Wednesday "Treasures"

I'll start off this post with a teaser...guess what I watched today? 

Yes, you probably guessed it..."Downton Abbey, the New Era"...I watched it on Prime Video while I still have it.

It took a while to really get into it, but the final last twenty minutes or so brought everything together and it left me sniffling while I watched. That's all I'll say in case you haven't seen it yet.

I'm sorry I've been a bit awol this week here in blogland. Just haven't really felt up to par for about a week, and trying to keep up with everything going on either at home, church or at Dixie Cottage has kept me hopping as well as dragging. But today I just had to say "that's enough!" I need a day to just rest and do whatever I feel like doing or not doing.  Watching the Downton Abbey movie was a good therapy.

We've been trying to take more walks since it has been a little bit cooler, and seeing all the lovely fall wildflowers is always a treat. That bumblebee above kept buzzing in my face, so that is why that is blurry.

I just love all the purplish pinks and yellow wildflowers right now. They always make me smile.

And if you look closely, you will see some pretty orange and yellow leaves in amongst the green on this tree. Yes, we do get some colorful leaves here in Florida...you just have to look for them.

And speaking of Dixie Cottage, here's a few photos of some new items in and around the store that I don't think you've seen before...we have been getting some new vendors and they bring in some very interesting things...

I love this little decorated hand mirror...

And this is a lovely sea shell and butterflies vanity dish

I am tempted to take this little tiny chest of drawers home with me and put it in the guest room. I just am really attracted to it, with all of its shabby chic-ness.

This happens to be another of our friend Barbara's cross stitch pictures. "Never enough Thyme"...

And it is true..."Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful."  I mean...who among us has a perfect life?  Life is really what we make of it...it's all about the heart and the attitude of the heart...and that is what can make our lives wonderful...especially when we have Jesus living in our hearts.

Oh, we just added another new vendor, "Gussied Up" is the name...and I love how they (there are two ladies working together) have "gussied up" lots of special items to re-create them into beautiful new gifts...

I am having difficulty staying away from these things...

There's just so much new stuff to love here!

Some people have asked about having items shipped to them. Of course we'd be happy to do it, but the cost of postage/shipping is so high that it might make things become cost prohibitive.  I guess it would depend on how much someone really wanted the item!

But I guess it would still be less expensive than having to make a trip to visit Dixie Cottage in person! LOL. Of course, then you've have the added pleasure of getting to meet me in person! LOL. The pleasure would be all mine, I assure you!  I love how many people have already passed through here. It's been really a lot of fun.

So  I guess I will close with that for tonight.  If you want to get all "gussied up" and come on over for a visit, I would always be so happy to see you. You really don't even have to "gussy up" to come. Come as you are...that's how you'll find me.  

If you are feeling kind of weary and burdened with life right now, and we all do now and then because of the fast pace of this world...Jesus has an invitation for you:

Matthew 11:28-30

28 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I find these words comforting today. How about you?

 

Friday Fotos - A Lovely Day on Still Waters Pond

Psalm 113: 1-3

1.  Praise the Lord!

Pale Meadow beauty https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-rhexia-mariana/

Praise, O servants of the Lord,

Marsh Pink - https://flawildflowers.org/flower-friday-sabatia-grandiflora/

 Praise the name of the Lord!

 2.  Blessed be the name of the Lord

Pineland Heliotrope http://hawthornhillwildflowers.blogspot.com/2010/01/pineland-heliotrope-heliotropium.html Update, we now think this is St. John's Wort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypericum

 From this time forth and forevermore!

Florida Swamp Sunflower http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/bakerco/2017/11/13/species-spotlight-swamp-sunflower/

 3.  From the rising of the sun to its going down

 The Lord's name is to be praised."

The flowers above were from my early morning walk around the edge of Still Waters Pond. As you can see from above, the wildflowers were so lovely, I just had to pick a few and bring their sunshine inside with me to enjoy all day long.  I believe the wildflowers were created by God, to show forth their praise to God all day long.

So that is how I started my day. I really can't think of any better way, than to rejoice in God's beauty that is all around us...we just have to have eyes to see and a heart to appreciate His glory.

This afternoon I decided to sit outside in the shady garden beside the pond and read my new book for a while. It was so peaceful and beautiful, listening to the birds sing and the squirrels chatter in the trees above me.

Suddenly there was a flurry of bird activity, and this lovely Blue Jay flew into the bird bath to get a little drink.

