Wednesday "Treasures"

Happy Wednesday Morning everyone!  I hope this middle of the week day finds you enjoying some lovely treasures of life and living around you.  That's what I try to do on most Wednesdays...I share things I see or have or that are special in some way, or that caught my attention for some reason.  Yesterday was a rainy day all day, which is a blessing in itself!  We rejoiced in God's blessing of rain, and enjoyed a rather peaceful and pleasant day.  So that's pretty much what I am going to share with you...pictures from our "rather peaceful and pleasant day"!

We started out early for a ride and a walk, before the rains got started.  One thing on my list of places to see was this old house in our historic section of our little town...I had just heard through the "grapevine" that this grand old treasure had just gone up for sale. It's been sitting vacant for years, and we'd often drive by and try to imagine what it must have been like back in its hey-day.  I don't know too much about the history of it,  But here's a copy of what is written in the listing (which I have included below as a link if you are interested in more information):

"This turn of the 19th century home is waiting for you to restore it to its original glory. Known as the Wimberly - Eckhardt House in the early 1900s, it hosted many events by Judge Jared Wimberly and was proverbial for its hospitality. The original structure built in 1884 was an eight-room house finished in curly pine. That woodwork still adorns the windows and magnificent stairway today. The electric was updated in the 1980s."

My photo

(Internet Photo)

(Internet Photo)

My photo

(Internet Photo)

(Internet Photo)

Link to Zillow information on this house 

If you are an old house enthusiast and would like a "restoration project house", this would be a great bargain at just $149,900.   But keep in mind that it hasn't had much updating since the 1980's, so there's no telling just what all needs to be done. I do hope someone with "deep pockets" will buy it and restore it the way it ought to be done in keeping with its historical charm.   There are no pictures of the kitchen or bathrooms on the listing, so I'm thinking they are probably going to be major projects.  

Next on our little drive was a stop down at the Kenwood Recreation Park/boat ramp so we could take a little walk before the rains started.  Not too much different there to see, but here's a couple of pictures from along the way:

I noticed these pink flowers growing alongside the road, so asked hubby to stop so I could see what they were.

According to my research, this was called an "Early Wild Rose", but here is the botanical information: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosa_blanda

Made me wish I could take some and plant them alongside our yard somewhere. So delicate and pretty!

Here's one picture I took at the boat ramp. The reflection of the trees on the water is so pretty, even on a cloudy day:

Going back out the road from the park is this little farm, and the cows were all up near the fence for feeding time, so it was a good opportunity to say "Good Mooooorning".  

I'd say they were largely unimpressed with my greeting.  They were obviously more interested in eating:

Hello!    The big whiteish bull in the background is most likely a American Brahman.  We see a lot of this type of cattle in Florida, because they do well in the warmer tropical climates.

It's always fun to see cows, isn't it?  And do you usually say "MOOOOO" when you see them? I do. LOL.

Our next stop was a real "Treasure"!   We saw this fellow alongside the road putting letters on this sign, and I said, "Hey! Stop! That's my son!"  LOL:

And so it was!! And so we stopped to say hello. I think I mentioned that our son Benton has started working part time at the "Trading Post at Deep Creek"

 

You might even recognize those little flower pots...

He also has a booth in the store, as well as he sells his large wooden garden planters here inside and outside at their weekend farm markets.

This store has lots of interesting vendors, and you might recognize the items in this picture below:

Yes, those framed photos above were taken in my yard. The bird feeders were some that I bought from this vendor when she was one our vendors at our Dixie Cottage store. I had taken those pictures to show her how the birds enjoyed the items I bought from her, and she has used those photos as a part of her booth to demonstrate how her bird feeder creations can be used:

Such fun!

Soon our little ride was over and it was starting to rain, and yes! It rained for most of the rest of the day, Praise God!  I decided it was a good day to make a pot full of "Brunswick Stew", using up the leftover BBQ pork from Sunday's lunch...

