A Little Bit of Nature to Start off the New Year

Happy 1st Saturday of the New Year!  It's a beautiful day here...breezy and sunny, with the hope of some rain tonight!! Keep Praying!  Speaking of rain and our "Still NO Waters Pond", this was the scene that greeted us early this morning:

It was quite unusual to see all these different species of water birds out on the dry pond together this morning! From left to right there were Canadian Geese, a Great White Egret, Sand Hill Crane, a Little Blue Heron that I almost didn't see because he's so small, another Canadian Goose  and a Great Blue Heron, and the other Sand Hill Crane! Normally they are rivals for any space on the pond, but today they are sharing what little bits of water rivulets they can find among the grasses and mud!

It really was quite a scene!!  We haven't seen any Canadian Geese all fall, which is unusual, but because the pond is so dry they haven't been landing here. So it was a surprise to see three of them out there today.  They didn't stay a long time, but it was a joy to see them at all!

You can see how pathetically dry the pond is.  It really is heart breaking.

But still they came and stayed a while and must've found something interesting out there to eat...and they weren't fighting over it either!

In this picture below, if you look way back in the back on that fallen tree, there are actually two of those pesky Muscovy Ducks sitting back there!  They didn't try to join the party of the other birds, however. Maybe they know they aren't welcome...

Hi Mr. Goose! I'm sorry there's no water for you to swim in right now.  

Still, I think these pictures are interesting as they foraged for whatever food they could find...

Looks like something must've gotten their attention! They are all facing the same way!

Except for Mr. Goose...something else has his attention:

I think these are his two lady friends...

Well, everyone is back to doing their own thing again...but wasn't it nice to see them all being cooperative with each other for a while? Gives us hope for our world in 2026...

Now, switching gears for a minute to a new location... Remember when I showed you these pictures HERE at the Kenwood Boat Ramp in October?

Well, we took a little ride down there this morning, and THIS is what it looks like now!

I don't think they need to worry about hitting any manatees in that water now...

However, don't be alarmed. This is NOT because of the drought!  This waterway is connected to a large dam and reservoir, and they do a "drawdown" of the water every few years to help restore the waters. Here is a link to more information: Rodman Reservoir Drawdown 2025

Even though we knew this was happening, it was still quite a shock to us to see it like this...

This is a close up of the area at the end of that canal above, which was a big lake before and a great place for fishing before the drawdown:

If you really want to know more about the controversy surrounding this place, here is an interesting article that gives you more information than you probably really want to know, but for some you may find it interesting: https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/12/11/rodman-drawdown-exposes-the-beauty-of-floridas-lost-springs/   That particular article doesn't paint our Governor in a very favorable light, and I must say on this subject I tend to agree with them, but in everything else he's been a remarkable Governor. Of course, I don't know all the ins and outs of this whole subject, but I would like to see the Ocklawaha River restored to its original beauty and place.  When man starts messing with nature, a lot of natural beauty is destroyed.  But that's all I will say on that subject. It will be interesting to see what develops on this subject in the future. 

I will close this post with this Psalm...I was going to just quote a few verses, but they are all so good I decided to include the whole thing. It just seems appropriate for all we are facing in this day and time.

Psalm 33

"1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;

it is fitting for the upright to praise him.

2 Praise the Lord with the harp;

make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.

3 Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully, and shout for joy.

4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;

he is faithful in all he does.

5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of his unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,

their starry host by the breath of his mouth.

7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;

he puts the deep into storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;

let all the people of the world revere him.

9 For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;

he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,

the purposes of his heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people he chose for his inheritance.

13 From heaven the Lord looks down

and sees all mankind;

14 from his dwelling place he watches

all who live on earth—

15 he who forms the hearts of all,

who considers everything they do.

16 No king is saved by the size of his army;

no warrior escapes by his great strength.

17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;

despite all its great strength it cannot save.

18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,

on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

19 to deliver them from death

and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;

he is our help and our shield.

