Tuesday 4 ~ Wayfaring

 

Wayfaring

Here's about as close to going on a cruise as I will ever get...and this is an old picture from about 5 or 6 years ago!  I haven't been out in the kayak in quite a while, due to the shallowness of the pond, and the lack of strength in my arms.  Maybe if the rains will keep coming Still Waters Pond will fill back up to a reasonable depth and I can try making it around the pond once again...but don't hold your breath waiting! LOL!

Welcome to Tuesday 4... 

1. Where have you traveled and what is the furthest you've been from home?

Let's see, we are not big travelers.  Probably the farthest away from home I've ever been would be the Space Needle in Seattle, WA.  We flew there many years ago (probably at least 35) for a church annual conference. Although my hubby is not fond of heights, we managed to talk him into going up in the elevator to the top of the Space Needle, where we had lunch with some of our friends. I can assure you that he did not look down! LOL.   I don't have any photos from that experience, so I will borrow these from the internet:

Internet Photo

View from the top~Internet Photo

Back during the years that we were in the ministry, our church denomination would have an annual "Council" in a different location every year, and that was the highlight of the year for us as our church would send us to the conference. We usually had to fly to wherever it was, and we would get to stay in a nice hotel near the convention center. We always looked forward to meeting up with many old friends...other Pastors and their wives and people we had known from different churches where we'd served. It was like a great reunion/vacation for us...eating out at nice restaurants, and hearing inspirational keynote speakers (preachers), enjoying good music, and if there was time we would do a little sight seeing around the area.  We got to go places and see things that we never would've been able to do on our own. Seattle is the one I remember most, but we also went to Washington D.C., Columbus, OH., Rochester, NY, Orlando,FL (which was like going home for us), just to name a few that I can remember! It's been a long time ago now, so I'm surprised I remembered that much! LOL.

2. Is there a location other than where you are, that you think would be a nice place to live?

Yes, in the North Georgia mountains, (preferably in the fall and spring), and Maine or New Hampshire, but only in the late spring through fall.  We live in the best place for the winter months already...Florida!

3. Do you have a photo or story from a favorite place to visit? (See above)  The North Georgia Mountains...we have been trying to go every fall over the past few years with our kids. I didn't think we were going to make it this year, but they said "YES WE ARE!", so reservations have been made for late in October, lord willing and the creek don't rise! Praying for hubby's health to be better so he will feel more like traveling. Thankfully our son does all the driving.

4. What dream destination do you have tucked away in your heart? Do you think you'll be able to visit them one day or are plans in the making?

Dream destination? I really can't say that I have one.  I would love to go back to Maine someday for a good visit, not only to do some sight-seeing with our kids, but also to visit with our grandson Noah and his mother.   When our grandson was little, we would always go for his birthday in October, and one of the highlights was to take him to the Fryeburg Fair in Fryeburg, Maine.  

Many years ago with our grandson Noah in Maine

Uncle Scott always enjoyed taking Noah on the rides when he was there with us.

Here we are with Noah and his daddy, our son Matthew, and his wife Nicole, at a roadside scenic overlook in Maine, on the way to the fair. This was in October, 2013. Matthew passed away in May of 2014 after a 4 year battle with cancer. We haven't been to the Fryeburg Fair since then. Noah is now almost 26 years old, and I'm not so sure he cares that much about going to the fair anymore, but still, we'd love to go with him again someday.

So that's the Tuesday 4 for this week. Thank you, Annie, for coming up with the questions and doing this to honor the memory of our late blogging friend, Toni Taddeo.

In Memory of Toni Taddeo

Friday Foto Friends...Around the Pond

 Here it is late Friday evening...and I am just getting around to posting this! Most of you won't see it until Saturday, so we could call it Saturday Foto Friends instead! LOL.  I really don't have a lot of great photos this week that I haven't already shown, so this will just be a mish mash of stuff from around the house and Still Waters Pond.  Let's see, where shall I begin?

How about with this Red Shouldered Hawk that was sitting up in a tree overlooking the pond this afternoon?  He was watching for something to have for supper I bet!