It was SO good.  I couldn't use my oven to make cornbread, so I tried to make "Hoecakes" in my iron skillet, but they didn't turn out too pretty.  But they still tasted good.  

My oven door gasket has come loose, and we need to replace it, and actually the part I ordered online arrived last night, so now we just have to figure out how to put it on. I may call my smart DIL Rose to figure it out. She's really good at that kind of thing.

Here's the info on "Brunswick Stew", in case you wonder what that is.  I used an old recipe from one of my school friends' Mama. They were originally from the Brunswick area of Georgia, and they made it the old fashioned way, sometimes using venison or pork. 

Brunswick stew

Brunswick stew is a hearty, traditional Southern comfort food, typically made with a mix of meats like chicken, pork, or even small game, along with vegetables such as corn, lima beans, and tomatoes, simmered in a savory, often BBQ-sauce-infused broth. While its origins are debated between Virginia and Georgia, modern versions often use leftover barbecue, and it's known for being a flavorful, one-pot meal that's great for feeding a crowd.

Key Ingredients
Meats:
Shredded chicken, pulled pork, or a combination; historically included squirrel or rabbit.

Vegetables:
Corn, lima beans, and tomatoes are staples; potatoes and okra are also common additions.

Base:
Chicken broth, diced tomatoes, onions, garlic, and seasonings like Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and sometimes barbecue sauce.

Flavor Enhancers:
Brown sugar, vinegar, and hot sauce are often used to balance the flavor.


It was so good!!  

Here's some good words of advice for today from God's Word:

Proverbs 4:11-12 NIV

11 I instruct you in the way of wisdom

and lead you along straight paths.

12 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;

when you run, you will not stumble.

So, if you go for a walk today...think about these verses!!  Have a blessed day everyone!!

Saturday Meanderings

 Hello Everyone! Hey! It's the first Saturday in September! And it's 90 degrees here in sunny north central Florida!  However, there are some clouds forming and we are supposed to get some rain later this afternoon. 

I will believe it when I see it. They keep telling us that rain is coming and then it goes completely around us, so we shall see. The forecast for next week also looks like rain every day, so I am hoping and praying that the dry spell is coming to an end and maybe Still Waters Pond will begin to fill up again in time for the Canada Geese to fly in! I actually saw and heard a flock fly over this morning, heading over to a bigger lake nearby...but that is the group that usually likes to come over to our pond in the fall/winter months for a while most every day, so I really hope they will still be able to do that!Speaking of the neighborhood, guess what happened yesterday??? Do you see it??? Yes, that is a U-Haul truck in the yard of the new house next door, finally! The house was actually sold a few months ago, and I've been watching and waiting ever since for someone to move in, and yesterday was the day!



I may not have noticed them over there except that we went outside on our front porch to help our son Benton load up my old green recliner to take to the church Thrift Store finally, and there they were!


And there goes Benton and hubby, taking the chair away! Oh, and btw, that little house right across the street now has people living in it as well. It sat empty for quite a while after an older man purchased it but he never moved in. Instead, he put it back up for sale. However, the house did not sell, and after a while I guess he decided to go ahead and move in there after all. We haven't had a chance to really talk to him, but he seems quiet and pleasant.


I actually got to meet the new neighbors on the side of us as they were leaving last night to take the UHaul truck back. I was out in the front yard watering the plants, and when they went by I waved first at the truck, and then at the car behind it. The man in the car pulled over and stopped and rolled down the window, and he said, "Hi! We're your new neighbors!" He actually had a young lady with him who he introduced as his daughter, and he said that it would be him, his daughter, and his elderly father all living in the house together. Oh, and yes, they do have dogs...3 to be exact, and also a house cat. Thankfully they already put up a fence in the back yard for the dogs, and when hubby went outside this morning to bring our garbage cans back in from the street, the dogs greeted him with some nice loud barks. From here it looks like they are big dogs, like maybe a German Shepherd type. Again, thankfully they have a fenced area in the back that is not actually connected to our property, and it appears they are house dogs, so hopefully they won't be outside barking all the time. And the man and his daughter seemed very friendly and pleasant, so here's hoping that my prayers have been answered for having some good neighbors finally!!


