Friday Fotos and I'm Up Early

Good Morning Everyone!  It's Friday Foto Friends Day, and I am up at  before the crack of dawn because I couldn't sleep!  Then I remembered that I hadn't done a post for Friday Fotos and I had already posted all my new photos yesterday, so it was necessary to think of something quick!  Not easy to do before six a.m.! LOL.

Since I was up having my morning cup of tea, I thought I might as well share with you what I am seeing and doing.  First of all:  I just pulled this batch of fresh Apple Bran Muffins out of the oven and they are cooling while I write. Then I will have another cup of tea and eat a couple of these while they are still warm. (if I don't sit here and write too long! LOL)

While waiting for them to cool, I sat down at my desk and looked at the calendar on the wall beside me. It is already almost half way through the month of June, and I haven't even shared this lovely calendar picture with you.  This is from the John Sloan "Country Seasons" calendar that I treat myself to each year. I love his artwork and save the calendars from year to year because these pictures are so lovely.  Wouldn't you love to be sitting on the porch of that comfortable old farmhouse, listening to the chickens clucking about the yard, watching the quilts flapping in the breeze, smelling the lilacs and enjoying a bright summer day in the country?  Ahhh...."Fresh Air".... (not "Time's Square"...Green Acres You Are there!!) Remember that program? LOL!

And then I would be remiss if I didn't also show you my beautiful TeaTime calendar picture of the month:

This calendar is a Christmas gift from my sister each year.  She said they are getting harder to find, so I don't know if I will get another this coming Christmas. I also keep these from year to year because they are so full of beautiful pictures and sometimes recipes and wonderful ideas for tea time.  

This one was entitled "Fit for a Queen" and told about Queen Victoria's tea set, seen above. (Probably a replica, not her original...)

Well, sitting here beside my desk is my little bookshelf with some books about tea time and a couple of my favorite tea pots and tea cups.   The little teabag cover in the cup below says:

"I cannot sit and 

chat with you the

way I'd like to do

So brew yourself

A cup of tea--

You think of me--

I'll think of you!!"

On the top shelf is a wonderful cross-stitch that was given to me by a dear friend many years ago.
No, I did not do this myself. That is not one of my talents. I leave this wonderful craft up to those who have much more patience and skill than I do. But I always appreciate the gifts!!

The little boy sitting there reading his book and eating an apple is something I had when I was a little girl. And then at sometime it was given to my son  Matthew, and he had it on his chest of drawers in his bedroom even after he was married.  When he passed away it was one thing that I asked my daughter in law that I would like to have back if she did not particularly want to keep it. She was happy to give it to me, and I treasure it in memory of Matthew. Yes it is very scraped up. It is made of plaster and is very old. but I will leave it just as it is.

On one of the other shelves is this little teapot that my friend Sharon gave me to remember her by and to pray for her while she was going through her battle with cancer. I keep a special note from her inside the teapot...the last note she wrote me before she left for heaven. This is one of those special treasures I will hold in my heart.

Well, my tea in my cup is getting cold, and the muffins need to be dumped out of the muffin tin and onto the cooling rack...and soon I will be enjoying one with another cup of tea.  Won't you come and join me?

It is almost time for the sun to rise, and soon I will be able to hear the "song of bluebirds"...

well, maybe they are Cardinals, or the Tufted Titmouse family, or the Mockingbird, but whatever 

birds are singing, it is the beginning of another beautiful day in the Lord.

Like my tea mug in the beginning said:

"Rejoice in each new day."

Have a blessed and wonderful day today my friends!!!

Wednesday Wanderings

Good Morning!

It's time for breakfast and some "Wednesday Wanderings"

Won't you come and have a cup of tea with me and enjoy one of these delicious home-made Apple-Bran Muffins? I've shared the recipe here before, except this time I substituted fresh diced apple for the blueberries. I also used "Raisin Bran" cereal instead of plain bran flakes, so these also have raisins them. I guess that makes them extra-healthy, right?

These Sand Hill Cranes said they would be right over for breakfast!  Actually, I just heard them making their morning wake up call and then they flew over the house, so not sure where they are going so early. Perhaps they have now made our pond their headquarters as they have been hanging around quite a bit lately, and the Canadian Geese are not staying here much at all anymore. I think their "nest" must have been a dud, or something got the eggs, because they don't appear to be nesting anymore and there are no goslings either. That was disappointing...probably more so for them than for me. But this is the way of nature, and they seem to pick up and carry on and go on about their lives and on to the next thing, whatever that may be.  

If you'd like to learn more about the Sand Hill Cranes and their "calls", you can check out this link.  Trust me when I tell you they are LOUD!

So now on to our own "wanderings".  Yesterday we had to go pick up a prescription at our Doctor's office, which also has a pharmacy in the same building.  I believe I have told you before that the highway that goes through our town is in the process of being 4-laned. Thankfully they've already completed the east side of town where we live, and now they are doing the west side of town where our church is and where our Doctor's office is, and every day there is something different with the traffic pattern and progress being made. 

 Anyway, when we got to the place where the driveway was supposed to be to enter the clinic, there was no way to get across from the lane where we were directly into that driveway. So we missed it and had to go down and turn around and I had to call the pharmacy to ask them where we were supposed to enter because it wasn't very obvious from the road.

 With all the heavy road equipment moving about, it was rather confusing. But anyway, they told us where to go and how to find the right way to enter, and we finally made it in. Probably next time we go it will be totally different again.  Anyway, hubby had to have his temperature taken before he could enter the building, and thankfully after all the crazy detours to get there his temperature hadn't risen, so he was allowed entrance! LOL.

 I already showed you this lovely picture of the morning glories HERE yesterday, but what I didn't tell you is that where these flowers were located was right alongside that busy highway, with all the construction going on, and I risked life and limb to go and take that picture. Thankfully, my hubby found a safe place to park the car so I could get out and take the picture, because morning glories only last so long...hence they are "Morning Glories", and also, once the construction is done, they will probably be gone altogether. But these were so "glorious" I could not resist taking their picture.

Okay, I like to take pictures of "faces" in trees and such...and here is another strange face I found wall walking the other day.  

Kind of looks like the "Grinch":

Well, maybe just a little. 

So, today we are going to go take a walk in a few minutes, after we do our morning devotions and have breakfast (muffins!!), and then when we come back one of my church friends is going to come over for a little visit, sitting outside in the shade in view of the pond, properly socially distanced. I am looking forward to just chatting with a real person in person!  Praying it won't be long until we can actually give each other a hug in person too...but not just yet...I feel like this virus was a "Grinch" who stole all our hugs!

In closing, I'm looking ahead at our morning devotions, and some of the verses for today are from
John 6:35-40.  Let me share them with you, because they are good for this day and what I just said:

John 6:35-40

"And Jesus said to them,

35.  "I AM the bread of life.  

He who comes to Me shall never hunger,

and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

36.  But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.

37.  All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, 

and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

38.  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, 

but the will of Him who sent Me.

39.  This is the will of the Father who sent Me,

that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, 

but should raise it up at the last day.

40.  And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believe in Him may have everlasting life;

and I will raise him up at the last day."

Dear friends, let us be in the "business" of leading our friends and loved ones to Christ, as the day is drawing near when He will be returning for His Bride, the Church, and all who belong to Him.

Let us all be ready for that day!