Friday Foto Friends: Robins, Hush Puppies, and Kitty Cats...

Good Morning!  It's Friday already...and I know some of our friends in the southeast and northern parts of the country are expecting a major winter storm this weekend, so you are definitely all in our thoughts and prayers. Praying you don't lose power due to the heavy ice on the power lines, and praying you will be able to stay "snug as a bug in a rug" in your warm cozy home.  Whatever you do, please stay safe!  Strangely, it will be in the high 70's and low 80's here in north central Florida this weekend, but that polar vortex of cold air will slip down our way next week, and we will be back in the 20's and 30's for a few days too (morning temps).  I know that's not the same thing as you will be having, but for us it is still a challenge. Thankfully no ice or snow is expected here, but we will know that winter isn't over yet!  Please stay in touch with us here in Blogland as you can, as we will be anxious to hear how you are doing. 

We had a few stragglers from the Robin flock fly in for a drink and a bath this week on their way further south.  I guess they got a late start and realized they'd better get a move on if they were going to escape all that freezing weather up north!   I was happy to see them enjoying their bathtime before they flew away:

In my previous post HERE, I mentioned having grilled catfish and hushpuppies at Cracker Barrel.

One of our blogging friends from across the world and below us in New Zealand admitted to not knowing what "hush puppies" were, except for the shoes.  So I thought I would share some information for her benefit, and perhaps for others from our more northern part of the country, who may not be that familiar with what exactly a "hush puppy" may be! I looked up the following information on Wikipedia, and shared a few excerpts for you below:

 Link to history of Hush Puppies (the food, not the shoes)

"Typical hush puppy ingredients include cornmeal, wheat flour, eggs, salt, baking soda, milk or buttermilk, and water, and may include onion, spring onion (scallion), garlic, whole kernel corn, and peppers. Sometimes pancake batter is used. The batter is mixed well, adjusting ingredients until thick, and dropped a spoonful at a time into hot oil. Many older recipes call for the batter to be cooked in the same oil as the fish it accompanies. The small corn dumplings are fried until crispy golden brown, and cooled.[9] Hush puppies are often served with seafood or barbecued foods. They are commonly made at home or served in restaurants advertising home-style food.



The first recorded use of the word dates to 1899.[5] The name has no verified origin. Etymology is attributed to a variety of sources; one such source alleges that the food was given the name when hunters and fishers would feed the food to dogs they brought with them in order to "hush them", or get them to quiet down."

This is a link to a recipe I found online that sounds pretty authentic. but there are a lot of variations, according to your particular tastes.  I have often used a Jiffy Corn Muffin mix and added the chopped onions to it, and it turns out pretty good, but most people use white corn meal I think rather than the yellow.  Again, it's whatever tastes good to you, and if you do them right, you will want more!

Regarding the Kitty Cat:

Blackie continues to explore our house when he comes inside for his breakfast every morning (yes, that's the new routine, even when he still sleeps outside because it is warmer right now).  He decided to be brave and jump up on one of my antique needlepoint chairs (they belonged to my grandmother), which really isn't a place I want him to be...but since he was there I took his picture before he could undo the needlepoint on the chair...

That box is supposed to be his entertainment, not the chair!  But Blackie has a mind of his own, I am discovering, and it tends to be a rather stubborn mind I've also discovered!

Still, it was a good "photo op"...

And here's the kicker...This is what the pillow says on that chair:

Yes, Blackie seems to know just how to get to my heart.  "All things grow with love" is so true.

Here's some words about LOVE from God's Word...and there is a special kind of love that we experience with God's creation of animals...

1 John 4:7-11

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Okay folks, that's it for this morning...gotta get a move on. I do pray you will have a blessed and beautiful day, regardless of the weather, and may God be with you and keep you safe and warm.

It's February!!! The Month for Love!

  

Can you believe it's February already? Although January seemed like a whole year took place in one month, there was so much going on in our world and country...some good, and sadly, some not so good. Praying still for families of the victims of the Washington D.C. plane crash and now another plane crash last night in Philadelphia. So very very sad for these families. Add to that the wildfires in CA., the horrific tragedy in New Orleans on New Year's Eve, and the plight of so many still in NC...it's been a rough beginning to 2025. But I am thankful that through all of the heartache and sorrows, there has been much good happening in our country and world too...the release of the hostages in Gaza, and the very positive things that are happening in our government since January 20th. We have hope and encouragement that things are going to get better and better, but still there is much to pray for and about. I know there are some who will disagree with me on some of these issues, but I don't want to debate or discuss that here. Let's just all agree to continue to pray for our nation, our President and his staff, and our families and people in general. We are exhorted to pray for our leaders whether or not we always agree with them!