September is a good time to take walks and enjoy the early fall foliage and wildflowers that are still blooming. We went to our historic village walking trail yesterday morning and enjoyed seeing the sights along the way. September is also a good time to see butterflies it seems.



This is a Zebra Longwing butterfly, and I didn't know until now that it is the state butterfly of our state of Florida! Huh! I wonder how come I didn't know that???





Anyway, I was enjoying chasing it around these Firebush flowers . "Firebush is a perennial or semi-woody shrub that is known scientifically as Hamelia patens. Gardeners love firebush because it produces flowers from late spring until the first frost, and the bright red flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies, including the zebra longwing and gulf fritillary butterflies. Song birds also like to feed on the berries."





All the while I was trying to capture pictures of that butterfly, I kept hearing a bird in the tree above me. Finally I looked up and saw this Mockingbird , who just so happens to be the State Bird of Florida! So how interesting to have the state butterfly and the state bird right there together at the same time!!!


Also right there in the same area was this beautiful Beautyberry bush. I think that may be what the Mockingbird was after, as they do love these berries. These berries can also be used to make a mosquito repellent! I have actually had some made from this, and it did work, but it is kind of a dark liquid that stains your skin, so I wasn't really too thrilled with putting it all over myself! LOL. The berries can also be used in jellies and wine, but again, I'm not really into anything quite this wild for my jelly. LOL.



I guess this post is becoming a nature class! LOL. That wasn't my intention, but I do like to identify the things I see for my own education and I figure you might like to know what these things are too! We are never too old to learn something new, right? Anyway, the next creature I saw was this Long-tailed Skipper butterfly. He was enjoying the nectar of some Lantana, which most likely is growing wild, although it may have been planted years ago around these lots that once had houses on them for a hundred years...

The Skipper was also enjoying the nectar of the Coral Vine flowers that were growing all over the same area.




I've shown you this same trunk of this palm tree before, and right now it is covered in coral vine. Earlier this year it had wisteria flowers, and then there was some Cat's Claw flowering vine on it after that. It is amazing to me how many different species of flowering vines can grow on this same tree trunk throughout the year!

The butterflies and birds weren't the only ones enjoying some nectar on this lovely fall day...(actually it is still officially late summer, but you know what I mean), any way...look at this bee! I am happy to see the bees on the flowers, but I just don't want to get too close!

I will close with these thoughts from Psalm 28 today...I am feeling much better these days, and so is my hubby.  Little by little we are regaining our strength and stamina and are looking forward to the beautiful fall days ahead where hopefully we can take more walks and get stronger day by day. We are very thankful to the Lord for helping us both through some difficult days this past summer and giving us a brighter hope for tomorrow. 

Psalm 28:6-7

"6 Blessed be the Lord,

Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

And with my song I will praise Him."

Amen!

P.S. 4:00 P.M.   It's RAINING!!! Praise the Lord!

Pentecost Sunday and Blooming Flowers...

It's Sunday afternoon and time to sit down with a cup of tea (or coffee) and visit for a while...You might as well get comfortable, this looks like it's going to be a rather long post...but I do  hope you'll come along with me as I ramble along, sharing things as God leads...

Psalm 84:11 NKJV

11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

The Lord will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.

Bluebird pictures taken this morning here on Still Waters Pond

John 6:63 NKJV

63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. 

The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

Romans 8:6-7 NIV

6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, 

but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 

7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; 

it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 NKJV

A Hymn of Faith

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,

Nor fruit be on the vines;

Though the labor of the olive may fail,

And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls—

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.

