Wednesday Treasures and Blessings

Greetings Friends!

This was the scene this morning when I woke up! Another beautiful way to start the day!

1 Chronicles 16:23-27

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

24 Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.

25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;

He is also to be feared above all gods.

26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

But the Lord made the heavens.

27 Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and gladness are in His place.

Amen!

And we started out the morning with our little friend Blackie.  Actually it was a little warmer last night, warm enough for him to stay outside, but he was quite ready to come inside this morning and have his breakfast and spend some time warming up before going back out for the day.  One of his favorite places to explore is anywhere around "Daddy's Chair", especially under his feet. LOL.  

I've noticed that if "Daddy" isn't in his chair when Blackie comes inside, that is the first place he runs to look for him, and then he heads for the bedroom to look for him.  He knows already who's the soft touch for the treats. LOL.  Yeah, Daddy was the one who kept saying we didn't need to have any stray neighborhood cats around...but when he doesn't know I'm listening I hear him talking "baby cat talk" to him. LOL.  But he's still not ready to make him a full time indoor cat...and I'm not sure that Blackie ever will be, but he's sure working hard to become one.  He's definitely made some changes in our routine! 

I had mentioned that we had to travel to Gainesville yesterday for a Doctor's appointment for hubby. It was for a follow up check up for a condition that had been discovered via an MRI earlier in the year, and the doctor wanted to keep a watch on it to make sure there were no significant changes.

(These murals are on the wall of the waiting area in the hospital where we had to go for the appointment)

Thankfully, after a CT Scan and review by the doctor, it was determined that there was no change and he was happy to say that he didn't need to see him again for a year! So that was very good news and an answer to prayer!

So very happily we went out to lunch at the local Cracker Barrel...for which we had a gift card that was a Christmas present...so that made it even better!

I was happy to see that everything still looks the same in this Cracker Barrel. This was the first time we'd been since the near "disaster" of a marketing scheme that went sour real fast with their corporate headquarters last year.  

We were relieved and happy to sit there and enjoy the country atmosphere and good food, including some fried apples.   

(That's grilled catfish and hushpuppies, in case you didn't know. It was good!)

I took this picture below because my mother's grandmother's maiden name was Johnston. HERE is a link to a post that tells an interesting story about that discovery.  So there were "Johnstons" in my ancestry, and who knows but that they made really good cookies! I know my mother was certainly a good cookie baker (and pies too), so perhaps she inherited that ability from her ancestors too!  

 

So that was our adventure yesterday, and we came home rejoicing in the good report, and very very thankful.  

This exhortation and promise from God's Word is one to remember in all circumstances...even when things look bleak or worrisome...

Philippians 4:4-7 NKJV

"4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, 

with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Amen!

And with that I will leave you for tonight.  For those of you who may be facing a severe winter storm warning this weekend, my thoughts and prayers are with you.  You may want to remember those verses above as you face an uncertain situation.  May the Lord be with you and give you comfort and peace. Amen.

Tuesday 4~ We've Got Questions

We've Got Questions

 Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4. It's nice to have you take part.

Here are some questions for you.....

1. Where did your mother and father grow up?
My Father grew up in Crafton, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. Here is a link to some fun stories I wrote about where he grew up. My mother grew up mostly in Ohio, but also lived in Maryland for a short while when she was young. HERE is a link to some stories about my mother and her family.

2. Where did you grow up? 

I was born in Clarion, Pennsylvania and lived there on a farm until I was almost six years old, (and farming became too expensive  unless you had partners or government assistance and my father didn't want to go that route) but we moved to Tavares, Florida when I was in 1st grade. I lived there until I was married. HERE is a link to a post about my hometown. (where I grew up).

3. What was your favorite meal your mother made? What is your favorite recipe to make?

Gosh, I can't remember, there were so many good things my mother made. I don't know how she cooked so many wonderful meals and worked a full time job. I'm remembering her Salisbury Steaks and gravy, Mashed potatoes, and probably green peas.   

I actually just made the same thing the other day, except for the peas...we had green beans as hubby is not particularly fond of green peas, but he LOVES Salisbury steaks.  To make them I use ground chuck, and mix it up much like I would for a meatloaf...add chopped onions, bread crumbs, egg, and a little bit of ketchup and mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Make them into patties and brown them good on each side, drain off the grease, then add water and cover and simmer until they are done. Then make gravy with the water that they have been cooking in. They are SO good! 

 

Here's Mom cooking in her kitchen...