21 In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,

even as we put our hope in you."

Amen!

Oh, one more thing...thank you to all who commented on my previous post HERE. Some wondered about the Black Eyed Peas that we ate, and I should've said that what I made was called "Hoppin' John", which is a recipe that adds a few things to the black eyed peas to make them more tasty.  Here is a recipe I found online that is pretty similar to how I made mine, except I cheated and used canned Blackeyed Peas, so I didn't have to soak them and cook them all day.  Other than that, I did add the onions, green peppers and celery and some smoked ham, plus some seasonings to give it a little more flavor. We don't eat a lot of hot spicy foods, so my seasonings were pretty mild (not cajun, like this recipe).  Just a little garlic and a slight bit of cayenne pepper along with salt and black pepper. Everyone's tastes are different, so some make like it with a bit more "heat" than we do.  And we served it over white rice, but any other rice is fine too. It was very good!

Hoppin' John Recipe for New Year's

Happy New Year's again dear friends!!  

Happy New Year 2026 and New One Word

Sunrise, January 1, 2026!

There's still no water in Still Waters pond, but there is frost on the pond this morning!

It doesn't seem to bother Mr. Blue Heron, who is out there every morning looking for food. Apparently there must be something there that he likes, because he comes back every day!

Good Morning, and Happy New Year 2026!!!  Wow! Back when we were kids, could we have imagined that we'd still be living in the year 2026? It seems like the years keep ticking away and here we are going along for the ride without realizing just how quickly they are slipping by us! The older we get, the faster this ride seems to go.  Sometimes I feel like yelling out, "Stop! I want to get off this roller coaster!"  But God has ordained how long I must stay on this ride, and it won't stop until He says it's time to stop and come on home. Thankfully I know He is riding with me, and I need not fear what is around the bend or over the next hill. He's already there, and just as He rides with me (yay, He even holds me closely in His arms as we travel), He will be there at the end of the ride with His arms open wide and ready to carry me safely home with Him to heaven, where the real "joy ride" begins and is never ending. I need not fear the future, because God is already there.  I am very thankful for that blessed hope and promise, and that gives me courage as I face each new day here on this journey until I reach the end.  

So with that in mind, let us step into the New Year with confidence and joy and peace of mind. It's going to be a great year!

But before we get to the new year, let's look at the last night of 2025...

This was the sunset last night over Still Waters Pond.

And then I turned around and looked back toward the east (and the back of our house and our Christmas tree still shining brightly), and I could see the moon rising.  

Not quite a full moon, but the night was clear and beautiful, and the moon gave us hope for a glorious start of the new year...

Then I decided it was time to change out the calendars and have the new ones ready to begin the new year...so let's do the calendar roll call for January, 2026!

Let's start with the calendars here in my "Room with a view"...

This is the cover for the new Country Season's calendar...Looks like a peaceful farm scene, with all the cows, chickens and cat contentedly enjoying their food, while the young boy is dreaming of his future...perhaps wondering if he will always be living there on the farm, or if he might some day explore the big wide world beyond.  Frankly, I wish more young men and women would choose to stay on the farm and keep our agricultural heritage strong in this country.  We need more farms and farmers who will take care of the land and feed our nation with wholesome food...

And someday when he is old, he will take an evening walk on the lane leading to his farmhouse with his faithful companion dog, and give thanks to the Lord for all He has done for him and his family... (This is the January picture).  Isn't it beautiful?  Wow! What a view!

Moving around my room here we come to the new Teapot Calendar, which was another gift from my sweet sister Doris...yes, another tradition each Christmas!

  

She started giving me this calendar years ago because of my love for teapots and all things "tea".

So it fits right in with this room.

Oops! Who's that?  Blackie! What are YOU doing in here in my "Room with a view"/tea room?

"Meow! Just passing through on my early morning tour of the house while I try to warm up a bit. It's pretty cold outside and even though I didn't want to stay inside during the night (Mom tried, but I like being outside on my porch better), I like to come inside and say hello in the morning and check things out.  Don't mind me.  I'll be on my way..."