Sorry he is hiding his face behind that little branch...I was kind of at a distance and really couldn't see him that well, so I just started taking pictures, trying not to call too much attention to myself so he would stay put.

I think he knows I'm there anyway...

Right after this he took off flying across the pond and that was that...

Speaking of across the pond...one day this week we were driving around on a road on the other side of the pond, and it used to always be so full of brush and trees, etc., that you couldn't tell there was a pond there.  But someone recently bought that lot and cleared away the brush so now you can actually see the pond and walk down to it, and so of course that's what I did! This gives you a different view of the pond from the other side and also the back side of the two islands that are in the pond...

Years ago someone had built a pier over to that island and then beyond it onto the other island that is closer to our house.

It crossed over this canal to that island...

And there is what is left of it...it isn't functional anymore...I would not dare to try to walk on it.  I did kayak under it a few times back when I was strong enough to kayak around the pond.  Maybe I can find one of those pictures of under that dock...

Here are a few pictures from a couple of years ago when I was able to make that trip around the pond in the kayak...and here I am getting ready to go under that old dock...

We must always remember to stop and "smell the water lilies" along the way...

This is looking up from underneath the dock...I was a lot braver a few years ago than I am today...not sure I'd do that again now, but then again...maybe I might...I do miss going out in the kayak...it was so peaceful out there...

There were the Cat tails along the way...

And here I am...I made it around the pond and lived to tell about it, and brought home a lily to prove it! Again, this was a few years ago...I need to rebuild my strength in my arms before I venture out like that again anytime soon...

Now, back to the present...I was trying to see if you could see our  house from the other side of the pond, and thankfully you cannot!  At least not from this vantage point.  The islands tend to block the view...

And this is the view of that old dock from the shore, the way it looks now:  Kind of like the bridge to nowhere!   Or, a bridge too far, or something profound like that...

And here is an added bonus! These aerial views of Still Waters Pond were taken from a real estate series of photos via drone!  This gives you a pretty good idea of where the islands are:

That is our house to the left above, and pretty much in the center of the photo below, next to the pond:

Our house on right side of photo next to pond:

This one shows our shed, down on the left:

And again, that is our house down on the bottom center. You can see the highway on the other side of the trees to the left, and a business on the far side, top of photo. Because of that highway, our pond is not as quiet and tranquil as one would believe from my photos, but we've learned to just tune out the noise and enjoy the beauty, and listen for the songs of the birds instead...it's a good lesson to learn in order to have peace in the midst of the noise of the world...

Hope you enjoyed this bird's eye view of Still Waters Pond!

Here's the only other picture I took today of our turtles sunning themselves out on the little marsh island:

And we had a lovely sunrise yesterday morning...

I picked what I call "Fairy Flowers" in the yard yesterday...little tiny wildflowers that are popping up everywhere!!

And so I decided the fairies needed to come out and enjoy them as a centerpiece...

The view from both sides...

Last night our "kids" came over and we made spaghetti for supper, and they were "delighted" with this little fairy garden on the table.  My kids humor me a lot you might say...

And Lily Grace was getting ready for Valentine's Day...she sent out a few Valentine's Cards to some special friends...

Lily Grace says to send you all a great big hug and Happy Valentine's Day (week ahead!) too.

Today's verse on my little devotional book says:

"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."  Habakkuk 3:19

Notice that says "high HILLS", not "high heels".  LOL.  I think most of us are past the age of wearing High heels...  And I love that this verse reminds us that God is our strength...and He will give us the strength we need to walk on whatever "high hills" may come before us...and even into the deep valleys on the other side of those hills. God is with us...our ever present help in every situation.  May we always remember that no matter what obstacles are in our path.  And who knows? Maybe I'll get that strength I need to make it around the pond again soon. That is my goal...as God gives me His strength day by day.

Okay folks, that's it for tonight! Have a blessed and beautiful weekend!

Tuesday 4: Just Wondering~ A Repeat

Tuesday 4

Just Wondering.. a Toni Repeat

From Annie: "This week slipped away from me and I didn't get the Tuesday 4 up.