 She probably just got home from work...note she is wearing a dress with an apron and still has her earrings on, which she didn't ordinarily wear at home. LOL.

And she had to feed a family of six hungry people...two big teenage boys who were football players, my dad who worked hard all day at the post office, and my sister and I who were growing girls.  Here's a picture of us kids not long after we moved to that house:

4. What are the advantages you enjoy where you live?

Where we live now? Well, let's see...it's not far from our local small town and grocery store, doctor, church, Dollar General, gas stations, etc.  And the closest bigger city is only 15 miles, where there is a Walmart, small hospital, and many other stores and restaurants, etc.    It is still a "small city", and we don't have to fight traffic to get there.  Where we live is semi-rural, and even though it isn't fancy, it's  friendly and convenient.  We are very thankful for our home and community. And our kids live nearby. You can't beat that!

So now, why don't you tell us all about you?  You can join in the fun HERE

(Writing this on Monday afternoon) Oh, one last thing...Thank you all on your comments on my Sunday post! Some of you asked how Blackie did in the new kennel/crate last night. 

Well, MUCH better! We brought him inside around 10:00 p.m., when we were going to bed. I put him inside the crate and tossed a couple of treats in there and shut the door and he didn't object one bit. I will admit that I probably did not sleep as well as he did, as I had one ear on the door of our room trying to hear if he was making any noise out there, and a couple of times I tiptoed out to where I could peek at him without him seeing me, and he was perfectly peaceful.  I ended up getting up around 5:00 a.m. and let him out and fed him, and then I encouraged him to go outside to go potty, but he really didn't want to go out in the 30 degree weather, and the porch actually was icy from the rain we had the day before.  Finally he stayed out for a little while, but was right back at the door wanting to come inside, so we brought him in and let him wander around the house for a while.  He discovered this box and promptly jumped right in and twisted and turned about in it for a few minutes and then jumped back out and went and tried to make the back of our couch a scratching post, so that was that and outside he went!

 By then the sun was up and it wasn't too bad, but the pond looked like this:

Yes, that is frost. I also did see a few tiny snowflakes swirling in the light on the porch while it was still dark outside. I know the northernmost part of Florida did get snow yesterday, but we really weren't supposed to,  however, I know what I saw! It was snow! Frost doesn't come down in flakes and swirl around!

So all in all it was a good night, and he may have to come back in tonight too because of the freezing temps.  I'm glad we have this option and it helps my conscience knowing he's not outside freezing!

One more thing, in my last post I told you about our visit with blogging friend Terri. She posted her version of our visit HERE today, if you want to check it out!  It sure is fun to meet up with our blogging friends in person, and I wish we could ALL do that someday!! Wouldn't that be wonderful?  It would take some doing to make it happen, but it sure would be fun!  

Okay, I think that's all for now. This post will go live Tuesday morning, but we will be traveling to Gainesville for an important doctor appointment for my hubby, so I won't be around all day to visit. I'll try to catch up with everyone hopefully Wednesday.  Blessings to all!!!

Some words from God's Word to ponder:

Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV

12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

That definitely gives us some "food for thought".   Amen.

P.S. Tuesday morning 5:51 a.m., I had some "help" with posting this blog this morning:

Yes, that's Blackie, and yes, he spent the night indoors again last night and did very well. Never heard a peep out of him, but he was sure happy to see me come let him out of that crate this morning!

And for those of you who may not remember or weren't here with me then, that "clipped ear" you see is from when he went to be neutered. Because he went to a special program for neutering and spaying "feral" or stray outdoor cats, they clipped his ear to show that he has been neutered.  Although I'm not crazy about it, it does give him a special extra "charm".  

Okay, time to get this thing published so I can go on about my duties today. We will be on the road in a couple of hours to drive an hour away for a medical appointment for hubby. TTYL.

Sunday Thoughts

These are some good thoughts to ponder in light of all the turmoil in our world today:

Psalm 103:19 NKJV

19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven,

And His kingdom rules over all.

Colossians 1:16-17 NKJV

"16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. 

All things were created through Him and for Him. 

17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."

Isaiah 45:7-8 NKJV

"7 I form the light and create darkness,

I make peace and create calamity;

I, the Lord, do all these things.’

8 “Rain down, you heavens, from above,

And let the skies pour down righteousness;

Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation,

And let righteousness spring up together.

I, the Lord, have created it."

Psalm 46 NKJV

"1 God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear,

Even though the earth be removed,

And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;

3 Though its waters roar and be troubled,

Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God,

The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved;

God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;

He uttered His voice, the earth melted.