I was surprised that he came so close while I was sitting nearby. Aren't his back feathers just gorgeous?

And then, much to my continued surprise, the Blue Jay disappeared, and this beautiful red male Cardinal flew in so that he could also get a drink. It has been so dry here lately, I am sure all the critters are thirsty.

Isn't he beautiful?

I think he is trying to pose just like that red poinsettia beside the birdbath. They certainly could be "twins". LOL.

I looked up in the tree above because I kept hearing something scratching around on the tree limb...and who do you suppose was up there watching me?  Yep...that same pesky squirrel (or one of his family members) who was scolding me yesterday morning for not having the right kind of birdseed for his breakfast!  He's still miffed at me because I haven't gotten anything different yet...so he's keeping a close watch on me!

 I hated to go back inside, but unfortunately "a little birdie in the sky almost threw "whitewash" in my eye"...but thankfully, but not really too thankfully, it landed on my open book...So I had to go inside and clean up the page before it soaked in and ruined my nice new book!! I guess I will have to make sure the umbrella is over me and my book next time. LOL

This morning we did actually go do some shopping in the "big city" next to us. (Not really a big city, but much bigger than where we live.) We went to "Ollies", where you get good stuff cheap, so they say...
And actually, they did have some good bargains. Like this beautiful new garden flag for $3.99. I love its vibrant colors and patriotic theme with Memorial Day and 4th of July coming up, so I couldn't resist.

And then I saw this one! Wow! I love that scene. My dream scene...sadly I don't think our pond will ever quite look like that, especially now as it is SO dry. If we don't get any rain soon, we will just have a bunch of dead lily pads in a mud bog.  But this flag cheered me up and made me smile.

 And since I haven't been shopping in over two months, I decided that I deserved to buy myself this little treat, especially since it was such a bargain!

I also picked up another "bargain"...these rubber boots so that I can go tromping around the pond in the dewy mornings a little better.

 And just as I was taking that picture of my new boots, we heard the Sand Hill Cranes fly in and land somewhere on the other side of our little island.

As you can see in this picture above, it is practically all dry all the way to the island now, but I still can't walk on it as it will sink down into muck...and I am not that game just yet... (Please pray for rain!! We need rain so badly! I'd gladly sacrifice my excursion to the island to have water back in the pond again.)

But, with my new rubber boots, which I quickly jumped into, I was able to walk around the edge of the pond to see the other side of the island...and there they were!!!!

We have noticed that the Sand Hill Cranes have been flying in each evening and flying out in the mornings.  So apparently they are making this their nighttime headquarters for now.  They are standing on a marshy area on the other side of the little island, and I am sure they feel safe there away from predators for the night.

 Here I am in my new boots on the dry pond shore...

After that little adventure, I turned around and climbed back up the bank to our back yard.   Very peaceful in the evenings,

with a nice breeze once the sun goes behind the trees and slowly sinks down into the western sky.

 And another surprise! As I sat there watching the sun setting and enjoying such a lovely breeze, someone plopped down in the chair next to me and enjoyed the sunset and cool evening with me! Now that was a pleasant surprise for certain!

And as we sat there we discovered that we weren't alone...there was a lone opossum making her way across the dry pond bed...

So we sat and watched as she explored a little while, and then she headed back for the bank and we decided it must be time for us to go in too if the night critters were already coming out!

Again...a perfect ending to a perfectly Lovely Day.

"From the rising of the sun to its going down, 

The Lord's name is to be praised!"

Psalm 113:3

(Written on Thursday evening for Friday Fotos!  I am looking forward to seeing what you have been seeing this week!)

Mid-Week Breath of Fresh Air

 Remember a few weeks ago when these trees looked like this? 

And the blossoms looked like this:

And then they looked like this:

Well now they look like this:

And the myriads of blossoms now look like this:

Yes, those are tiny little wild plums forming where the blossoms once were! What an amazing transformation in such a little amount of time!

The picture doesn't do it justice...but all of those wild plum trees that were once covered with so many blossoms are now covered with pretty green leaves and tiny little plums popping out all over!  If the birds and squirrels don't eat them all up first, I just may have to go pick some this summer and make some wild plum jam! We shall see how energetic I am at that time.  If it is anything like when I make wild grape jam from our wild grapevines, I may reconsider! It was fun, but a LOT of work for not much jam!

Here's a few fruitful thoughts from God's Word, The Bible:

Colossians 1:10 (NKJV)

10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

John 15:16  (NKJV)

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Galatians 5:22-23  (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Matthew 7:17-20  (NKJV)

17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Switching gears for a minute here...I discovered these lovely flowers while walking in our usual walking place...and I had to find out what they were. There aren't very many of them, but those that are blooming are so beautiful:

Have you ever seen this before?

Well, after doing my research, I have discovered that this is what's commonly known as "Lady Lupine", or Lupinus Villosus  Here is a  link to a website that has a nice article about it http://www.flwildflowers.com/gallery/  (you just have to scroll down a ways to find this particular flower)  It is apparently related to the Texas Bluebonnet! I didn't know that!!

I brought some home with me and it is actually starting to bloom. But according to the articles I read, it can't be transplanted, so I guess I will just have to enjoy it while it lasts.

Matthew 6:28-34

28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Hmmm, those verses must be for me, as I am preparing for my upcoming surgery in about a week and a half. I had my pre-op appointment with the surgeon yesterday afternoon, and went over all the details and particulars regarding the surgery and what to expect. I wouldn't be human if I didn't admit that I have a few concerns about this, but these verses remind me that our heavenly Father knows all about what I need...and that I do not need to worry. I know He has me covered and that He will take care of everything. So I am going to just keep living each day as it comes, and trust God for tomorrow.

A little levity here:  As most of you know, we celebrated my hubby's birthday this past week. If you are a Facebook friend, you may have already seen this picture of my hubby with his favorite birthday gift:

Yes, it is a new toilet seat.  But not just any toilet seat...This is a "No Slam, Never Loosens" toilet seat! Something my hubby has been asking for because, well, he doesn't like a toilet seat that slams down...when least expected.   So, this gift was much appreciated. He also received some other nice gifts, but none as exciting as this! LOL.

We also had some fun visiting with my hubby's brother and family on President's Day, when we met them at a restaurant for lunch and to continue celebrating my hubby's birthday.  Here's a few fun pictures of their family, doing what they do...just being family and having fun:

 Our niece Shannon decided it would be fun to give her Dad, my husband's brother, a new hairdo. (No, he doesn't usually wear his hair like that)


 Then she decided to give her brother Nicholaus a similar hairdo:
 While her mother watched

and laughed.  I guess we didn't think about the issues of styling hair at the table and the ramifications of that while it was happening. But thankfully we were already done with our meal and the food and plates were already gone.   "Teen-agers!" was all I could say. LOL.

Here's the budding hair stylist. (Below left) I guess she takes after her grandmother (a.k.a. "Nanny") in more than one way. Nanny was a hair stylist for over 50 years. And Shannon actually looks a lot like her grandmother at this age...Although in this picture below on the right of Nanny, she was probably 10 years older than what Shannon is today, but there is definitely a close resemblance.

(and btw, Shannon plans to be a lawyer, not a beautician. I'm sure she will do quite well no matter what she decides to do in life).

And in this picture of "Nanny", she was actually carrying my hubby: 

So that makes this photo an appropriate birthday picture for my hubby...just a little "premature look" at his beginning of life!

Okay, I guess this is a good place to end this "Mid-Week Breath of Fresh Air".  Tomorrow will be another busy and wonderful day. Having some other friends/neighbors from our old neighborhood coming to visit, and they are also bringing lunch! Wow!!! We sure are blessed with friends "old and new". I think we are having an early St. Patrick's Day meal: Corned Beef and Cabbage, and all the trimmings! Should be wonderful! 

This will most likely be my last round of company for a while. I need to settle down and get ready for March 2nd. But it sure has been fun having  family and friends get together!

"God is so good...He's so good to me."  

Oh, well, what's a few more pictures?  I may not be writing as much the rest of the week, so I might as well share these with you. All the while I was writing the above post, I kept looking out my window above my desk and couldn't help but see the changing of the skies and sunset every few minutes.  So, I kept running in and out of the house, taking pictures of the sunset as it was changing. So I apologize if this has all seemed like I was distracted while writing. I was. God paints the most amazing sunsets in His skies! They are never the same, and I just have to stand in awe and give Him Glory!!

 Even the clouds were beautiful...

And then they transformed into this:

Okay, that's the grand finale for tonight. I hope you enjoyed this magnificent sunset with me.

Good Night dear friends.

May tomorrow be sunny and bright and beautiful wherever you are.