Excuse me.  Back to the calendar tour...

 Isn't this a beautiful teapot?

Let's sit down and have a cup together, shall we? That would be so nice!!

But first, let's move into the kitchen, where I have hung the new Susan Branch Calendar...another gift! From a sweet blogging friend!!  And which just happens to have a picture of a cat on the front...

Here's the January picture:  Oh, it says, "Put FUN on your calendar!"  Great idea!

"Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning..."  I like that thought!!

Speaking of dreaming...I love that log cabin.  I also love that verse from Philippians 2:5..."Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus."...That speaks to me of thinking like Christ...asking myself, "What would Jesus do?"...which may actually help lead up to something else I'm thinking about...my "One Word" for 2026...but let's get through the calendars first...Here's the new Thomas Kinkade calendar, which goes in hubby's bathroom...

Oh, this verse also reinforces that same thought..."Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me..." Psalm 51:10

Oh my...more of the cabin theme! Actually this was a new one this year and it's going in my bathroom  because I love to dream about living in a cabin in the woods...

But maybe not quite that far into the woods...LOL.

Ummm, excuse me?  Blackie? What are you doing in my bathroom??? Would you like to take a bath? LOL.  Not hardly, but he sure was curious about that bathtub and tried his best to get up in it. Maybe next time, Blackie...we'll save that experience for another time. 

Okay, back to the calendars again!  Our sweet DIL Rose surprised us with another calendar! So this one goes in the guest bathroom. It has quotes from Billy Graham on each month, along with an added scripture!  Beautiful winter scenes on all of these for us Florida folks to enjoy looking at while we thank the Lord we live where there is NO SNOW or ICE...but maybe just some frost now and then!

This is another verse that goes along with something...

And that brings me to my ONE WORD for 2026. 

 

Last year my word was "Wisdom".  Throughout the year I prayed that God would give me a heart of wisdom, and help me to grow in Godly wisdom and knowledge. Perhaps that did happen in little ways here and there as life experiences helped me to draw closer to God and seek His will and direction.  But as I've been pondering what the next step would be in the development of wisdom, the word "Discernment" kept coming up to the surface.  So I wondered, what's the difference between wisdom and discernment? Aren't they basically the same thing?  Here's some answers I found in my research:

"Wisdom is the deep understanding and skill to live righteously, using knowledge and experience for good, while discernment is the specific ability to see and judge the quality, truth, or value in a situation, separating good from bad, right from wrong, or truth from deception, often in complex moments where wisdom alone might not see the full picture. Think of it as: Wisdom is knowing what to do (the good path), and Discernment is knowing how, when, and to whom to apply it, spotting potential pitfalls or hidden truths."

I asked the computer..."What Scripture talks about discernment?"  and here's some answers I found:

AI Overview   (Yes, AI does serve some useful purposes!)

"Scriptures on discernment emphasize seeking God for wisdom, testing everything, and distinguishing between good and evil through spiritual understanding, with key passages including James 1:5 (ask for wisdom), 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (test all things), Romans 12:2 (renew your mind to discern God's will), 1 John 4:1 (test the spirits), and Proverbs 2:1-5 (seek understanding like hidden treasure). These verses show discernment as a vital spiritual skill for navigating life and God's will, not just judging others.

Key Scriptures on Discernment
James 1:5:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22:
"Test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil."

Romans 12:2:
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

1 John 4:1:
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Proverbs 2:1-5:
"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you...if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God."

Philippians 1:9:
"And this is my prayer: that your love may more and more abound in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best..."

1 Kings 3:9:
Solomon's prayer: "Give your servant an understanding heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong."

John 7:24:
"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."

Core Themes in Discernment Scriptures:

Source of Discernment: Comes from God, through wisdom and understanding.

Method: Involves testing, renewing the mind, and spiritual training (solid food for the mature).