7 The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,

Who has made desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;

He burns the chariot in the fire.

10 Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!

11 The Lord of hosts is with us;

The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah"

Psalm 121 KJV

"1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, 

and even for evermore."

Knowing this Great God of Israel, "The Lord of Hosts is with us", I do not need to fear whatever this world may throw at me. I just need to remember to "Be still, and KNOW that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I wll be exalted in the earth!"    God is in control...no matter what!  

And that gives me great peace of mind as I go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning. "My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth."  There can be NO better help than that, not from any army or government or person or thing. Praise God! Amen. 

Switching Gears now...I know some of you are waiting to hear about our visit on Saturday with "Your Friend From Florida", Terri D.   Well, I was kind of waiting for Terri to share her pictures first, but I think she's waiting until tomorrow, and I didn't want to steal her thunder...but maybe I'll just share a couple of pictures...

Of course Terri wanted to see Blackie, who is quite the celebrity these days...so here we are...oops! Our eyes are closed! But not Blackie's.  And he's loving that chin rub from Terri!

I think Terri may have a better picture of this because hubby took these pictures first on my camera and then on hers. So I hope hers are a little better! We'll have to wait and see!

Here we are on the front porch, with the flag waving in the breeze.

And here's my sweet son Benton washing the dishes for us so we could visit! (I don't have a dishwasher, but I have great kids!)  He came and had lunch with us, but sweet Rose had to work so we missed her.  Benton volunteered to wash the dishes so I had to take his picture and share it with Rose!

We had a great visit and and I was so happy that Terri was able to swing this way on her way back home from her whirlwind trip to Georgia to visit her family.  I will let her tell the rest and share her pictures in her post tomorrow!

Thank you all for your kind words of compassion regarding the crazy calamity of our poor kitty getting trapped in that "tent". 
Needless to say,  that "tent" will be going back to Walmart probably tomorrow. In the meantime, I ordered something else online and it was delivered yesterday afternoon:

Since we have more cold weather on tap for tonight, I wanted to have another option available for Blackie if we can get him to go in there...well, lookie here:

I let him come in the house and walk around for a while and he went right inside this with no problem. However, I haven't tried to shut the door on it with him in there yet. We will see what develops  later.

So stay tuned for further developments!

I hope wherever you are you are safe and warm and cozy!  I know some folks in the panhandle of Florida and southern Georgia have had some snow today! We had about a quarter of an inch of rain this morning and the current temperature is 46. It was a raw, damp, windy day. It's supposed to be down to freezing by morning, so that's why the need for the indoor crate for Blackie.  

Okay, that's all folks! 

Have a blessed and peaceful night!  

And remember:

"2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber."

Amen.

Quick Friday Post on a Chilly Day

 Well, yes it did get down to 29 degrees early this morning here in north central Florida.  It's currently 54 at 2:00 p.m., and bright and sunny. 

My current view

There was frost everywhere this morning...That's the top of our car as seen through the window early this  morning.  I didn't take anymore pictures of the frost outside, because that would've require going outside, and I didn't want to do that!

However, I do have a story to tell you.  You remember that I showed you this lovely "tent" HERE the other day...  and I had such high hopes that it would be a good solution for a place to bring Blackie indoors and out of the freezing cold and safe from being able to roam freely throughout the house while we were sleeping since he's not yet a trained house cat...

This is the "pet playpen", which I purchased at Walmart.  It really looked like a great solution.

However, first of all, Blackie didn't want to go inside it last evening when we were getting ready to go to bed.  He would explore it, but run back out as soon as I tried to zip him in there.  Finally I decided to just let him go back outside and sleep in his nice warm chair with a blanket draped over it and his self-warming cushion underneath his body, which does keep him quite warm. There he is right now, but this picture was taken through the window and it's not real clear. He's kind of half under the glass table on the porch, and cozied up in the chair and sound asleep.

I decided last night that I would wait until the temperature really started dropping and then I would go out and get him off the porch and put him in the tent inside until morning.  And that's what I did. Around 2:30 in the morning I looked at the weather app on my phone and it said the temperature was down to 32, which is freezing. So I bundled myself up (no pictures of me with my hoodie  and sweatpants over my nightgown), and when I opened up the back door Blackie got down out of his chair and ran right to me. So I scooped him up and brought him inside and placed him in the tent and before he could object I had the door zipped up tight.  He kind of paced back and forth for a minute, but he didn't meow a word.  I reassured him he would be nice and safe and warm in there and I told him he should just lay down and go back to sleep. And then I headed back to bed myself and prayed that he would do just that.  

