Tuesday 4~ Hello May!

 First off, I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers for our Blackie kitty when we took him to the vet yesterday. He did remarkably well getting into the carrier with barely a meow or two. And then he was exceptionally good at the Vet's office:

Oops! He gained a pound since last year! He's a whopping 13 pounds!

Turns out he has a very bad flea infestation. The flea collars just don't do a thing, and apparently neither did the previous OTC flea ointment that we'd tried to use. Also I was told that this year has been really bad for fleas probably because of the extreme drought.  Anyway, they gave him some prescription strength flea protection, to be administered monthly. He also got his annual rabies' shot, and he was good to go!  I truly do appreciate all of you who prayed for him and were concerned. He really was a very good boy through it all, and he was VERY happy to get back out of his carrier and back onto his home turf.  

And he's back to his old tricks...He decided to explore the Pamela's Victorian Cottage Farm Scene...

After knocking down practically the whole farm with the wagging tail, he decided to just turn around and play with the farmer and his farm family...

Even though I'm sure they were all afraid they were going to be eaten by a huge monster from outer space, it turns out he was only curious and no real harm was done. Soon he was off in search of a cozy place to curl up and sleep, and peace and quiet reigned once again in the village of Pamela's Victorian Cottage and farmland.

So now, let's get to the Tuesday 4 meme for today, shall we? Here we go:

Hello May! 

Welcome friends!
This weeks Tuesday 4 in memory of our frien d Toni Taddeo is from Mary who blogs at Visits With Mary. and it's all about the month of May. Thanks Mary!

1. May’s First Glimpse — What is the very first thing you notice or feel when May arrives each year?  

It starts getting warmer here in Florida! There is more of a feeling of early summer in the air...the birds are singing in the trees, flowers are blooming, the trees and grass is getting green, and people are more active outdoors, planting, mowing, enjoying some fresh air before it gets too hot to stay outside!


2. Simple May Joys — What small pleasures do you look forward to in May — flowers, breezes, routines, or traditions?

We enjoy getting out early for a ride in the country or to take a walk before the day gets too hot and humid. This morning we took a ride to the Kenwood Boat Ramp and saw some signs of spring and new life:

This is all new growth since the waters were drawn down in the lake/canal/river over the winter, and now they were released from the dam in late March, and everything is growing back green and beautiful. Do you see the dragonfly in the picture below:

There was a Limpkin walking along the shore, looking for something good to eat.

These turtle egg shells could mean that the turtles already hatched and went back into the water, or it could mean that some predator dug them up and had a feast...I don't know which, but I hope the turtles are safe in the water...

If you look really closely, you will see a little bird flying close to the water...That is a Belted Kingfisher bird skimming across the water looking for fish:

He's also in this picture:

I love to see the reflections in the water of all the new growth in the trees

Mother's Day has always been a special day, even though it is tinged with sorrow since the loss of my own mother 20 years ago this week (May 7, 2006), and then the loss of our dear son Matthew 12 years ago this month, May 25, 2014. Those two losses in the month of May make it a difficult month to get through, but I am very thankful to have had such a wonderful Mother to teach me how to be a "lady" and woman of God. (I will write more about her in another post this week), and I was very blessed to have been the mother of our precious Matthew, who was special in so many ways from the moment he was conceived...but I'll write more about that later this month also.  

Regarding traditions, normally we do something special on Mother's Day as a family...go to church and then the kids usually help prepare some good dinner so I don't have to do all the work. However, this year we are doing things differently. Due to work schedules, etc., we can't all be together on Sunday for Mother's Day. Son Scott came over this past Sunday and we enjoyed a time of visiting over a fried chicken lunch (picked up at the grocery store after church) just with him, and since he has to drive so far to get here, we decided that since Benton and Rose can't be here next Sunday, we decided that our Mother's Day with Scott was this past Sunday, and then we are going to go out to lunch somewhere (maybe at the beach!!!) this coming Thursday with Benton and Rose to celebrate an early Mother's Day.  Then on Sunday, I'm not sure yet what hubby and I are going to do. Going out to eat on Mother's Day is not always a good option since the few restaurants that are near us will be very crowded.  It may just be a day of rest!

3. May Memories — Do you have a favorite May memory from childhood, family life, or recent years?

I remember that Mother's Day when I was growing up was always special. We ladies would each wear a flower or little corsage...something colorful in honor of your living mother, and a white flower if your mother was already in heaven. Actually, I think the men were supposed to wear a little flower in honor of their mothers too, but I don't remember for sure if my brothers ever did that.

Also, May 16th was my parents' wedding anniversary, and for their 30th anniversary we four adult kids went together and bought them a new frost-free "harvest gold" refrigerator with an ice-maker, to replace the old refrigerator that they still had to manually defrost and use ice trays to make ice...remember those days?  Then, for their 60th anniversary, we did it again...this time we bought them a new almond colored refrigerator to replace the 30 year old harvest gold one and bring them more up to date.  Sadly, my mother passed away a few years later, just prior to their 64th anniversary, so she didn't get to enjoy the new refrigerator for very long.  My Daddy lived about 5 more years after her, and the refrigerator was still going strong when we ended up selling their home after he passed away.

Also May was the month for graduation from high school...That was certainly a momentous day and the beginning of a whole new era in my life.

4. May Intentions — What gentle goals or hopes do you carry into this new month?

"Gentle Goals"....hmmm,  I have to think about that one.  At my age, all my "goals" have to be pretty gentle. LOL. I am enjoying watching my gardens growing and praying that they will  yield a big harvest. I have to think about what I'm going to do with all that yellow squash and zucchini and tomatoes!  Maybe there will be enough to share!  

Hopes: I hope and pray for peace in our world and even here in our nation. There is so much unrest and division. That grieves my heart.  But I realize that peace must begin with me. I can't force others to live in peace, but I can look for ways to create a peaceful home and the places where I dwell...

Here are some good verses from the Bible to help us find peace of mind:

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV): "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus".

John 14:27 (NIV): "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid".

Isaiah 26:3 (NIV): "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you".

Romans 8:6 (ESV): "For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace".

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV): "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest".

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV): "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind".

1 Peter 5:7 (NIV): "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you".

 
Psalm 4:8: "In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety".

And so with that I will close this post for today. I pray that you will find peace and rest in your life as well. 

 Happy May!