Purpose: To know God's will, approve what is excellent, and avoid deception.

Action: Distinguishing good from evil, truth from falsehood, and holding onto what is good.

AI Overview:

To discern which way to go, Scripture points to seeking God's wisdom through prayer, His Word, and the guidance of His Spirit, emphasizing trust in Him for direction, as seen in Proverbs 3:5-6 ("Trust in the Lord... He will show you which path to take") and Isaiah 30:21 ("A voice behind you will say, 'This is the way'"). Key verses also highlight the importance of discretion, understanding, and aligning your heart with God's commands to find the right path.

Key Scriptures for Direction 

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths".
Isaiah 30:21: "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left".
Psalm 32:8: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you".
Proverbs 2:8-9: "He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will find the right way to go".

Philippians 1:9-10: "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ".

How to Discern God's Will (Biblical Principles)

Trust & Acknowledge God: Don't rely solely on your own understanding; acknowledge God in all your plans.
Seek Wisdom: Call out for insight, search for understanding like hidden treasure, and listen for wisdom.
Follow the Word: Meditate on God's commands and let His Word order your steps (Psalm 119:133).
Listen for the Spirit: The Spirit of truth guides into all truth and can speak direction.
Be Alert: Be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves, ready to receive guidance."

So there you have it. Discernment is my new One Word for 2026!  I am looking forward to the ways God is going to be leading and helping me use this "word" in action as I face situations throughout the year where Godly discernment is going to be needed.  It is an action of God's Holy Spirit in my heart and mind and spirit,  and I thank Him for this gift.  I pray I will use it wisely.

Happy New Year!! Do you have a "One Word" for 2026? I'd love to hear about it!

Below is a list of my previous One Words with a link to when they were chosen:

One Word 2025: Wisdom

One Word 2024: Strength

One Word 2023: Listen

One Word 2022: Delight

One Word 2021: Believe

One Word 2020: Joyful

One Word 2019: Abundance, and this link contains the links to all previous years, which includes the following words: 2012 was my first year doing the One Word, and it was "Hope", 

2013: Presence,  2014: Strengthen, 2015: Focus, 2016: Grace, 2017: Rest,  2018: Renew

Tuesday 4~ The End of the Year

I'm a day late, but it's still The End of the Year!!

 The End of the Year

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 in the new year. We wish you a very Happy New Year!


January is named for Janus the two faced god who looked into the past and future. Some believe he was Noah who may have been worshipped by his progeny. He certainly looked into the pre flood world and the new world.

The Anglo Saxons called January Wulfsmoanth meaning Month of the Wolf and the Wolf moon appears in January.

1. January 1, 1892 Ellis Island opened it's doors. Did any of your relations enter the United States through Ellis Island? If not, do you know your family's history?

I really don't know about Ellis Island, if any of our family ancestors came that way. I know my paternal Great-Grandfather and his mother and others did migrate from Germany, and I'm not sure what year, but I am quite sure it was before 1892.  And I know that my paternal Grandmother's ancestors were also here before then, as one Great-Great-Great Grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War, and her maternal grandfather fought in the Civil War.  I have done some family ancestry research, the one most prominently done was about my paternal Grandmother, and I have shared her history HERE before, "Elva's Story~ A Story of Sacrifice and Love.  I especially wanted to remember her again right now as December 27th would have been her 130th birthday, and her story is so very special.

2. January's birth stone is garnet and the flower is the carnation. Do you have favorite gem stones or flowers? 

My birthstone is Sapphire (blue), for September, and that is my favorite gemstone.  This is the birthstone ring my hubby gave me many years ago...before the Princess Diana ring was so popular! It is a very dark sapphire, so much so that I wasn't sure it was a sapphire until I read the link above about the darker sapphires actually being considered the best! I didn't know that! So now I love it even more! LOL. Really, I love it already because my hubby gave it to me totally by surprise! That is a blessing in itself!

