Saturday Musings and Blessings

 Happy Saturday Morning to you! I hope this day finds you doing well and enjoying some lovely fall weather still! I know next week temperatures are expected to plunge into freezing for many, including here! We are expecting temperatures around the freezing mark a couple of mornings next week, which seems really early for us here in North Central Florida.  And judging by the number of acorns in our yard this year, I believe we are in for a colder than normal winter!

Upon closer inspection, I realized that we actually have two different species of oak trees in our front yard! Look at the difference in the acorns!  The round lighter brown shaped acorn is from a "Water Oak", and the long darker oblong acorn is from the Southern Live Oak tree.  (I hope I have that right...the descriptions I found were confusing in different posts).

Here's our two huge oak trees in our front yard:

I'm not sure which one is the Live Oak and which one is the Water Oak. I guess I could inspect their bark and leaves to figure it out. But suffice it to say, they are both huge, and they both put out a LOT of little brown leaves for us to clean up every year, and tons of tiny acorns to get stuck in the soles of my shoes when I walk out there. Skechers shoes have those flexible rubber soles that have lots of differnt "crack" in them, which are mainly good for picking up acorns and small sticks and then I have to clean them out. That is the only thing I don't like about my Skechers!  The trees also give us a lot of shade on that end of the house, but I do fear what could happen if they ever decided to blow over in a hurricane...that has been known to happen, even in healthy trees, so we try to keep them trimmed and keep a close eye on them. Oh, and you notice that the ground is all brown under them...leaves and also no grass because grass just can't seem to grow under them.

Here's the winter weather report According to the Old Farmer's Almanac for 2025-26:

Temperatures: Near normal to slightly milder across most of the country—except in the Appalachians, Southeast, Florida, and Ohio Valley, where colder-than-average conditions are expected.

It looks like we will be in for a cold, wet winter!  (See Florida) I think that is the only state that actually says "Cold, Wet".  The good news about that is the "wet" part! hopefully for us that will mean plenty of rain to refill Still Waters Pond!  

I was concerned about checking the Old Farmer's Almanac, because I heard on the news that it was going to stop publication this next year. However, apparently that is the "Farmer's Almanac", not the "Old Farmer's Almanac", which is the one I've always liked anyway. I guess I didn't realize there were two different almanacs. 

Okay, moving right along, this morning was a beautiful warmer morning than we've been having, and since it is a Saturday, we went to the Deep Creek Farmer's Market where our son has a booth:

You can also find his  Ben & Rose's Country Woodshop on Facebook HERE

If you see something you like, you can message him and discuss price and whether or not it is shipable! Most things are.

After we left there we stopped at a new store in our little town called "Blue Pond Market". You can check out their Facebook page here:  Blue Pond Market.  It is named "Blue Pond Market" because our town, Interlachen, used to be called Blue Pond before it became Interlachen. The little lake where the old downtown area is was once called "Blue Pond",   (and you can read more about the history HERE) and this particular house was built back in the mid 1800's, before the town was incorporated. It's probably one of the oldest, if not THE oldest house in our community!

I was excited to see this place open, as they are very similar to the store our family used to own here in our town, "Dixie Cottage".  They carry similar styles of merchandise and painted furniture, etc.  It is a welcome addition to our community since the people who bought Dixie Cottage from our family finally closed their store here and moved it to another town about 20 miles away.   I do hope this store, and also another new one called "The Trading Post at Deep Creek" (which is at the location where Benton was at the farmer's market today) will succeed. Our little town doesn't have a lot of shops (besides Dollar Generals (several) and Family Dollar and a few Thrift Stores and an Ace Hardware Store.  It's nice to have some choices without having to travel too far!

So what else is happening?  

Last evening hubby and I went for a walk around 5:30 p.m., just as the sun was going down. This picture doesn't really do it justice, but suffice it to say the sun was brilliantly golden and very bright...

This past Monday our Ladies' Bible Study completed our study on "It's All Under Control", where we learned about letting go of our own control and allowing GOD to be in control of our lives, because He is already in control whether we understand it or believe it or not.  It was a good study, but now we are done with that and ready to begin a new one this next week entitled "Joy! A Bible Study on Philippians for Women".  I am looking forward to that!

