Tuesday 4 ~ Home Sweet Home

(this isn't our house, but the pond certainly 
looks a lot like it)

Home Sweet Home

Hello! Welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 

where each week we ask you to consider 4 questions on various subjects. The goal is to get you thinking, considering, talking and getting to know yourself and other bloggers.
Be it ever so humble there is no place like home . Let's talk about homes okay?

1. In some places people name their homes or properties. What would you name your home and why?
If you would not name it, why wouldn't you?

I think most people know that I already call our home Still Waters Pond, or at least that is what I call our pond. It wasn't named that...I named it. I think of our house as "Beside Still Waters (Pond)".

    

I may have written about this sometime before (HERE!), but many years before we ever moved to this house I had purchased this book, "Beside Still Waters" , because I loved the pictures and the theme of the book...filled with verses and poems and paintings of cabins and woods and places beside ponds and lakes and beautiful scenery of the kinds of places I would love to live.

When the day came that we were able to purchase this house beside this pond, I realized that my dream had come true, and so the idea of calling the pond "Still Waters Pond" came to me because we live "Beside Still Waters".  It is also based on the first three verses in the 23rd Psalm,

Psalm 23 New King James Version

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.

Welcome to our home...

A view from the back porch Monday evening...the wildflowers were picked on our morning walk. Unfortunately, the flowers have a strong scent that ended up being too strong to keep inside the house, thus they were moved to the back porch! LOL.

This is Trailing Lantana, found on a lot where an old home used to be 

Our Still Waters Pond at Sunset (not today, however)

2. Are you more of a romantic or a pragmatist when it comes to your home or apartment's decor and color?

I had to look this up to be sure I understood what it meant. Here's what I found online:

"What is a pragmatist personality type?
A pragmatist is someone who is pragmatic, that is to say, someone who is practical and focused on reaching a goal. Pragmatists usually have a straightforward, matter-of-fact approach and don't let their emotions distract them."

Based on that description, I would say that I am probably more a "romantic" than a pragmatist. Although I am very practical about many things and try not to go overboard on things/design/decor. I use what I have and make do rather than buy new. But I do enjoy decorating for holidays and seasons and using the things that I have to make things comfortable and interesting rather than boring and plain.  I am definitely NOT a minimalist type by any stretch of the imagination.  My emotions distract me when it comes to hanging on to things that have sentimental meaning, such as family "heirlooms" or gifts that have been given to us over the years.  Our home is more of a "museum of family artifacts" than just a practical or modern style of furnishings. But they are comfortable family artifacts that are definitely used.

3. Do you have enough room in your home? Storage space, kitchen cabinets? What would you add or subtract from your home?

I'm sure I could always use more storage space, but unfortunately then I would probably just find more stuff to fill it up.  I am at a stage in life where I am trying hard to make myself start weeding things out and eliminating rather than adding more stuff.


4. Is your place really home sweet home ? Would it be hard to leave it ? Are you firmly rooted in your abode or would you move if a better opportunity came your way?

The only thing that would make me move at this stage in life is if our kids moved far away. Then we would want to move closer to them because we don't want to be left totally "alone" in our old age and not have any immediate family nearby.  The other reason would be if our health made it such that we could no longer maintain our home on our own or climb the steps to get in and out. We have discussed that possibility and if the right home/location/price came available that was on ground level, we might be persuaded to consider it while we are still able to make such a move on our own. But I would hate to leave Still Waters Pond.

Home Sweet Home

Thanks for visiting! Y'all come again!

Hebrews 13:5  NIV

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money 

and be content with what you have, 

because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.”

Now, let's go see what others are writing over at Tuesday 4 today.

4th Day of Christmas on Still Waters Pond

 It's been a while since I shared any pictures from Still Waters Pond with you.  I've been so caught up with Christmas and all that is involved with that, and you'd think that there was nothing else going on around us. But oh no!  All of God's creation is still very much alive and active here in our neck of the woods, or pond.  So how about we switch gears for a little while and see who has been visiting our pond and/or yard lately, okay?  Some of these pictures may be a couple of weeks old. I've been saving them up, so bear with me and enjoy the view!

I'll start with our latest feline visitor to our yard.  I call him/her?? Pretty Kitty.  He loves to lay in our butterfly garden and watch the birds all around him. I don't want him trying to catch/kill our birds, but cats will be cats, and this may be his only way of survival. I don't know who he belongs to, but he looks healthy.  He just enjoys exercising his predatorial instincts.  I haven't actually ever seen him catch anything, but he sure tries.  If I go out to talk to him he runs into the woods, so I can't get close. 

This evening he was actually bold enough to sit up on our back porch railing!

That is, until he saw me looking at him through the glass doors...

So he moved over to get further away from me, but still kept checking to see where I was...

I took this picture through my room with a view window. It's not quite as clear because this window has some sun film on it so it's not so bright in my eyes.  I don't like it, but if I take it off the glare is too much and I don't want to have to close the blinds, or I might miss something, like "Pretty Kitty"!

