Friday Foto Friends~A little This and That

 Happy First Friday in October! I wonder how your October is starting out? So far so good here...we've been getting some intermittent rain throughout the week, and the forecast shows a lot more coming over the next week, so we are very hopeful that our Still Waters Pond will soon begin to look like a real pond again instead of a desert pond.  

Still Waters Pond this morning...

If you look closely, you can see some water over there...not much, but it's an improvement!

Our skies at sunrise today...We do have rain forecasted later this morning...I do hope it does what it says it's supposed to do!  

We really haven't been out and about much this week, except for a brief visit to the Kenwood Boat Ramp yesterday...

And these pictures are more about what I didn't get a picture of as opposed to what I did...

I was looking for the little alligator that I saw here once before...

But he was nowhere in sight.  However, I did see some fish literally jump right out of the water, but my camera was not quick enough to capture that sight!

They were literally right there in that water:

And then, before I could say "boo!", a Belted Kingfisher bird flew right in and caught one of those fish and carried it back away with him down there somewhere out of my sight! He was really quick!!

I did manage to capture a picture of this Florida Box Turtle alongside the road as we were driving into the park.  He was actually on the road, so we stopped the car and I got out to take his picture, but he was already in the weeds alongside the road before I could get close to him...so here's what I got:

So since I am a bit short on pictures and adventures, I thought I would share some of our "kids" adventures with you today from their continued vacation in Minnesota, and we can join them vicariously!

"Over 500,000 people visit Itasca State Park every year to dip their feet into the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River. Also known as the Great River, it flows north and east through Minnesota’s Northwoods before heading south across the continent on a 2,552-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. Combined with the Missouri River, the Mississippi ranks as the longest river system in North America and the fourth-longest river in the world."

So our "kids" were two of the "over 500,000 people to visit Itasca State Park" this year!  Here they are at the headwaters of the Mississippi River!

Looks like Rose is hanging on to Benton for dear life: 

Hard to believe that is the beginning of the mighty Mississippi!

Then they visited and I think had lunch here at the Douglas Lodge Restaurant in the park. It is quite old, as you can tell, and very interesting! 

Douglas Lodge Restaurant

Internet Photo Douglas Lodge

Looks like a place I would love to visit!

This was their skies in Minnesota last night:  Oh, and they said their temperatures have actually been warmer than ours are here in Florida! That's pretty amazing!!

Back to our own back porch, I thought you might like to say good morning to Sunshine and Blackie:

Sunshine was hopeful that I was going to give him some extra treats instead of just the plain old ordinary food for breakfast.  But I usually wait and give them treats with their supper or as a "Treat" later, not at breakfast.  Sorry Sunshine! You need to go be a good kitty and eat your food, 

Like Blackie is doing...he jumps right in and starts chowing down.  They are both pretty sweet, and they make our days more interesting, that's for sure!

Well, I need to draw this to a close and get on with our day before it starts raining. Hubby wants to go take a walk, so I need to say good bye for now and happy Friday!  

Here's some good thoughts for today:

Psalm 63:1-8

 "1 O God, You are my God;

Early will I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You

In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.

3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

4 Thus I will bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness,

And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.

6 When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate on You in the night watches.

7 Because You have been my help,

Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.

8 My soul follows close behind You;

Your right hand upholds me."