Today is Pentecost Sunday, the day set aside to acknowledge and celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit to the early church, following the Ascension of Jesus Christ into Heaven.

This is a recording of our Pastor's Message regarding Pentecost, and our choir singing "Spirit of the Living God, Fall Fresh on Me."  This was a recording from years past, as our Pastor and his wife have been on vacation and weren't here to record the current message. However, they are back home now and he will be preaching from this same passage today,  in Acts chapter 2.  Since this was pre-recorded some time ago, you will note that I am in the choir singing as well.  However, unfortunately, I was not at church today.

The Bluebirds have been actively flying in and around the birdhouse again this morning, but for whatever reason, they still have not settled down to nesting this spring/summer (so far).  I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm sure in God's good time they will get back to nesting and doing what Bluebirds do to keep their family growing and prospering...but for now they must just need to take a break.

I kind of feel like they do, although not in the sense of nesting or increasing our family...those days are long over and one with. LOL.  But no, I'm thinking more about the fact that in this current season of our lives, we are taking a break from our normal routines and resting and waiting on the Lord to show us the next step.  As I've mentioned several times recently, my hubby is going through some medical issues, and we are still waiting for an appointment with the specialist to help determine the course for whatever lies ahead.  We had talked about going back to church today, but when it came right down to it, hubby just really wasn't ready to venture out among the crowd and participate in all that would involve. Our church is a very loving and caring group of people, and there would be many hugs and anwering the question of "how are you?" over and over, and he's just not ready for that, as wonderful and beautiful as it is. So we have opted to stay at home for now...and our son said he would go today and get all the hugs for us and bring them home...LOL.

We have been trying to get out of the house as much as possible however and take little rides and short walks.  Yesterday our son was at a "Garden Market" selling his planters, etc., and so we drove there to see him and to just walk around a little bit and see what was there.  Here's a few of the new items he has built lately:

These are Barbeque caddies...see below:

And some other planter boxes:

 Unbeknownst to me, hubby ventured over to a vendor who was selling various flowers and plants, and who also had some lovely bouquets of cut flowers.  I was totally surprised and shocked when he came up to me with something hidden behind his back and then presented this bouquet of cut zinnias to me...

To say I was flabberghasted would be an understatement.

We've been married almost 56 years, and I could probably count on two fingers the times I have been given flowers...(it's a long story...I once made the mistake of saying we needed that money for other things like food and clothes, etc., and quenched that spirit and regretted it ever since.  Don't ever do that, ladies...if your hubby gives you flowers, no matter how much you know that money could've gone for "more important" things, there's really nothing more important than cherishing his gift. I learned that the hard way)

So, to say this was something that totally surprised me and blessed me beyond belief would be an understatement.

I am now cherishing the gift as well as the giver so very much...

I am realizing more and more how fragile life is, and that none of us knows how many days we have on this earth with our loved ones...even when they (or we!) may be perfectly healthy...things can change so rapidly and unexpectedly...and we need to remember to cherish every moment and give thanks to God for the gift of love and life.

I've been thinking about this song by the Gaithers a lot lately, and may have even mentioned it to some of you in some comments.

We Have This Moment, Today

Song by Gaither Vocal Band 

Lyrics

Hold tight to the sounds of the music of living

Happy songs from the laughter of the children at play

Hold my hand as we run

Through the sweet fragrant meadows

Making memories of what was today

We have this moment to hold in our hands

And to touch as it slips

Through our fingers like sand

Yesterday's gone

And tomorrow may never come

But we have this moment today

Tender words

Gentle touch and a good cup of coffee

And someone who loves me

And wants me to stay

Hold them near while they're here, oh

And don't wait for tomorrow

To look back and wish for this day

We have this moment to hold in our hands

And to touch as it slips

Through our fingers like sand

Yesterday's gone

And tomorrow may never come

But we have this moment today, we have this moment today

We all have this moment today

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Gloria Gaither / William J. Gaither

We Have This Moment, Today lyrics © Hanna Street Music

Speaking of zinnias...what hubby didn't realize is that we now have those same flowers growing in our garden! Every day a new one opens up, and I've declared that this must be the year for Zinnias!

