Friday Foto Friends: Welcome September!

Welcome September!!!  The first of the "ber" months! All my favorites!

Actually, these pictures were taken yesterday morning, on the last day of August, but this morning was too cloudy for a good photo, so I figured we could say "farewell to August" as we welcome September!

Do you see the "super moon" in the photos below?  That was taken around 7:00 a.m. yesterday morning, as the moon was sinking down beyond the horizon and Still Waters Pond.

I thought it was quite "picture-worthy", don't you?

I'm so glad I got to see it, as it was hidden this morning behind thick clouds.  These photos were taken the day AFTER Hurricane Idalia had made her way up the Gulf Coast and across the Big Bend and Northern section of our state and on into Southeast Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. I hope she is fizzled out in the Atlantic ocean by now!  My heart goes out to those who lost so much in this storm.  Thankfully there was not a high death toll anywhere, but a lot of damage especially along the coast due to storm surge.  We are so very very thankful that it bypassed our area and barely even left us a puddle to wade through or a tree limb to pick up. Quite a miracle, I'd say!

So now we truly welcome September, and pray that she doesn't have any more surprise storms awaiting us.  We don't dare let our guard down until after October!

But meanwhile, we can enjoy the beauties of this beginning month of autumn. Also my birth month, so it definitely is a special month for me.

As per my norm, I like to share pictures of the different calendars I have throughout the house for each new month.  This one above is the John Sloane Country Seasons calendar.  This painting is called 

"A Taste of Summer", with the jars of freshly canned vegetables from the garden sitting in the sink and on the windowsill.  I wish that was a photo from my kitchen, but alas! We do not have a garden and I never had really learned how to can vegetables, etc.  I've made jellies before, but that's about it.  We left the farm and moved to Florida when I was 5, and then my mother had to go to work as a secretary when I started school, and so the farming/gardening way of life became a thing of the past.  I'm sorry I missed out on it.

Seeing that box of Ivory Snow in the picture above made me think about this jar of Ivory "Flakes" in my Hoosier Cupboard.  It's very old...I've never used them...just have them on display in the cupboard for old times' sake.  

I haven't started my fall decorations yet...it's been too hot and with all the hurricane prep and other things I've been going through lately, I just haven't had the energy or time.  Hopefully when Scott comes home this weekend he can bring in the tubs of decor from the shed and I can start working on it next week.  So these photos from inside the Hoosier Cupboard will be a little nod to September/fall for now!

Yes, it's a bit of a hodgepodge of old stuff...kind of a part of the family "museum" here...LOL.

I love this little Susan Branch calendar...it has such fun and homey things to say about each new month:

Thomas Kinkade always captures the most wonderful scenes in his paintings as well...look  at all the detail in this one entitled "Country Living"...I think I'd love to live there...how about you?

Yes, faith without works is dead...  If we are not willing to back up our faith with some positive action, then we will probably not see too many prayers answered... Kind of like the old saying "a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step..."   Take a step of faith and you will see great things happen...

Wow, this is a lovely teapot on the September Tea Pot calendar...

Interesting quote...I never thought about there being "connoisseurs of blue" before, have you?  I do like blue, but I don't think I'm a connoisseur of it...what would that look like???

And the last, but not least, of my calendars...this one hangs in my bathroom where I can write down all the appointments for the month.  It helps to be able to see it every day when I wake up (or when I sit on the throne to contemplate important issues of life...LOL)  Wouldn't this be a lovely place to sit and dream?  It reminds me of my Aunt Margie's garden in Crafton, Pa.  I know there's a picture somewhere showing her beautiful flowers like this in bloom...but I doubt that I have it.  I need to ask my sister Doris to look for it in the family albums...Doris, if you are reading this...do you know where to find that picture??? LOL.  I will let you know if she finds it...but it may take a while...

What a lovely surprise to receive these beautiful cards in the mail this week from a couple of you dear blogging friends!  I tell you, blogging friends are the best people in the world!! All of you, whether you remember to send cards out or not...I love having regular "conversations" with you here in Blogland...every day is like finding a nice letter in the mail!!  I don't know who invented blogging, but I'm so glad we all found out about it!

Now, it wouldn't be September without this creature!!!  My hubby looked outside and saw this guy today and said "it must be September because I've seen the first love bug of the season!" Just like clock work, they show up in September and May!  This one is still alone, but it won't be long before it will have a mate...and they will "mate for life", which may not be very long, and lay their eggs somewhere in the trees or dirt or something so they can hatch in the spring.  They don't bite, and they serve no useful purpose that I know of. They mostly like to fly around in swarms near the roadways and stick to the grill and windows of automobiles,  making a huge mess and also eating the paint off the hood if you don't keep them washed off.  If you've never experienced the semi-annual "plague" of the love bugs, be thankful!!  They mostly stay in the south, primarily here in Florida.

Well friends, this ends the first blog post of the month of September, 2023.  Hopefully it will be a month of much joy and many blessings for all of us.  (and no more hurricanes!!)

Psalm 5:8,11-12

8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;

Make Your way straight before my face.

11 But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

12 For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield.