Good evening from Still Waters Pond. It's been an active evening on the waterfront, following a light sprinkly shower this afternoon. The pond is still rather shallow and is shrinking from lack of rain, even with the few thunderstorms we've had this week.
But this evening we were visited by this Juvenile White Ibis. It appears he is walking on the water, but actually that's just how shallow it is there...
However, there is apparently something good to eat there among the lily pads and mucky puddles...
They were wading around with the three white egrets...
Can you find all three? Kind of like "Where's Waldo? Or, where's all three Waldos??"Meanwhile, the Sand Hill Crane family came walking up from across the pond and waited at our back door for a hand full of bird seed...which the "Master of the House" enjoys throwing to them each evening (and morning too, if they show up).
There is definitely a territorial pecking order on this pond! That being said, now as the sun is going down all the birds seem to have retreated to their respective corners and everyone is settling down for the night. All is calm and peaceful once again.
The End.
There are no pictures, but the kids came over last night for "pizza night". They brought our grandpuppies Sugar and Spice, and we all had a fun time together. We put up the sheet outside on the porch to block the view of the porch kitties so the doggies wouldn't go crazy. It worked pretty well, but there was one close call when Blackie found his way in behind the sheet and right up against the glass doors! Thankfully I saw him before the pups did, and Benton actually distracted them and got the doggies into their harness/leashes and took them out the front door for a little walk. Then I went out on the back porch and encouraged Blackie to come out from behind the sheet with a treat. I repaired the opening where he found his way behind there, and all was well from then on. Whew! That was a close one! LOL.
I actually had a doctor appointment this past week, a follow up to the lab work from the preceding week. Everything was fine except I was told that I am one point away from being pre-diabetic! That was a shock to me, as I rarely eat desserts/sweets anymore, I try to eat really healthy, I don't drink sweetened drinks and drink mostly water except for one cup of hot tea in the morning and a glass of unsweet tea for lunch. Of course the doctor reminded me about the breads, potatoes and all those "carbs" that I am most likely eating that do the damage even without eating a lot of surgary sweets. So now I am looking at labels on everything I eat. I know some of you are on no-carb diets...I may have to start taking notes from you about what to eat and what not to eat.
The day after I got that news we went out to breakfast because hubby had to have some more lab work done. We went to a place called "Colee's", which is in Palatka. We've been there before and always enjoy their good breakfasts.
And got a spinach and cheddar cheese omelette with a side order of bacon and some wheat toast, (which I barely ate).
Hubby hasn't been told that he can't eat carbs, so he ordered the eggs, grits, biscuit, and sausage.
I just realized that today is my Daddy's birthday. He would be 107 years old. My daddy was a wonderful, fun loving, and a good Chrstian father and family man. This is one of my favorite pictures of my sister Doris on the left, Daddy in the middle, and me on the right. Someone snuck up behind us to take this picture while we were out for a walk, and you can see how we all reacted. That should tell you something about our family...LOL.
Clifford, Russell, Laddie, Mama, Doris, Daddy and me.
And here we were in 2005, back row l to r:
Russell, me, Clifford, Doris
Mama and Daddy on the front.
Mama died the following year (2006), and Daddy died in 2011. My brother Russell died in 2019. So that leaves Clifford, Doris, and me.
I am extremely thankful for the family God gave me.
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Daddy! Until we are all reunited in heaven someday.
Psalm 103:1-5
1"Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."
Thank You, Lord, for all of these blessings...Amen.
And good night to all...Have a wonderful SONday tomorrow!
You and Doris favor your Dad. Love that one photo of the three of you.
ReplyDeleteI think it’s a blessing you were only one point for being pre- diabetic. Just one point!!! You don’t actually have it so at least knowing that, gives you a chance to change your eating.
If it doesn’t run in your family you can usually control it with excercise and diet. My sil had diabetes and is now totally off insulin due to weight loss and excercise. It took her about a year.
I love seeing those family photos! The one of all of you when you were kids is just beautiful! I also love the one of you and Doris with your Dad - looks like something my family would do.
ReplyDeleteIt's good you know about the blood sugar results and can work on it, but so frustrating when you already eat healthy!
Oh, Lord, Pamela, the docs have tried to convince me that I'm pre-diabetic, too, and then I found out through my daughter-in-love that they have lowered the standards in order to get more people onto their drug "cures." She should know as her own mother died of cancer two years ago and was also being treated for diabetites. Hope learned so much about this whole mismanagement of the medical info that she shared with us, and I'm so grateful for that. Always question when it doesn't make sense to you as to what you
ReplyDeleteare eating. Love and prayers!
Yes, I believe that about lowering the standards. The P.A. (not a real Doctor) also told me that now my bad cholesterol is too high at 78! She said they lowered the standards to 70, when it used to be 100! She wanted to add another anti-cholesterol drug to the statin that I already take, and I refused, so I had to sign a paper waiving her of responsibility since I refused to take the extra drug! Something's definitely not right about that!!
DeleteMy dr in KS told me I was prediabetic, when I got back in with my dr in OK he told me I was not due to the fact the previous dr didn't tell me to fast that they were doing blood work. I refused to take their drugs. Beautiful pics of your family. have a blessed weekend. I will be posting a post here in a few
ReplyDeleteHi Pamela, I enjoyed all the pictures today! The food looks so good! Have a Happy Sunday!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I got the same speech about pre diabetic (and no one on my side of the family is), and I found out they lowered the standards...yep...so you have to be your best advocate. That is all I am going to say about that. Wishing you a beautiful day my friend.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe that about lowering the standards. The P.A. (not a real Doctor) also told me that now my bad cholesterol is too high at 78! She said they lowered the standards to 70, when it used to be 100! She wanted to add another anti-cholesterol drug to the statin that I already take, and I refused, so I had to sign a paper waiving her of responsibility since I refused to take the extra drug! Something's definitely not right about that!!
DeleteBig Pharma has a lot to answer for. They're killin' millions of people with their lies all to get us on their "cures". Meanwhile obesity is rampant, heart disease through the charts, and so forth. Welcome to the Matrix and we're the batteries. That's why were eating carnivore (keto), lost weight, blood sugar is normal, we're healthier, save money, eat less, etc. etc. So many won't listen because their sugar addicts. I was too once. It took months to wean me off that death spiral.
ReplyDeleteThat food looks so good.
Who needs a TV when you've got those lovely views out the back! So peaceful. That makes me smile too that y'all are in a safe, content place.
Have a blessed Sunday! 💖
Yes, I believe that about Big Pharma lowering the standards. The P.A. (not a real Doctor) also told me that now my bad cholesterol is too high at 78! She said they lowered the standards to 70, when it used to be 100! She wanted to add another anti-cholesterol drug to the statin that I already take, and I refused, so I had to sign a paper waiving her of responsibility since I refused to take the extra drug! Something's definitely not right about that!!
DeleteYour breakfast pictures are so good. Oh goodness...I think I could write a book on the diabetes topic. I have two grandsons with Type I diabetes. My brother has type 2 as well as my niece....and now Sam. None of them are big sweet eaters!! The sad thing is that Sugar is in most everything that we eat and drink. Another sad thing is that once the doctor documents that you are pre-diabetic or type 2 diabetic, it stays in your records and this can affect our insurance prices. So frustrating. Hopefully your doctor advised you to just change some things in your diet rather than to suggest meds.
ReplyDeleteYour place looks so fun and relaxing with the sweet views... Enjoy it today....
I so enjoyed your little bedtime story — thank you. Such beautiful birds, and that picture of the cats is just adorable. Ah… your dad. It’s hard to think that they are "gone". But thankfully you have the nice and funny photos, the memories — and the hope of being together again.
ReplyDeleteI don’t have pre-diabetes, but because of a histamine issue I knew I had to make some changes. I started having oatmeal instead of bread, keeping sweets to just one cookie a day, eating plenty of fresh vegetables and potatoes, and having meat only twice a week. It wasn’t easy at first, but over time my body adjusted — and I’ve been feeling much better.
I noticed that the definition of pre-diabetes is slightly different in the Netherlands compared to the USA. In the Netherlands, the fasting glucose range for pre-diabetes is 6.1–6.9 mmol/L, whereas in the USA it starts lower, at 5.6 mmol/L. This means that in the US, people are classified as pre-diabetic sooner. The 2-hour glucose tolerance values are the same, but the HbA1c threshold is also set lower in the US. Is that correct about your country?
My mother developed type 2 diabetes as a result of how her body reacted to the Hunger Winter (1944). Having suffered such severe hunger as a child, she struggled with food her entire life — she could never say no to treats, and she couldn’t bear to leave leftovers on her plate.
Blessings for the week ahead, Pamela.
I love Still Waters Pond!!! It was good the see Sand Hill cranes again, they know where to go for a hand-out.☺ Happy Heavenly Birthday to your DaD. My Daddy went to heaven in 2000 and not a day goes by that I don't think of him. I miss him so much. I have to say, when looking at the picture of the SHCranes I spotted a little flower, probably made of wood, sitting on the table! It made me smile because I have the same flower!!! How neat is that?♥ You have a beautiful family Pamela, you are certainly blessed.
ReplyDeleteI can see that the drier than normal summer is taking a toll on your pond! The wildlife still come to visit and that is so beautiful to see! It is a bummer about the pre-diabetic news when you eat an already healthy diet! Hope things straighten up. Thanks for sharing the fun family memories!
ReplyDeleteMy numbers are also high in that area. But then my cholesterol is crazy, too. How to balance it all out without all the meds (which sometimes make other things worse)?
ReplyDeleteExercise helps me some.
Hi Pam. I love the family pictures of you, your siblings, and your parents. Glad to hear that things are going well at Still Waters Pond. Stay well and have a good week!
ReplyDeleteI love how Blackie and Sunshine seem to love each other so much!! My two just tolerate each other. Great photos of the birds on your pond and I love the old family photos! Carbs turn into sugar so if you just watch the starches you can turn things around. Visiting here is always a blessing. Love to all.
ReplyDeleteI am here from Shug's Sunday post. I would have come by anyway.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh a bit at you running out to get Blackie out of there while the puppies were distracted. 😂
Your posts are always so restful to read. Restful is also what we both told Shug too!
🩵❤️💙
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ReplyDeleteHi Pamela, I absolutely love all your photos! The food looks delicious! Your spinach cheddar omelet with a side order of bacon! That would be right up my alley! Thank you so much for sharing, your posts are such a joy to read!
ReplyDeleteHappy heavenly birthday to your fun-loving daddy! Oh, that photo cracks me up. Those lab reports must have felt unsettling, but I've no doubt you can turn that around with time. Cheering for you from the wings!
ReplyDeletePS - I love the narrative you drew about pizza night with the fur babies! Tom's highjacked the computer, so I'm trying to comment on my little phone screen. (Ugh)
Wow Pam, I don't know how I missed commenting on this blog. Seems I did write something but maybe forgot to hit Publish...senior moment I guess.
ReplyDeleteLove all the photos about the Cranes and your precious kitties. What adventures there are around your Still Water Pond.
I sure get frustrated with doctors sometimes. Taking a pill is not always the answer. Hope you will get it all straightened out. Rest well.
Sue
Gosh a lot of my friends come here. I didn't realize that. I am glad that you came by.
ReplyDeleteLove the story about the birds and pecking order. You seem to live in a great house with a lot of nature near by. I read about you son on the side and I have to know that is horrific. Love to see the old pictures of your family. And I love the bible verses.
Thank you, Chatty (Sandie?) I look forward to getting better acquainted in the future! Yes, we are thankful and blessed to live on a little pond, where God's creatures reign and rule! There's never a dull moment here. Thank you again for your kind comments. Have a blessed and beautiful day!!
DeleteHello Pam! I've had a busy week or so of late, so I'm behind in my blog-reading. Good to see this one from you and the pleasant times you've had.
ReplyDeleteRegarding carbs, my impression is to focus more on the proteins and less on the carbs, which simplifies it for me.
Your dad's birthday -- my daddy's birthday is this week. He would be 98. This is the first year my mother is in Heaven with him, so it will be extra special for them.
What wonderful photos of the past.
ReplyDeleteAnother heavenly birthday for your dad!!
Warning for pre-diabetes and diabetes is not to gain more people to sell drugs to., as some people say somewhere in the comments.
The standards are set by scientists and doctors, based on careful research, and sometimes norms are lowered in steps, to enable people to adjust, sometimes because new ways of measuring values are found out. There is always a link between norms and public health, where the breaking point is at the value where people experience health problems. These might even be unnoticed at the time. Especially diabetes is a sneeaky unseen visitor, destroying a lot before the pancreas can't keep up protecting the person against the damage. That's the point they can measure pre- or real diabetes!
Before many people already need glasses, have muscle and joint problems, cholesterol issues and many other issues they just take as a sign of getting older. Like dry skin, tiredness and such.
By the time a doctor warns for pre-diabetes a lot is going on, and reponsible eating alone will fix the present glucose levels in your body. but not what is already going on in your body.
I myself experienced a bad GP, so I was not treated well. When I finally got insulin, I saw the changes of feeling better within weeks.
People used to work, pass the day and eat in a complete different way in the past. We sit such a lot more. My gram didn't have her own comfortable chair. "No time to sit in it", she used to say. No car to fetch the groceries then. No chemicals, but muscle power to clean.
I found visiting he sites of diabetes organisations very helpful, as they provide a lot of recipes and other health advice.
Only eating low carb is not enough.
I hardly eat potatoes, rice or pasta. I use the airfryer, if needed. Never add any butter or something else.
Normal bread is a nono for me, as it raises my glucose. But toasted bread works absolutely great.
Moving around is as important as eating well.
I've found that out with the debacle of my ankle.
So wonderful the life around the little pond.
And so much more we can't even see, going on under the surface of the water or at a very small scale.
Lovely!!