Even my new Tervis Tumbler that my sister in law Peggy gave me for Christmas this past year has zinnias all over it!

I think this must've "planted the seed" in my head about zinnias, plus, my sister Doris said something to me about zinnias the last time they visited here. I remember she looked at my butterfly garden and said that I needed to plant some zinnias out there!

So there you have it!  

Speaking more about "planting the seed"...the other day we took a little short walk down the street in our old historic downtown area. I've mentioned this place many times as it has become our favorite place to walk lately. Here's where I wrote about this once before.  It seems as though everytime we walk there I discover something else new.  Remember, this location is where there used to be some very old houses that had stood here in our little town for over a hundred years, until they widened the highway to four lanes and some of the houses were destroyed, and at least one that I know of was moved to a new location.  Click here for the one about the house that was moved from that location.

Anyway, the other day I discovered these flowers growing in those old vacant house lots:

These are known as Crinum Stars and Stripes Lilies.

They were popping up and blooming in various locations throughout those vacant lots...

growing where once old houses had stood, and 19th Century homemakers had planted the seeds (or bulbs in this case) of these lilies to beautify their gardens and enjoy each spring.  

And as I thrilled to the beauty of each blossom in the various places, I thought about those dear women now long gone, and wondered what their lives had been like and what they must've thought about when they planted their flowers and tended their gardens.

I'm sure that not one of them ever imagined that over 100 years later some woman like me would come along and notice their flowers still faithfully popping up through the soil and blooming right where they had planted them so many years ago.

I also enjoyed the view from where their houses once stood, and admired this beautiful huge Magnolia tree, which has also been sending out its gorgeous blossoms for the past several weeks for all to enjoy.

Of course, years ago when they built their homes here and planted their gardens and raised their children on this land, they never could've imagined that one day there would be a busy highway where once their front (or back) yards had been...as a matter of fact, when their homes were first built there still wasn't any such thing as motorized vehicles...just horses and carriages trotting down the narrow streets.

Oh, there was a train track across the street from their houses, which is now the walking trail we walk upon, and it brought people into their little town every day. (and took them away again!)

There's still LOTS of this coral vine blooming everywhere those houses once stood too...

A lovely reminder of what once was in days of yore.

All of this flower talk today has made me think a lot about what we are planting in our lives...what kinds of seeds have we planted in the lives of others...perhaps dreams and words of encouragement and hope, words of faith and salvation to those who will believe...and will those seeds continue to grow and flourish long after we have gone? Will there be any remnant of what we planted and nourished in the lives of our children, our grandchildren, or perhaps friends, other family members, neighbors, co-workers, people we have met and cared for?

In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus teaches the parable about planting seeds in the different types of soil,  which is also about teaching the Word of God.  And then in 1 Corinthians 3:6, the Apostle Paul says:

 " I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.",

which means that we plant the seed, others come along and water the seed after we've done our part in planting it, and God is the one who will reap the harvest in due time.  But if we don't plant the seeds of faith in those we love and care about, there will be nothing to water and nothing to harvest.  There won't be any beautiful flowers blooming that we left behind us after we are gone. Something to think about on this Pentecost Sunday. 

I apologize if this post was too long or rambly, but it's just things that came to my mind today and I wanted to share them with you...and perhaps plant some seeds of thought in your heart and mind as well about the legacy we are leaving behind us. It's never too late to plant some seeds!! Who knows? They may still be blooming 100 years after we are long gone from this earth! Think about it!!

Here's another link about that location where we like to walk

This is a link to a post I wrote about Pentecost Sunday many years ago

Another Link: The Rushing Mighty Wind