I did finally get a couple of hours of sleep, but at 5:00 a.m. I thought I'd better tiptoe out there and check on him. As soon as I opened our bedroom door I could hear him meowing rather plaintively, so I rushed to see what was the matter.  I didn't have my camera with me, but I wouldn't have had time to take a picture anyway. The poor kitty was crying because the stupid 'pop up tent" decided to collapse in on top of him (thankfully it is very lightweight), and he was trapped inside with no way to escape. The tent came in that box shown above, all wound up tightly and "spring loaded", so that when you open the box and undo the tie on the tent, it springs open into that full size tent. Well, I wondered how the sides would keep from springing back down because there was no way to secure them. And apparently when Blackie leaned against one of the sides, it triggered the spring system and it just all came down on top of him.  Of course the zippered door ended up underneath him, so I had to roll him around inside of that thing until I could get to the zipper to open the door and let him out. You can imagine how he bolted out of there like a cat out of....well, you know what I mean. The poor kitty was so scared. Thankfully he allowed me to pick him back up and comfort him, but he was one frightened kitty.

So, thankfully I still have my receipt and the tent is not damaged (and no, he did not "dirty it up" one bit, which is miraculous under the circumstances!), but I can't get it back into that box, so I will take it back to Walmart as is and let THEM figure it out.  Word to the wise, don't go buying one of those things, okay?  

I fed him his breakfast and let him go outside for a while to do whatever cats do, (and I did actually set up a litter box for him, but he wasn't interested in that and wanted to go out) but then I brought him back inside and just held him for long time. He was purring so loudly. 

And yes, I do have other clothes besides that red flannel shirt, but that is what I grab to put on when I am chilled and I don't want Blackie to snag or get hairs or fleas on something good. Thankfully I think the flea treatment has helped him, but still, I'm not taking too many chances.

Oh, hubby wanted me to take a picture of him wearing his "Blackie" suit...a nice fleecy blanket that is black on one side and has a design on the other, but he was a bit jealous of all the attention Blackie was getting so he thought he'd try to look like Blackie. LOL.  Yes, we are a little crazy here, especially so early in the morning and after not having much sleep...

Not sure what we will do about Blackie tonight.  It's not going to be quite as cold, but I'm out of other options for tonight, so he will probably just have to stay on the porch in his nice cozy chair.  It really is warm with that warming mat underneath him.  We'll see what develops.

On another note, yesterday I did have the dental appointment for the rest of the deep cleaning and then the root canal and temporary crown. I was there for three hours. Thankfully things went pretty smoothly and I was impressed with the skill of not only the young dentist, but his dental assistant, and all of the very modern technology they have now to do their work.  It really was almost completely "pain free", and I didn't have any really bad after effects after the numbness wore off. I am very THANKFUL! I still have to go back in a couple of weeks for the permanent crown, but that shouldn't be all that big of a deal. 

So, thank you all for your kind words the past few days regarding all of these things before they happened. 

Here's some words of hope and encouragment for today:

Matthew 21:21-22 NKJV

21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Matthew 19:26 NKJV

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 

“With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

What things do YOU need to believe that God can do for you today?  ...All things are possible with God!

Wednesday This and That...

 Tea Time with the Cardinals...

This afternoon Mr.  and Mrs. Cardinal were quite active at the bird feeder, preparing for the cold weather that is coming up tomorrow night.  

As Mrs. Cardinal flew down to the "Tea Time" feeder, I decided it was time for me to have a cup of tea as well, to take the chill off of the afternoon.  

I enjoyed watching the birds flying back and forth to the feeder while I sipped my tea and relaxed a bit from my labors.

 

Mr. Cardinal wanted to see what Mrs. Cardinal was finding so interesting...

They were certainly a beautiful bright spot of color against the drab backdrop of the wintry landscape and DRY Still Waters Pond.  Hopefully the rain that is scheduled to usher in the cold front will bring us some much needed rain. We keep hoping and praying!

So what kind of exciting things do You do on a dreary winter day when it's too chilly/windy to go outside and "play"?  

Well...some people play with soldiers and have battles...

It's been a long standing tradition that my hubby's brother would give him a bag full of soldiers for Christmas...and at some point there would be a major battlefield set up and "Daddy and the boys" would play "war".  However, we forgot to do it while they were here the other day, so someone was anxious to try out his new soldiers, but he needed someone to be the "enemy', so I was elected.