Speaking of "JOY", yesterday afternoon hubby and I were working on a little project in our workshop/storage shed, and it gave me great joy to see, first of all, our sweet Sunshine come inside and lay down beside the Nativity for our yard, which seems to be a spot that he always likes to be near whenever he comes into the shed with us...

He seems to be feeling okay and I think the cut on his hind end is healing okay, but I am keeping a close watch on it.

It wasn't long before Blackie discovered where we all were, and here he comes to join the party:

He doesn't want to be left out of anything that we are doing...and likes to be wherever Sunshine is as well:

Of course, after checking on Sunshine he went and did his own exploring, and then when it was time for us to close up the shed we had great fun trying to corral them both and get them back out of there...I definitely don't want them to get trapped inside the shed!

When I went outside I noticed this very tan looking grasshopper...It thought he was rather nondescript...can hardly tell his eyes from his body.  

He is called a Mischievous Bird Grasshopper. Not sure that he is so "mischievous", but he flies in swarms like a bird, so that's where the bird part comes from.  I don't mind him as long as he doesn't eat my flowers.

Okay, I guess that's all for now.  Time for my afternoon cup of tea...and also to thank the Lord for all of the wonderful ways He has blessed us.  

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Amen! Have a lovely rest of your weekend.

Friday Foto Friends~Come along with me

Good Friday Morning Everyone!  I hope you have been having a wonderful week and that you are ready for a joy-filled weekend.  Hey! I believe it is a 3-day weekend for most of the working/school world, thanks to President's Day on Monday!  I actually never liked that they combined Abraham Lincoln's birthday (Feb. 12) and George Washington's Birthday (Feb. 22) to make one day because I believe they are each worthy of their own celebration, but I guess it is fitting that we should honor all Presidents at some time.  Even if we don't agree with their policies or politics, we definitely should pray for our leaders always.  Here's some Bible passages that gives us good reasons to pray:

I Timothy 2:1-4

"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."

So whether or not we agree with or like or dislike a governmental leader, we still should pray for them daily.  Who knows but that God may hear our prayers and change the hearts of those who are in authority?  Stranger things than that have happened!

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 says:

"13. When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 

14. if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

I did not intend to start this off as a political message...but certainly it is always right and fitting that we should be praying for our nation and our leaders, as well as the leaders of other countries who may have an impact on our freedoms and security, especially during such turbulent times as we are currently enduring.  

Okay, enough said about that...now on to the Friday Fotos! It is now afternoon...I started out early this morning, but got busy with grocery shopping and other mundane events of the day...and now that I've had my afternoon nap, maybe I can concentrate on this post before the day is over.

I love that the daylight is starting to remain a bit later these days, so that we can take a ride or walk in the evening after supper.  Last evening we took a little country ride, and I asked hubby to pull over so I could get a picture of this collapsed old barn. Something about this intrigues me...

This is the view to the right (west) of the old barn in the evening waning sunlight...

And here is the view to the left (east) of it.  Certainly is a beautiful location for a...dilapidated  collapsed old barn that has seen better days.

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11

Speaking of "pleasures forevermore"...on the right side of our house (looking from the street) there is a fencerow between our lot and the next lot...and every spring these pretty little yellow "Carolina Jessamine" flowers blossom all along the fence.  They are wildflowers, and probably not really good to have their vining tendrils climbing up into the trees, but they are very lovely and I enjoy their beauty for while they last. 

And further delights to finish out this post for today...Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird are still considering their options on the birdhouse...they haven't moved in yet, but they seem to be checking it out every day, so hopefully it won't be long before they "move in" and start the nest-building all over again!

Do you see them both in this picture?  Look closely.

I think they especially love that this property comes with a nice place to bathe...

Even Mrs. Bluebird is testing out the water.  Bobby the Squirrel makes a good place to hide if you are particularly modest...

Hey! Stop watching me bathe!!!

I'll just go underwater where you can't see me!

Meanwhile Mr. Bluebird is enjoying the view from up in the tree...

And Mrs. Bluebird is drying her feathers on the rooftop.

Meanwhile, this Goldfinch (I think that's what it is) flew in to check out the sights.

And also to see if there is anything good to eat.  I immediately went to the Ace Hardware store today and picked up some finch seed (nyger seed).  Hopefully they will come back!

