Friday Foto Friends This and That

Happy Friday! Although it's almost Saturday now by the time this gets posted! I'm still a bit off schedule this week, but I won't go into details why.

  

So moving right along:...this photo below is such a mystery to me. I kept seeing this white something over on the island in Still Waters Pond. I zoomed in on it with my camera to see if I could figure out what it was.  It looks fuzzy and hairy and it is large, like as big as a pumpkin. I can't get over close to it to see it up close, so this will have to do. Is it some kind of spores from a mushroom? Since we had a huge rainstorm all day yesterday it seems to have disappeared so whatever it was got knocked down in the rain apparently.  Any guesses about what it is?

Meanwhile, our Sand Hill Crane family still continues to fly in for a visit now and then. I am wondering when the kiddos (Pat and Val) will take off on their own and leave Mom and Dad alone to start a new family. They say they usually stay together about 10 months, which should be around Christmas or New Years, so we shall see what happens.

The flowers in my butterfly garden are blooming better now than they did all summer. The cooler nights and rain seem to have brought them back out.  Believe it or not there is a little yellow "Sulphur Butterfly" in this picture on this plant. Can you find it?

Do you see it now?

After getting about two inches of rain yesterday along with tornado warnings all day long, today was a gorgeous sunny day and everything looks fresh and green and beautiful again...AND we are VERY thankful that the tornadoes did not touch down near us, but I understand they did along the Gulf coastal areas and also further east of us on the Atlantic Coastal area.  I haven't heard of any injuries, etc., but property damage was bad for many. It was a long and scary night with rain pounding on our metal roof like I've never heard before! Again, we are very thankful to have been spared any damages here.

The colors of fall are starting to show up in the marsh weeds on Still Waters Pond:

This is how it looked early this morning...foggy!!

Still not sure what this plant/berry is that is growing in our yard near the pond and under the shade of the oak and holly trees. It's not a holly. The birds seem to like it, so it's okay with me. The berries are just now starting to turn color.

Switching gears...I mentioned previously that hubby had some medical procedures done recently. We are very thankful that he is doing very well, with a few little "issues" that hopefully will be resolved with time and healing, but anyway, this is his Doctor at the follow up appointment this past week. He said I could take his picture.  Due to Hippa regulations I won't go into any further information or name, but suffice it to say we are very thankful for this very gifted and intelligent young man. He only recently transferred here to this hospital from out of state, and my hubby was his first patient here to receive the procedure that he specializes in. We believe God sent him especially now just for us! (Well, at least the timing was perfect for us!) I do know that God works in mysterious ways, and I give Him the praise and glory for His kindness and mercy.

Switching gears again, at the little impromptu surprise birthday celebration at our family reunion two weeks ago already, I received these lovely new t-shirts from family members as gifts.  They know me so well...The one on the right has pictures of a goldfinch, a chickadee, and a bluebird! The one on the left says "Fearlessly and wonderfully made" from Proverbs 139:14

Here's the whole verse:

Psalm 139:14

14 "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well."

These are a couple other gifts...again, they know me very well...

Today I was in the mood for beef stew...so here it is...it sure smelled good cooking in the crock pot all day, and it was very tasty with some homemade biscuits for supper!

October is the beginning of some lovely sunsets again over Still Waters Pond...this was tonight:

And this was a few nights ago, which was the most beautiful we've had thus far:

Psalm 113:1-6

1 "Praise the Lord!

Praise, O servants of the Lord,

Praise the name of the Lord!

2 Blessed be the name of the Lord

From this time forth and forevermore!

3 From the rising of the sun to its going down

The Lord’s name is to be praised.

4 The Lord is high above all nations,

His glory above the heavens.

5 Who is like the Lord our God,

Who dwells on high,

6 Who humbles Himself to behold

The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?"

As we close this post tonight our hearts are still burdened for the people of Israel, as well as those who are innocent families in the Gaza strip, who are pawns of  the Hamas terrorists in this terrible war. 

Psalm 122:6-9

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.

7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

May God protect His people.  Amen.