I will post one from Toni's site in case you would like to do one this week whenever you wish. I am very sorry this happened friends.

This Tuesday 4 is from Monday December 9. 2019...."


Well, I've tried to come up with some new answers since I last did this actually in January of 2021.  To be honest, I can't improve on that so we might as well leave at that!  So what you see below is what I posted in January of 2021...

 

Wondering..,   


Welcome back to Tuesday 4 where we remember the wonderful memes of our friend Toni Taddeo by continuing them on in her memory. I am glad you've stopped by to join in.


To begin 2021 I thought I would re-post the final Tuesday 4 from Toni, posted on Monday Dec. 9, 2019! Enjoy playing along friends.

A Repeat ~ Just Wondering  (my original 1/5/2021)

1. When was the last time you tried something new?: 

Hmm, well, maybe when I tried to paddle a kayak around Still Waters Pond last year...

And I lived to tell about it! That was such fun...and I am so glad I did it! When it warms up a bit I hope to get back out there and do it again!

(Update 10/17/2023:  I haven't done much kayaking in the past couple of years due to shoulder/arm issues. I miss doing this as there is much I'd like to explore on the other side of the pond, like for instance, what is this thing that keeps popping up on the island?  I thought it was gone after the big rainstorm we had the other day, but today it has popped up again. It looks fuzzy and fluffy...I think it is some kind of mushroom spore...?)

2. Who in your family do you compare yourself to?:

Well, probably I am more like my father than my mother. My daddy and I both had bright red hair as children and we had to put up with a lot of teasing. I am the only child of four kids in our family who got daddy's red hair.  

And I tend to be a lot like him in other ways too. I like adventure and family fun, and he was always ready for family fun.  My mother was a lovely lady and she liked to have fun too, and I learned a lot from her about cooking and sewing and appreciating the "finer things in life", but still I think I am more like my dad.  

My Dad, after winning a game of horseshoes. "Always the Champ!"

Update 10/17/2023:  I can't play horseshoes like my dad could, and I'm not much of a champ, but I tend to have his outgoing and competitive personality.  

However, in many ways I am like my mother...

Do you see why?

(this photo is several years old)

3. What lesson in life did you learn the hard way?:

Don't think that just because you tried to be a "perfect parent" and brought your kids up in the "right way" , that they would always be "perfect kids".  Every child has to find their own way in life, but the good news is this promise found in Proverbs:

Proverbs 22:6 KJV

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

So even if a child should wander from the fold, there will come a time when he/she will come back home. We just need to be patient and be like the father in the story of the prodigal son, (See Luke 15) and stand ready and willing to welcome them home. 

I also learned that I cannot always protect my children from harm and sickness. This world is not always a kind place. Things happen beyond our control, even when we think we have done everything possible to protect our children. But again, God gives us grace and comfort and strength when we go through the valley of the shadow of death. He gives us what we need when we need it, even in the midst of the storms of life. I don't know how anyone can get through this life without a relationship with Christ.

4. What can you do today that you weren't able to do before?:

Let's see, now that I'm retired I can sit here in my comfy house and enjoy reading and writing this blog and visiting with dear friends from around the country and world whom I would never have been able to meet if it weren't for the invention of computers and the internet and the time to sit and enjoy doing this! Say what you will about modern technology...it does have its faults and downside, but when used appropriately it can be a wonderful tool to "reach out and touch someone".  Remember these commercials for AT&T telephone calls?

Of course nothing can replace the sound of a human voice...and now with Zoom and Facetime we can talk and see each other at the same time.  What a wonderful world we live in...when used appropriately. Thank you for being a part of my world, and for this opportunity to "reach out and touch someone". Happy New Year!  (written in January 2021)

I really can't improve on what I said above in 2021, so I will leave it at that.  

Now let's mosey over to Tuesday 4 and see what others are posting!  Thank you Annie, for setting this up each week!  I am sorry I couldn't really come up with anything new to say. 

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.