The other ring is my mother's wedding and engagement ring set.  I was blessed to be given this by my father right when my mother passed away. He told me to take it off her finger and keep it. Later I was pleased that my other siblings confirmed that it was okay with them that I should keep Mom's rings. So I wear them proudly and thankfully in loving memory of my mother.

 Flowers? Well, there are so many I can't name them all.  Roses, lilacs, peonies, and simple summer flowers like daisies and sunflowers and zinnias, and so many others. I love most wildflowers too! The Blue Aster is my birthmonth flower (September).

3. January 6 is Epiphany. Many take that day as the final day of the Christmas celebration and take down their decor. What about you?

My family tradition growing up was to always wait until January 6th to take down our tree and decorations, but I always thought it was because January 6th is my mother's birthday! She said they always waited until her birthday to take down the tree, but I don't know if she ever made the connection with it being Epiphany! Maybe she did, but I was too young to understand that.  As an adult in our own home, we have often waited until January 6th, but lately I've usually wanted it cleaned up before then, so often it comes down right after New Year's Day.  I don't like to do it on the holiday itself, as we may have company or we may be doing something special, so I usually wait until after.

4. There is some scientific evidence that January can set the tone for your entire year. What do you think of this? Do you make resolutions, etc? Do you pick a word of the year or have any traditions like that?

I don't make resolutions as I know that I most likely won't keep them, so why stress myself?  However, I have for the past several years selected a "One Word" for the year, and I have seen how God has used that word in my life throughout the year to help me to grow in a certain area of my life, whether spiritual or physical or other.  For 2025 my One Word has been "Wisdom".  These verses from Proverbs 2:1-11 have been my guide throughout the year:

Proverbs 2:1-11 NLT

The Benefits of Wisdom

2 My child, listen to what I say,

and treasure my commands.

2 Tune your ears to wisdom,

and concentrate on understanding.

3 Cry out for insight,

and ask for understanding.

4 Search for them as you would for silver;

seek them like hidden treasures.

5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,

and you will gain knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord grants wisdom!

From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.

He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.

8 He guards the paths of the just

and protects those who are faithful to him.

9 Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,

and you will find the right way to go.

10 For wisdom will enter your heart,

and knowledge will fill you with joy.

11 Wise choices will watch over you.

Understanding will keep you safe.

I have not zeroed in on my new One Word yet for this year,  but hopefully by tomorrow I will have a better idea of what it might be. However, I normally do not reveal it until January 1st.  Right now I am still praying about it.  I do believe the Lord will help me discover it between now and then.

Click HERE for a previous post on this same topic.

Now, if you want to join in the fun, you can CLICK HERE and visit with others who are also playing along!  Happy New Year!

Here's some other good thoughts from Isaiah the Prophet as we approach the New Year...

Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV

18 “Do not remember the former things,

Nor consider the things of old.

19 Behold, I will do a new thing,

Now it shall spring forth;

Shall you not know it?

I will even make a road in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert."

On another note...last night we celebrated our sweet Daughter in love's birthday. They came over and made homemade pizzas  (no picture of that, however), and then we had birthday cake and ice cream.  Rose is such a sweet sweet person, and she is such a wonderful blessing to our family.  Here's a few pictures of the celebration:

I changed the table decor from Christmas to birthday in her honor:

We always take pictures of people blowing out their candles! That's a family tradition!

Rose loves to work in her garden, and so she needed some new gloves. They actually have roses on them...

And she loves to feed the birds and needed a new bird feeder that was somewhat squirrel proof. Time will tell...and who doesn't love a soft new cozy blanket...especially when it dipped down to freezing last night?

All in all it was a lovely little family party.  Hubby was feeling well enough to join us but still has a bit of a cough, so he had to stay away a distance...and I am mostly better and thankful for that...

Okay, now we are ready to begin the big festivities of seeing in the New Year, right here from our couch...well, most likely from our bed because we never stay up that late!  So so long 2025, and we will see you all next year!!  

Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV

24 “The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

26 The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.” ’