Nerf "dart" guns serve very well for the purpose.  And for a few wild and crazy moments, we shot our weapons across the battlefield at each other and then tallied up our losses.  I think in the long run, hubby won this battle, but I'm still getting used to the rules of the game. We may have to have another round soon.

This very very short video doesn't really show much because I was trying to aim my weapon and shoot my camera , or was it the other way around...oh yeah, aim my camera and shoot my weapon at the same time! Either way, it was fun.  But we are looking forward to the kids coming back over so they can have a real battle! Stay tuned...

Oops, I just checked and the video didn't work after all, so nevermind! It was too short to show much anyway!

Oh, and why does his brother give him these soldiers every year? Because he remembers his big brother playing with soldiers and setting up battlefields for all of his young childhood years, and it's one of those fun brother memories that brings back thoughts of happy times as kids.  Actually, I think his brother needs to come over and play!!! It's too bad they live 2 hours away!! We have to remember that for the next time they are together!

Now, on another note, with the colder weather coming this weekend, getting down below freezing they say, I am getting more concerned about Blackie being outside all night, even though he seems to be fine, but this is going to be colder than we've seen yet...and so because he isn't really ready to become a full time inside cat and roam freely throughout the house at night, we thought we might try something else. I saw this at Walmart today and decided to buy it and give it a try:

 

I set it up on the back porch for a few minutes so he could see it and to see what he would do with it. He went right inside and explored for a minute, but of course I did not zip it shut, so he didn't feel trapped inside.

He had fun exploring his new "tent".

I also brought it back inside and he did come inside and look at it again, but I don't want to scare him off from it so right now we are just letting him come inside occasionally and look it over, and then tomorrow night I will attempt to get him to come inside and then zip it up for the night. One question I have...do cats need to use the litter box during the night?  I'm thinking not. I don't want to put a litter box inside this with him...what do you think, those of you who have more experience than I do with cats? I would appreciate your thoughts on this, especially if you have dealt with outside cats coming inside. Thank you. You all have been such good helpers with good ideas. 

Meanwhile, I've been wanting some really good fresh juicy Florida grapefruit for a while. You'd think living in Florida it would be easy to find, but no it isn't.  Florida really doesn't grow as much citrus as it used to when I was growing up here, and it's getting harder and harder to find, especially as far north in the state as we live.  But I did manage to find some at Walmart, and yes! It had a sticker on it saying it was from Ft. Pierce, FL., so I know it's got to be good! (We actually used to live in Ft. Pierce, and that is where my husband first served as a Pastor of a small church many many many years ago!!)

Normally I usually only eat one half of a grapefruit at a time, and save the other half for the next day. But this tasted SO good to me, I ate the whole thing at one sitting! LOL.

And yes, I am on a statin drug, and I know it says not to eat grapefruit with statins, but that means don't eat it at the same time as when you take your medicine, at least that's what I have heard and believe. So I ate the grapefruit in the evening and I take my meds in the morning. I have not suffered any ill effects and if had to choose between the two, I'd much prefer the grapefruit!! LOL.

Tomorrow I will be at the dentist for several hours, having the other side of my mouth deep cleaned and then the root canal done and a temporary crown put on. They said I will be there for at least 3 hours. And I doubt I will feel any too perky when I come home and the numbness wears off, so I don't expect to do much tomorrow.  Hopefully I will be back to normal on Friday...and on Saturday I am looking forward to seeing "Your Friend from Florida", Terri Dorsaneo, as she comes passing through here on her way back home from a whirlwind trip to Georgia and back! We will have lunch and a nice little visit before she has to head on down the road another two or three hours to her home.  

I am borrowing this photo from her recent post, which I think I have a copy of already but can't find it now so I am copying it from her blog. This was when she and her dear hubby Joe came by to visit us way back in 2017, when we lived in our previous home...and obviously it was right around Christmas! We have met a few times since then in person as well, but this was the first time, and I am so thankful that we got to meet her dear Joe. He was truly a very sweet and friendly man, and he and my hubby enjoyed visiting with one another.  He is greatly missed.

Well, folks, that's all for now. I will update you on everything that happens in the next few days in my next post. 

Now here is some good food for thought for today from Philippians 4:4-7, 19.

"4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, 

with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 

7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

"19 And my God shall supply all your need 

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Be Blessed, my friends!!