1 Timothy 2:1-6 NKJV

Pray for All Men

1"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 

6 who gave Himself a ransom for all..."

Here's hoping and praying that February will be a calmer and gentler month!  It's the month for "love", with Valentine's Day in the middle of it! 

 

Lily Grace reminded me this morning that it's about time she changed her outfit from her warm winter coat and hat and boots (since it warmed up to 80 degrees already yesterday afternoon!) and get dressed in her Valentine's dress and start preparing for a Valentine's Tea Party with her friends.

So here they are, all dressed and ready to celebrate Valentine's Day and give little hearts to one another...

Do you still send Valentines to family and friends?  I do sometimes, but if so, I'd better get a move on before all the good ones are gone! Or I may have to just make some!  Did you ever do that? Make your own Valentine cards?  Those are some of the best ones of all!!

Since it is February 1st, it is also time for the calendar roll call for the month! I already showed you the Thomas Kinkade calendar above, which is always beautiful!!

Here's the John Sloane Country Seasons picture for February, entitled "Morning Commute".  I like that idea...for farmers this would be their morning and evening commute...out to the barn to feed the animals, or milk the cows, or whatever needs to be done, regardless of the weather. Those of who who have farm animals know that the work goes on no matter what!  

That looks like our neighborhood cat "Blackie", who is sitting on our back porch right now enjoying a nap in the wicker chair. Seems to be his favorite place to spend the days lately. Not sure where he goes for the night...probably "prowling around". LOL.

Speaking of farm animals...we took a little ride this morning and these fellas were heading toward the road. Thankfully they stopped.  I'm not sure if they are someone's pet pot bellied pigs or what...but if so, they'd better get them back inside the fence before they become someone's bacon for breakfast!

I think the one is saying to other, "Oh, you're such a ham!" LOL.

Yeah, that one sure does have a "pot belly" !!  He's a real "porker". LOL.

Now this is a switch...the Teapot Calendar had an interesting teapot for this month:

Are any of you Star Trek fans?  This is actually from the Next Generation of Star Trek, which I never watched.  I only remember Captain Kirk and Spock and his crew, but this one is all about Captain Picard and his love of tea!  And apparently this teapot and cups is what they envisioned we would be using in the future! 

Here's an interesting thought...

I'll take the tea, please, anyway you want to serve it! LOL.

Ah, this is a lovely little basket of pink violets...what a delightful Valentine's gift!

May our hearts all be united with love!

And last but not least, the calendar in my bathroom has what is called "Quiet Moments" on each month.  I don't know how many of you will be planting flowers in February where you live, but here in Florida that would not be uncommon. It's time to start cleaning out our gardens and preparing for some fresh new colors for spring!

Speaking of spring...Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird were back to look at house #1 again. I guess they are still trying to decide which one will be most suitable for building their nest this time:

Mr. Bluebird is giving the house a complete checkover, roof:

Front Door:

Meanwhile, Mrs. Bluebird sits in the tree above patiently waiting for his assessment:

This time he goes inside and checks out every detail:

He comes back out and says, "Hey, Marge! I think you'll like this one! It's nice and clean!"

So he went back inside to give it another inspection:

"Yep, I think this is the one!! I like the view from here the best!"

I guess Marge is telling him that it's up to him. She's still up in the tree and doesn't want to come down for a look.

He's looking at me as if to say, "So, what would YOU do?"

Time will tell which one they finally decide on. Stay tuned for further episodes of the saga of Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird at Still Waters Pond!

And speaking of Still Waters Pond, this was our visitor early this morning:

Mr. (or could be Mrs.?) Great White Egret!

He was stepping right along in search of something good for breakfast.

I think he's spied something in those weeds...maybe a juicy frog...

He fished around for a while and then flew away.  Maybe the fish (or frogs) just weren't biting today!