Shortly after this picture he took off to go do some hunting elsewhere.  

One day we had just come home from the store, and as I stepped out of the car I could hear the loud raucous call of the Pileated Woodpecker up in the trees. I had to run in the house and get my "real camera" with the zoom lens so I could try to find him.  By the time I came outside I could hear him farther away in the trees over behind the new house next door. Thankfully no one lives there yet, so I ran over there and started searching the treetops for this huge prehistoric looking woodpecker!

Sure enough, there he was, pecking away in the treetops.  Actually, there were two of them, as I saw them following each other from tree to tree! Here are a few of the better pictures I managed to get.

It's always a treat to see these beautiful creatures!  I'm so glad they stayed around long enough for me to get a few pictures!

Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird have been popping in and out, checking out the birdhouse to make sure no one else is squatting in there!  They probably won't be ready to move back in until early spring, but they do like to keep "abreast" of the situation!

Isn't he beautiful?

Mrs. Bluebird lets Mr. Bluebird do all the major inspections.

She's sitting in the tree, while he's on top of the house checking out the roof, like any good husband should!

It will be fun to have them back building their nests again!

The Sand Hill Crane family fly in and out periodically, checking around for any birdseed or other tasty treats...

Pretty Kitty is sitting there on the shore, watching the Canada Geese in the water.  Do you see the goose?

Honk Honk!  The geese know to stay out of reach of Pretty Kitty. 

When the kitty started to stalk them, crawling toward the water, the geese swam far out into the pond out of reach.

And Yay! Our black and white Ring Necked Ducks are back!  They have been coming back each winter to Still Waters Pond, and they are so much fun to watch. They are diving ducks, and it often looks like they are playing Marco Polo, bobbing up and down as they dive under looking for food and pop back up again.  I LOVE that they come back here each year!

So far I'm only seeing four of them, but that could change.

They prefer the smoother waters in the back part of the pond where there aren't as many lily pads to impede their swimming.  Can't say as I blame them.  Don't we all prefer to take the easier way when we can?

That's about all of the excitement on the pond for now, but things usually ramp up after the holidays, when the geese and the cranes start thinking about building nests and claiming their territories. So stay tuned.  Things could get more interesting.

Now I am thinking about the fact that it is almost the end of 2024, and it's time to consider what my "One Word" for 2025 will be.  I honestly don't have a clue at this moment. Strength was my word for 2024, and one thing I learned is this:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10  NKJV

"9 And He (Jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

I translate that to say that in my own strength, I am nothing. It is only through God's strength that I am able to do anything.  My body is weak at best, but when I need strength to do whatever it is that God is asking me to do, He gives me His strength to carry on. It would be wonderful to have the physical stamina of a marathon runner, or the strength of a power weight lifter.

 

Habakkuk 3:18-19 NKJV

"18 Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will joy in the God of my salvation.

19 The Lord God is my strength;

He will make my feet like deer’s feet,

And He will make me walk on my high hills."

Psalm 3:2-4 NJKV

2 Many are they who say of me,

“There is no help for him in God.” Selah

3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me,

My glory and the One who lifts up my head.

4 I cried to the Lord with my voice,

And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah

It is God who gives me my strength and stamina. He is the One who lifts up my weary head and provides a shield around me for protection from my enemies. He gives me the ability to keep moving forward when my weary body would like to just lay down and give up. Although sometimes that is exactly what we have to do to restore our strength.

Psalm 23:1-3a

23 The Lord is my shepherd;

I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

And that brings me back home...here at Still Waters Pond..."beside the still waters", where He restores my soul...and body I might add.  That's the journey I've been on...letting go and letting God be the One who restores and builds my strength, and helps me to understand that it's His strength all the while...not my own. When I rely on Him and His strength, then His strength is made perfect in my weakness...and then I am strong!  

I still don't have a clue about what the new "One Word" is going to be, but I have a feeling it will be a good one.  So stay tuned and maybe you'll discover it about the same time as I do! Meanwhile, do YOU choose a word for each year? I'm wondering how you go about it.  For me it is a process of listening to God's voice as He whispers in my ear the things He wants me to learn in the days ahead...and that's how He directs me toward the word for the year.  I usually try to announce it on or around January 1, so we shall see what develops in these next few days.

Meanwhile, gotta go. Tomorrow will be a busy day. Hubby is preaching in Florahome (but he teaches our adult Sunday School class here at our church first, and since their service doesn't start quite as early as ours, we have time to drive up there after Sunday School and be there in plenty of time for their church service.)   Then after church we are coming back home and our son Scott is bringing steaks to grill for lunch, to celebrate Rose's 50th birthday and also a kind of Christmas gift as well.  So it will be a nice afternoon. I pray Rose is feeling good enough to eat a steak after being sick for a few days.  If not, she can save it for later, but I have a feeling she'll be hungry and ready for it.

Good night friends. I hope your weekend and Sunday are filled with joy and blessings too.

