Thursday Thankfulness and Friday Foto Friends

Happy Thursday and Friday! I combine them because it's just easier that way!  Today we had quite a thunderstorm with lots of rain and winds come through, along with a tornado watch for our area all day long. Thankfully nothing serious developed, but we did get about an inch of much needed rain. Now the sun is shining brightly and it is beautiful, but still very windy at almost 6:00 p.m.  We are just very thankful that our area was spared any major storm issues.

The Bluebirds here on Still Waters Pond stayed very active all day. This couple is actually looking at and entering house #2.  I am really confused by our bluebird families.  There has been one couple very active at house #1, and I honestly thought they must be feeding babies by now.  But then today I see this couple over at house #2, going in and out like they are getting it ready to build a new nest.  I can't tell them apart from couple #1...they really look like the same ones, and it doesn't appear that they are quite as active at house #1 now.  Could it be that the eggs in house #1 did not develop properly, and now they are looking at starting over in house #2? Or is this a different couple? I sure wish I could tag them so I'd know who's who and what's what!  This is like a bluebird soap opera! LOL. I will be keeping watch as much as possible, and I will certainly let you know of any new developments in the next episode of  "All My Family on Still Waters Pond".  LOL. Or is it General Hospital on Still Waters Pond?  Or, "As the World Turns around on Still Waters Pond?"  

I believe Dad is praying before entering this house. That's a good sign.

Mom is patiently waiting for Dad to tell her which way to go...

I've seen them both going in and out of this house #2 today, so maybe they are just twins to the other couple in house #1.  

Meanwhile in the front yard the Amaryllis plants are finally starting to bloom!  

These are bulbs that I planted a couple of years ago, and they come back each year with lovely blossoms!

This is another one just getting ready to open up...

And here's the last one just peeking up through the leaves.  It won't be long til they are all blooming!

Unless....these are baby Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers.  I just discovered them on one of the amaryllis plants.  If left alone, there will be zillions of these creatures, and they will devour every amaryllis plant in sight!  

 "The eastern lubber grasshopper is a large and destructive garden pest. Lubbers are one of the few grasshopper species that occur in such significant numbers that they can cause significant damage to citrus and vegetable crops as well as ornamental landscape plants."

There is only one way to treat a lubber grasshopper...and you can be assured that I did exactly that. But I won't go into details here because there are people out there who don't understand what destructive insects can do to our agriculture.  So that is all I will say.

Meanwhile, in another part of our yard the wild blackberries are growing wild! Because that's what wild blackberry plants do! LOL.  Here is an unripe blackberry...

And here is a ripe one. They are hard to find because the birds usually find them first.  Sometimes they are kind of wormy, so I just leave them for the birds to eat.

Here's a few more developing! Not nearly enough for a blackberry cobbler or jam.

In my wanderings around the yard after the storm I discovered this large branch of an old oak tree that is covered with this fungi.  Obviously the branch is dead, but the fungi is enjoying having a place to live.  Interesting how God, in His marvelous creation, has provided for all different kinds of living organisms.  However, I do wish He wasn't so generous with those Lubber grasshoppers.  They probably are food for some kind of bird or creature, but unfortunately they don't get to them fast enough to keep them from doing damage.  Sometimes even nature gets out of control and needs some help.

In other news, I am happy to report that my friend who had some major surgery a week or so ago is now at home and is doing pretty well, all things considered.  She sent me a message a little while ago with a picture of her outside walking around in her yard. Since I didn't ask permission to share the picture, I won't, but she looks so happy and thankful. She said she had to get outside and enjoy this beautiful day (after the big storm), and check on her plants!  She is really remarkable after all she's been through. Very thankful to God for His watch care over her and for answered prayers.

My sister Doris is still not totally well from her cough, etc., but seems to be improving. And they are making some progress at their house where there was the water damage, etc., so she is happy about that. However, we still have not celebrated her and her husband's birthdays that were last week. Hopefully we will be getting together next weekend to do that, "Lord willing and the creek don't rise!" (or bathroom leaks in houses, or major thunderstorms...).  Continuing in prayer for them...

I am looking forward to meeting up with one of our blogging friends and her hubby, Barbara (and Gary), from "My Journal Memories".  The original plan was that they were coming up here today to meet us at a restaurant for lunch. But when the weather issues were forecasted for today they decided to postpone their trip until next week. They only live about an hour away, but still,  with heavy rains and high winds and tornado watches about, it would not have been a good day for a day trip. I'm glad Barb was paying attention to the weather reports and decided to change the plans ahead of time. Hopefully next week will be much better!  And we must remember to take pictures!

So here's some thoughts to finish out this day of thankfulness for God's mercy and kindness to us...

Psalm 145:8-13

8 "The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,

Slow to anger and great in mercy.

9 The Lord is good to all,

And His tender mercies are over all His works.

(you can't tell it, but it is very windy in these pictures!)

10 All Your works shall praise You, O Lord,

And Your saints shall bless You.

11 They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom,

And talk of Your power,

(pictures of Still Waters Pond just prior to sunset)

12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations."

Good Night and God bless you all!!