscellaneous Stuff

 Hello Friday Foto Friends! Here it is, Friday mid-morning, almost 2:00,  and I am still scrounging to find some photos and/or things to talk about!  After my last post HERE about family vacations, it seemed to stir up a lot of memories for many of you!  I do wish you'd write about your family vacation experiences and share them with us. I don't have a "linky" thing for everyone to link into, but still, if you just write about it on your blog we will see it!  I found this quote by Madeleine L'engle, and I wholeheartedly agree:

We need to share our stories, if not for our children and grandchildren, then just for our own enjoyment and remembrance...and also to stir up good memories for others! So please do share your memories of summer vacations or other events from your childhood. We are looking forward to hearing from you!

After I mentioned the stuffing and gravy luncheon plate at Lazarus Department store in Columbus, Ohio, I got to thinking about it and wondered if I could find more information about it.  Here's a couple of links to more information that I found, as well as a recipe for the "Lazarus steamed celery dressing".  It appears they used chicken gravy on top, not turkey, although I don't know if it would matter which. Apparently this dish was a big favorite for many...and the best part was I remember it being only 25 cents a plate, but that was back in the early 1960's.  Sadly, after over 150 years of business, Lazarus department store went out of business in 2004. If you are interested in learning more, read on...

"Lazarus Memories"

A blog post about Lazarus in Columbus, OH

https://www.cookbooks4u.com/recipe/3671519/lazarus-steamed-celery-dressing.html

LAZARUS STEAMED CELERY DRESSING Recipe

This recipe for LAZARUS STEAMED CELERY DRESSING 

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bread
2 small onions, chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
Chicken or brown gravy, if desired

Directions:
Coarsely tear bread, add onions, celery, sage & salt. Melt butter, add to dressing. Beat egg & milk, add to dressing. Pile mixture lightly in a pan. Steam in pressure cooker 10 minutes or without pressure 30 minutes. Note: Not suitable for stuffing a bird.  Number Of Servings:6

It's just a simple stuffing recipe, but it attracted people from all over Ohio (and even Florida) to come and dine! Amazing!  Who da' thunk it?

Okay,  moving right along.  

Some of you have wondered about our Bluebirds. Well, I can tell you that I believe they are now in the process of feeding the new brood of babies, judging by the way the Mama and Papa are bringing food to the birdhouse.  These pictures are, however, of the juvenile baby bluebird from the last brood who keeps hanging around Mama and Papa.  I saw him one day on top of the birdhouse, and before I could get my camera ready for a picture he was literally laying down on the top of the house with his wings spread out and over it.  I wish I could've gotten that picture because it was so unusual.  But these two pictures are what I got instead.  It seems like he was listening to the noise coming from inside the house, and then it looks like (below) that he is talking to his parents and asking them why he can't come inside too.

It's very unusual if you ask me.

And some have asked how "Colt", the baby Sand Hill Crane is doing. Well, in these pictures he is on the right, following his mother.  As you can see, he is almost as tall as she is.  We were beginning to wonder if they had left us again because we didn't see them at all yesterday or this morning. But just as I was getting ready to try and wrap this up today they appeared, so of course I knew they wanted their picture taken so they could say hello to you. You can't see the daddy Crane in these pictures, but he was just a few feet in front of them, leading the way.  I call them "The Three Kings" riding on their camels. They just kind of saunter past in a line which reminds me of the Wise Men riding on their camels. Funny how thoughts come to your head sometimes...maybe it's just me. I am funny that way.

The Butterfly garden is coming along.  Of course I have to water it frequently as we haven't been getting much rain lately, and this is out in the bright sun all day.  Our sandy soil doesn't hold much moisture for long.  Sadly we have to pay for our water here, and it isn't cheap, so I have to be frugal. 

I know, I could probably just get buckets of water from the pond, but it's getting rather low too and I'd have to step out onto the muddy shoreline to get water, and well, if you were here you'd understand. When I say muddy, it's more like mucky, and my big feet sink down into it up to my ankles in no time, so no thank you! It's pretty to look at, but no walking in this pond, trust me!

These pictures don't do it justice. It really is prettier than that.

Now, this is another story!  The special rose bush in the Secret Memorial Garden has a new blossom!

Actually there's another bud right beside it, but it's still pretty small.

I decided to go ahead and pick the rose and bring it inside where we can enjoy it. I hope the bud will open up in a few days too.

This rose always makes me smile.

Oh, my sweet daughter in love Rose sent me this picture this morning. This is a Barred Owl, and he was sitting up in the tree beside their house.  They've been hearing the owls quite a bit lately and apparently they must have a nest nearby because they are quite active around their house. Isn't he beautiful? I LOVE Barred Owls.

They just sent me another picture a few minutes ago:

It's quite a honor to get to see these beautiful creatures in the daytime.

Oh,  when I went outside to put up the flag this morning the skies were so interesting.

It looks like this "Stealth Bomber" was flying right at me:

Or maybe a UFO?

Here's what one really looks like. I'm glad it wasn't really that...

(Photo courtesy of the Internet)

Anyway, the wind patterns in the clouds certainly were interesting and unique this morning:

I love to look at the skies, don't you?  

This was how it looked out over Still Waters Pond at the same time.  We don't get "sunrises" over the pond per se', just reflections from the sun on the clouds to give them some color. 

A very peaceful morning.

Here's our neighborhood cat, casting a tall shadow in the yard one morning this week:

She thinks she owns our house. Or maybe it's me she thinks she owns...strange kitty. or kitties...I told you in my last post she has a twin, so I don't really know which one this is...LOL. 

Well, it seems I've come to the end of my pictures (finally you say!) for today!  

Not sure I can come up with anything clever or intelligent to say to sum it all up.

Here is an encouraging Scripture passage from the book of Isaiah the Prophet:

"18  My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation,

In secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places,

19  Though hail comes down on the forest,

And the city is brought low in humiliation.

20  Blessed are you who sow beside all waters..."

Isaiah 32:18-20a

How about that?  "Blessed are you who sow beside all waters"... 

How about "beside STILL WATERS POND?"

Thank You, Lord, for your blessing on our home and our family.

We are very thankful indeed.