So that's about it for this first day of February. I've just put a pork loin roast (no, it's NOT one of those pot bellied pigs, but could be a distant cousin! )  in the oven and soon I'll need to go peel some potatoes to cook so we can have mashed potatoes and gravy with it. (Hubby's request).  BTW:

Our trip back to the eye doctor yesterday morning for hubby's follow up appointment was rather "eye-straining" for me:

The fog was "thick as pea soup"!    (Don't worry,  I wasn't taking pictures while driving. I was either stopped, or hubby took the pictures for me)

This is just a brief video hubby took wile we were moving.  

I can tell you I was "white knuckling" the steering wheel all the way there of that 1 hour drive!  But the good news is, hubby's eye is doing very well and the doctor was pleased with his progress after 24 hours. We go back again next Friday for a one week check up. Hopefully it won't be foggy again! But hubby can drive then! LOL.

Here's some words of wisdom for today from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a. (NKJV)

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, 

is not puffed up; 

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never fails.

Just one more:  I John 4:7-8

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 

8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Let us love one another! Amen! So long until next time!!

"I Was In His Mind"

I was thinking about this song from back in the 70's or 80's, anyway, a long time ago. I remember singing it as a solo in church way back when:

"I was in His mind before the worlds were made,

I was in His mind before earth's frame was laid,

because He knew me, because He loved me!

I was in His thoughts the night He prayed for me,

I was in His thoughts before Gethsemane,

because He saw me,

because He loved me!

I was in His heart when Calv'ry's hill He climbed,

I was in His heart when he died for all mankind,

because He sought me, because He loved me!

I am in His mind, and soon He'll come for me,

I am in His mind with Him in heav'n to be,

because He wants me, because He loves me,

because He loves me!"

(written by Jane LaRowe, copyright 1970)

Did you ever think about God knowing you way back before the worlds were made, even before earth's frame was laid? Wow! Can that be?  And then to think that I was in His thoughts when He was praying in the garden of Gethsemane...and in His heart when He died on Calvary...but it gets even better yet...I am still in His mind, and one day He is coming back to take me to be with Him forever in heaven! And not just me...but you too, and everyone who believes in Jesus as Savior and Lord!

Psalm 139 says:

"1 O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,”

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O Lord, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting."

I find this very comforting during these days of Lent and preparing our hearts for the celebration of Easter once again, which will be here before we know it. Jesus knew me when He went to Calvary to die for me and for you. He knew you, and He loved us enough to die for us. 

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

"Such knowledge is too wonderful for me! It is high, I cannot attain it!"

This week we have had several examples of God's love displayed for us. I can't go into the details, but I can only say that we are very very thankful for His provision and also for His protection in regards to members of our family. I can only say, "Our God is an awesome God!" and we are most grateful.

Amen.

Friday Foto Friends are over at The Adventures of Lily Grace today.  Won't you come join us?

Autographs and Love Notes Revisited

Today is the day I have set apart to share with you my "Wednesday Treasures".  After our "September" questions yesterday for "Tuesday 4", I was reminded of these pictures and this little autograph book. I knew I must have shared it with you before, so I search for the post and found it. I hope you won't mind reading it again.  Be sure to click on the pictures from the Autograph book so you can enlarge them to read.

Note: This is a new picture. The Autograph book is the pink book standing up in front of pictures of my mother and my sister and me, and the dolls are also special "treasures", from left to right: 

Anne of Green Gables, which was one of my mother's collection of Madame Alexander dolls, which came to me because I am named after "Anne" of Green Gables...my name is Pamela Anne.  The next doll is Valerie, a gift from  my Dad for Christmas one year because she has red hair.  Next comes a doll that I gave to my mother for her 85th birthday, and the last one is my Margie doll, named after my Aunt Margie, who gave her to me for my 7th birthday. 

Original Post from 6/6/2017:

I was looking back through my old autograph book the other day...you remember those little books of blank paper that are intended to have signatures of special people, little funny sayings and other special words from friends or family...and I made a few discoveries that I'd forgotten or just hadn't really paid close attention to.

This particular autograph book was a gift from a friend on my 10th birthday!

It's right down there on the table at the far right end... I also received my first and only Barbie Doll for this birthday from my Grandparents!  I still have her today!

