It's Thursday, the day before Independence Day...and a good time to stop and smell the "roses" along the way and count our blessings...
Blackie seems to really appreciate sniffing the posies...
But Sunshine doesn't want any part of it...
He turned his head and headed the other way...
even though he doesn't seem to mind sitting right in the middle of the flower bed and watching the birds. Thankfully he doesn't bother them...they fly away before he can get close.
Anyway, I've been enjoying our zinnias and roses blooming once again!
I stop and smell the roses everytime I walk by them! These are exceptionally fragrant, and I just can't resist them!
Oh, someone mentioned the other day (I think it was Sandra from "MadSnapper") that she really liked this green vase...
Now, talking about "old things" that are special...that would also include "old souls...with frayed edges and colorful stories". I saw this meme on our friend Myra's "Respice, Prospice" blog post the other day. I asked her permission to share it and she said by all means to go ahead... Thank you, Myra!!
It made me think about my friend Belle, whom I told you about HERE a few days ago.
Oh yes! That would describe Belle quite well! She's an amazing 87 year old lady with perhaps some "frayed edges" and some very "colorful stories", I say most lovingly, however. I've only just met Belle, but she somehow managed to worm her way into my mind and heart really quickly.
So, I told you I would tell you more about her books after I'd had a chance to read them. Yes, she wrote these two, and quite a few more, which can be found on www.lulu.com, in the fiction section under the name of Belle Tilley. There are actually some in ebooks if you are interested in checking them out.
Now, I haven't finished reading the "Collection of Short Stories" yet, but I did read the first one. Here is the dedication that Belle wrote in the beginning of that book...
I found this dedication to be very touching. It makes me stop and think about those who have encouraged me along life's way, and helped me to reach higher, dig deeper, and work harder to achieve those goals that others could see would be good for me that perhaps I couldn't see for myself. Sometimes it is just a word of thanks or affirmation from a friend or a loved one...or maybe even a perfect stranger who appreciates something I've written or said or done when I had no thought of receiving any accolades or rewards. That little "pat on the back", or "atta girl", that makes you want to keep trying and not give up. We just never know how much our words to others might really mean to them.
Here is the index, or table of contents, for the Collection of Short Stories. I bet you can guess which one I chose to read first...
If you guessed "A Cabin in The Woods", you would be correct. Those of you who have followed me for a while should know that I have a thing about wanting a cabin in the woods. I enjoyed that little story, and was impressed with it enough that I decided I wanted to go ahead and read the other full length book first and then come back to the other short stories later.
Surprisingly, these paragraphs below are actually from the first page of the other book, "Murder Is Where You Find It". Again, it starts out with a scene from a cabin in the woods, so that got my attention right away as well.
Belle does a good job of getting your attention early on in the book so that you want to keep reading to see where it will lead from there. My original thought was that I knew this book was going to be about "murder", and from that first page I was concerned that the "murder" was somehow going to be connected to the young lady Ashley and her lovely little cabin. Well, I won't give the story away but I will say that her life does take some unexpected twists and turns as the story unfolds and the crime is committed.
Belle introduces several interesting characters throughout the story, and each one of them have you wondering if this is the one, or is it that one...or what's going to happen to them...or...well, you get the idea...she manages to keep you guessing throughout the story as to what is really going to happen next, and who is going to do what. I must say that once I got into the book, I didn't want to put it down. I appreciated also that Belle did not fall into the trap of using foul language or having graphic love scenes (although there is some romance involved...we just don't need to know ALL the details), but she did use some grisly descriptive language to describe the murder scene. However, that's what murder is...a very grisly scene, and so that would be expected in a murder novel.
Belle did a great job of keeping you guessing about each of the main characters, and I will say that even though I had a little inkling of who I thought might be involved in some way early on in the book, I kind of dismissed that idea as the story progressed and it appeared that the crime was solved. However, Belle, in my opinion, expertly threw in some twists and turns and surprises that created an ending that I never saw coming!
So all in all, I would give it a thumbs up! I wouldn't mind reading some of her other books. And I would also say to never underestimate those "Old souls with frayed edges and colorful stories" who may come knocking on your door some day. This one sure surprised me!!
While the three young armadillos were running all around the yard, here's Sunshine and Blackie, sitting back and watching the show! They didn't seem to be unduly alarmed at all.
Regardless, they were fun to watch for a while, but I really don't want them making holes and tunnels in our yard. However, we live in the "wild", so to speak, and I don't think we are going to be able to totally deter the wildlife from passing through. I hope you enjoyed the show!
While all of that was going on, we also had another visitor to the garden:
Can you see it?
This is a female Ruby Throated Hummingbird! She is enjoying our Bottle Brush tree blooms that have just blossomed recently!
We have been enjoying some lovely rainstorms this afternoon, which has replenished the earth once again with the nourishment it needs...and our Still Waters Pond is also rejoicing and refreshed!
1 Chronicles 16:31-34 describes it best:
"31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Let the trees of the forest sing,
let them sing for joy before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever."
I hope that you and yours will have a wonderful day of celebration tomorrow. We will have our "kids" here for a cookout...with son Scott at the grill cooking chicken. Rose and Benton will be bringing the potato salad and watermelon and deviled eggs. I'll be baking the beans and making a salad and some kind of cake or pie...I haven't decided yet, but it's getting late so I guess I'd better get with the program!
Whatever you do tomorrow, please take time to "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His love endures forever!" Amen.