Oh, I almost forgot...those of you who are Facebook friends have probably already seen these sunset photos from the other evening...this was on my way to choir practice...and the beauty of God's majesty in the skies had me singing His praises all the way to church:

And this was the view over Still Waters Pond last evening after we got home from our little ride:

Again, more of God's beauty in His heavens...

So,  as day is dying in the west, I guess this is a good place to say farewell for today...

I hope you enjoyed the views with me.

Tomorrow will be another busy, but fun and happy day.  We will be traveling south about an hour or more to meet up with family and friends to continue the birthday celebration for my hubby and also another dear friend we've known for years.  We believe birthdays are a good reason to bring family and friends together to visit and enjoy one another while we are still able to do so. It doesn't have to be a significant year or a great milestone.  We just believe that we should celebrate life while we are living and take every opportunity to "share the love" with each other as often as possible. Life is short...take time to enjoy the ride while it lasts!

I'll be back with pictures when I get home...or as soon as I can anyway.

Have a happy weekend!

Saturday Wanderings

Hello! It's Saturday and I've been wandering around a little...how about you?

Yes, that moose is walking on Still Waters Pond, with the dove of peace flying overhead. So can you beat that? Have you seen or done anything more interesting than that today? LOL. (Yes, it is a moose on a windchime, hanging from our porch...just a little trick photography to make life more interesting).

To start the day off I used my best homemaking skills to bake some wonderful cinnamon rolls in an iron skillet in the oven.  Yes, I really worked very hard to pop open that can of poppin' fresh rolls and fit them just so in the skillet.

They did turn out quite well, and I used my new potholders that were birthday gifts from my very thoughtful daughter in love last month. I thought I should take a picture of them before they get stained and dirty when I really start baking again! LOL.

Cinnamon rolls deserve to be treated like something special, so I ate mine on the porch overlooking Still Waters Pond. Actually, this was my "after breakfast" roll. I had already eaten one with my scrambled eggs and sausage and tea earlier, but thought they deserved a little better attention so out to the porch we went. My Dollar Tree "Grateful" plate has been getting a workout during these autumn days...and I am very grateful to have these lovely days to enjoy.

So, on Saturday mornings we like to take a little ride somewhere and do something different. We kind of got off to a late start this morning, what with me doing all that "baking" and enjoying an extra cinnamon roll on the porch.  LOL.

"You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Psalm 16:11 NKJV

Therefore, since we didn't want to take too long of a trip, we decided to go visit our church's Thrift Store and see what interesting things we could find there. Plus, we like to visit with the shopkeeper, a sweet man who is a member of our church and who also has a ministry in his home to former prisoners who have been released and need a place to stay until they can get back on their feet.  He's a tremendous person with a big heart, and we enjoy visiting with him. So while he and hubby chatted, I browsed.

(This photo is copied from the internet, so it isn't as clear as I'd like, but it is better than nothing. Next time I go there I will take some better pictures of this cute little old vintage house that sits next to the church and houses our Thrift Store. I love the sign out front that has II Chronicles 7:14 quoted...

"If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land."

Such an appropriate verse for our country these days...

Anyway, I found some beautiful vintage dishes today that I just couldn't resist. I know I don't need any more dishes, but I love vintage plates and have decided I am going to use these kinds of plates for our everyday use rather than the old "made in China" plates that I've been using. I'm tired of using anything that is "made in China"...and besides these are much prettier. I only found these two dinner plates, but I have some others that are similar that I am going to mix and match with these. 

Also got the lovely bowl and a couple of dessert plates. Too bad they didn't have any teacups and saucers to match, but I found some in my cupboard that are close enough.

Even though it was a bit too warm this afternoon to consider eating on the porch, it was fun to dress up the table and pretend I was having a party for two long enough to take these pictures.

Maybe later this week it is supposed to cool down some and then we can actually have dinner on the porch. 

"Be very careful, then, how you live~~not as unwise but as wise, 

making the most of every opportunity."

Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV

Aren't they beautiful?  (The teapot and sugar bowl are something I already had).

All this loveliness for a donation to our church Thrift Store, which supports several worthy ministries in our church and community. I'd say it was money well spent. Want to come and have lunch on the porch with me some day when it is cooler? I wish you could!

It would be so lovely to have you here!

"You shall say, 'Have a long life, peace be to you, 

and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have.'"

I Samuel 25:6 NAS

 

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!