Friday Foto Friends on Still Waters Pond

Howdy Friends! It's Friday...and I didn't have any new photos to share with you, so that is why I'm a little late to the party! I stepped outside and realized it was a very pretty day...not too hot, not too cold, but just right! And I also noticed that there seems to be a break in the lily pads on Still Waters Pond, so I decided today would be a good day to take out the kayak! 

"A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature.  

It is earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature."

Henry David Thoreau

I haven't been out since last spring because it was just too hot and the lily pads were so thick I couldn't paddle through. But now they are dying back for the winter and sadly there are no more lilies blooming either, but it sure made for easier travel.

What is interesting, however, is there appears to be a new "island" floating in the middle of the pond. I've been noticing this dark stretch of what looks like dead lily pads forming a kind of floating island, and I wanted to check it out.

Most recently I watched  a pair of Sand Hill Cranes walking around on this little island, so I knew it must have some substance to it.

(These pictures of the cranes were taken a few days ago from watching them from our porch...they weren't out there this morning, or I assure you they would have flown away at the sight of me!)

 Here you can see both of them as they were squawking back and forth at each other. I posted a video of them making noise on my Facebook page this week. 

So anyway as I passed by this little floating island I realized it was made up of dirt and dead lily pads and new little plants popping up on it.  We shall see what becomes of it as the days go by. It's interesting to see how these things develop and come and go.

There wasn't much activity on the pond this morning in the way of wildlife, but it was very peaceful and calming to paddle around and enjoy the freedom of exploring new "lands" and "seas" once again!

As I came around one of the bigger islands I approached this old dock that once spanned the waters to the smaller island from the shore.

As you can see, this dock has seen better days. I don't believe any sane human has tried to cross it in many years...

Could be a few "insane" humans may have tried, but I assure you it wasn't me! I was not too sure about even passing under this dock safely...

Coming up to this reminded me of the old song we learned in elementary school:

The Erie Canal Song

"Low bridge, everybody down

Low bridge, yeah we're coming to a town

And you'll always know your neighbor

And you'll always know your pal

If ya ever navigated on the Erie Canal"

So I ducked and paddled under the "low bridge" and navigated on through the Still Waters Pond, not quite the same as "The Erie Canal"...but it was fun remembering that old song, wasn't it?

"First keep the peace within yourself, then you can also bring peace to others."  

Thomas A Kempis

Oh yes, "peace"... something we are all in need of these days, right?

On around the island you can see the remnants of what was that same dock, which led from the smaller island to the bigger island. Long gone now. But's that's okay with me...keeps people from intruding on our little private pond.

"You are my hiding place;

You will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance." 

Psalm 32:7

As I came around the island I did see this lovely dragonfly perched on some grasses, waiting for me to take it's picture.

Thank you, Dragon Fly! Now you may fly away...and he did.

Meanwhile, I've been noticing the red holly berries in the tree tops on the island...funny I never noticed there was a holly tree on the island last year...I don't believe the holly trees had nearly as many berries last year as they do this year. The old timers will tell you that an abundance of berries and acorns (which we also have) is a sure sign of a hard winter...yes, even here in Florida. We need lots of food for the many birds who will be traveling through to even warmer climes south as they escape the bitter cold winter up north.  Sorry folks, but that's what the old timers say...I should know...I'm getting to be an old timer myself. LOL.

Just passing around by the island and then looking back at the shore on the "mainland" here below:

The yellow wildflowers are starting to really bloom along the shores of the pond now too. So beautiful to see in the autumn...

Oh, looky there! There is someone sitting on that porch waiting for me. Can you see his nice legs? That's about all you can see.  Yes, that's my hubby, watching for me to come around the bend and into shore so he can come down and pull me in.  Getting off of this kayak is the hardest part of all (next to getting into the kayak)  There is no graceful way to do it, trust me!

Oh wait! As I am paddling and struggling to get up to the shore, this young fella is right smack dab in my face.  So I figured I might as well take his picture before I knock him out of my way.  I mean, would you want him right where he could jump right in your face or wherever else he might jump? I don't think so...especially when one is already unbalanced, sitting in water with no other way of escape. So I just nicely bent over his branch and he jumped the other direction, thankfully!!

Okay, here's a sweet little purple aster looking flower along the shore. Had to get some kind of flower picture to show you.

And then back on shore, standing in my Secret Memorial Garden, looking back out at Still Waters Pond. Actually, I took this picture before I decided to take the kayak out. As I stood there, I knew I just had to get out there and enjoy this morning.  I hope you enjoyed it with me.  Wasn't it pleasant? Could you almost feel the gentle breeze and feel the warmth of the morning sun as we paddled about? I hope so...because it was very delightful, and even better because I shared it with you.

"This is the meeting place where God has set His bounds.

Here is enough, at last, for eye and thought,

restful and satisfying and illimitable.

Here rest is sweet, and the picture of it goes with us on our homeward way,

more lasting in memory than the sunset on the meadows or the lingering light across the silent stream."

Isaac Ogden Rankin

Sunset on Still Waters Pond

Psalm 23:1-3

 1.  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: 

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

3. He restoreth my soul..."

Amen.