Here I am with my friends who came to my party.  L to R: my neighbor Kim, my cousin Becky, me, my girlfriend Rhonda, and my friend Linda. Linda gave me the autograph book!

I thought it would be kind of fun to go back through and share with you some of the funny and special autographs that I collected in this little book.

The most famous autograph in my book was from the actress Gloria Swanson:

 This was also on my 10th birthday.  Gloria Swanson came to a local new housing development for their grand opening, and my parents took me to see her.  I didn't even know who she was as she was a rather "old" movie star at this time, but it was exciting anyway.  I also had my picture taken with her and a friend of ours, whose mother was the local photographer for the community newspaper, so this picture also ended up in the paper!

Somehow, she also autographed this photograph, but I don't know how that happened since the picture wasn't developed when we were there with her.  The only thing I can figure is the photographer, Mrs. Bunny Rapalje, must have sent the photo to Gloria Swanson for the autograph and then gave it to me.  I never realized that until today as I wrote this!  And Mrs. Rapalje is no longer living, nor are my parents, so I can't ask them.  Maybe her daughter Janet would know, if I could locate her...

Anyway, I digress...

I was having such fun looking back through this little autograph book, reading all the funny, pithy sayings that many of my friends wrote back in the day...here are a few that were typical:

(You can click on the picture to enlarge for better reading)

My cousin Becky wrote this!

(This was written by my big sister...)

It appears that I didn't use this autograph book much after about age 12, so that explains the "maturity level" of these autographs.  I also noticed that even though I saved a special page in the book for a "special fella" to write on, none did.  I guess it was just the age...boys still thought girls had cooties and would never write in our autograph book...and if they did, it probably wouldn't have been anything very "special".

However, in between the silly sayings I did discover two very special messages from my mother.  One I actually chose as my life verse and the key verse that stays on the front page of this particular blog:

My mother wrote this as "A Thought for Every Day"....(and that is why I chose it as my life verse!)

Psalm 19:14

  I just realized that she inadvertently  left out a couple of words, so here is the verse in its entirety:

"Let the words of my mouth 

and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in Thy sight,

O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer."

And this note I had actually forgotten or not realized was in here...and just rediscovered it when looking through the pages again...and it is perhaps the most valuable and important message of all to me:

When I read this I just cried.  My mother has been gone from earth for about 11 years now, and this was written to me way back about 55 years ago...and I honestly do not remember reading it before now. The other one I had read over and over again, but the pages must have been stuck together on this one because I just don't remember reading it before.  And what a powerful blessing and prayer for my life!

"Dear Pamela, 

I have nothing very clever to say...I'll just put it on record that I love you so much and pray that you will continue to grow in spiritual goodness and love of God.  

Your Loving Mommy."

Wow! How can I say thank you now to my mother for this wonderful blessing?  I am humbled and in awe of this, because when she wrote this to me, I was only about 11 years old...and I wonder just how much this "prayer" that I would "grow in spiritual goodness and love of God" had to do with the way my life turned out?  I will not claim that I have much "spiritual goodness" in and of  myself...whatever "goodness" is there can only be because of Christ and what He has done in my life...and my love of God is due to Christ loving me and giving Himself for my salvation as well...but I wonder if I would ever have reached that place in my life if it had not been for this prayer and the loving example of my parents and other godly people throughout my life who helped to direct my steps into the right paths that would lead me to Christ.  

When you are a child you sometimes take for granted the love of your parents and other important people in your life...but I know there are many perhaps reading this today who have never experienced that in their own lives.  We can't go back and "do over" life. We can't make our parents into what we wish they could have been for us.  But we can start now, wherever we are in our own lives, and make a difference in the children, grandchildren or other special young people over whom we may have some influence.  We can speak words of love and praise and encouragement that could make a total huge difference in the paths they may choose to take in the future.  We can PRAY for them even when we may feel we don't have any other way of reaching out to them due to circumstances beyond our control.  Many families are broken, separated, spread far apart, and you may feel you can't make any significant impact on them at all.  But you can pray!  Even if that is the only way available...it is always the best way!  God hears our prayers...and He answers them in due time.  

Thank you for taking this little walk down memory lane with me.  

"The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying:

"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."

Jeremiah 31:3

Click HERE for another post on this topic.