Friday Foto Friends~Another Celebration!

Today was a fun day, as you can see by the Spring Bonnet on this Longhorn Steer...(no, we weren't at Longhorn's, but the Mason Jar, a more fun country place)

We met with family to celebrate the birthdays of my sister Doris and also her hubby Art, as they both were born on the same day (tomorrow), but 2 years apart!  This was my dessert...Cherry Cobbler! The other food was good too, but this was the only one that was picture worthy. LOL.

Here's the birthday couple now...

You may wonder about the daffodils...well, the family tradition was that our mother always baked my sister an Angel Food Cake for her birthday, and when we were little we lived on a farm in Pennsylvania, and the daffodils were usually blooming for her April 5th birthday, so my mother would always pick a little bouquet and put them in a little vase in the center hole of the Angel Food Cake.

Doris wanted us to see that she was actually wearing a shirt with daffodils on it!  Anyway, in the past years since our mother died, I took up the tradtion of baking an angel food cake for Doris and putting the daffodils in the center. Sadly, here in Florida, where we moved to when we were still children, there were never any fresh daffodils available since they don't grow in Florida.  We would always search for potted plants of them to use, but most often they would come out earlier in March and not be still available in April. So, I have had to resort to using silk daffodils.  This year, since we were eating at a restaurant and not at my home, I didn't bake a cake, but brought the daffodils for her anyway. It's a family tradition!

Among some other things, I gave Doris this solar light hummingbird wind chime for her garden. She has a beautiful flower garden and all kinds of lovely things in it, so this will just be a nice addition.  Art got a gift card and a book of crossword puzzles, which he loves and does all the time.

So here's Art and Doris, my "little big sister", since she is littler than me, but is still my big sister, and yours truly.  It's nice that the Mason Jar has a covered front porch where we could sit and visit after we ate.

Also hubby and his brother Billy and his wife Peggy came and joined in the fun!

These pictures are not quite as clear (not my camera! LOL) But here is Doris, me, hubby, and Art.

And here's me, hubby, Billy, Peggy, and Art.

We had a great time and it was well worth the hour + drive to meet them there, which is a kind of half way mark for all of us.

Not to change the subject, but I was happy to see these fall mums making a comeback in my front yard! I always celebrate when any flower grows!!

I was also happy to see this Hippeastrum growing in the front yard, which was something that was a surprise to me last year when I first saw it. Apparently it traveled over from our neighbor's yard on that side of the house, as she also has some of those growing. I know I didn't plant it! It was gift!

This may be the first post in a long while that doesn't have any pictures of our wild kingdom. I thought I would give it a break and do different things. However, an update is important, I know.  To answer your questions that I can hear you asking:, No, those people have NOT yet come and picked up the Muscovy ducks or Blackie Sue.  I've been wavering back and forth on whether or not to let them take her, and if they don't hurry and come it will be a moot point as she will probably have her kittens somewhere in the woods and I will see them whenever she is ready to bring them to me.  I am leaving it in God's hands.  He knows what is best for the kitty and kittens and also for me.  So I will just have to wait and see how it all turns out.  If they come and can catch her, she will go with them. If they don't come soon enough, she will stay here and we will make the best of it.   May God's will be done.  However, I definitely DO want them to take those ducks! They are about to drive me nuts! LOL.

Now, that being said (without any pictures! LOL), let's move on to something else, shall we?   I never got around to posting these pictures last week. Last Saturday hubby and I traveled up to see where our son Benton was setting up a booth at a special community celebration at the Keystone Heights  Airport. We didn't know just what all was going on, and especially did not know there was going to be an antique car show going on there at the same time!  I basically said HI to Benton, and then went and looked at all the cars! I love classic cars and enjoy looking at them anytime I can. I know our friend Barb from My Journal Memories, and her honey Gary will enjoy these pictures, as I know they are also big classic car buffs!  So here you go...these are the ones I enjoyed the most...

55 Thunderbird!

GTO

Studebaker!

It's a 1950 Studebaker, which makes it the same age as me!!!!!

Roadrunner?

Mustang

Yes, I did say hello to Benton! LOL.

And all the great planters he is making. He will be selling them again tomorrow at another location!

Camaro SS

GTO

Another Thunderbird

Chevelle SS

Oldsmobile and another Roadster

Another Chevelle SS

Chevy Truck...Year?

Bet you can't guess what this one is...

Yep, it's a Packard!

That Roadster.

a souped up Ford Falcon

A souped up Ford Roadster

That Ford Falcon again

Dodge Truck

Firebird

Firebird

That Dodge truck again

That Ford Falcon

Corvette

Chevy Truck

55 Chevrolet

As we were leaving to go home, we saw more coming in for the day. We didn't know it was going to be such a big deal or we would've planned to stay longer, but we had things to do. Still it was fun and we enjoyed it. I hope you did too. How many cars did you recognize?


Well friends, it's getting late and I need to wrap this up. Tomorrow is another day, filled with hope and blessings as we put our trust in the Lord.  Here is the verse for the day from one of my devotional readings:

Romans 15:13  NKJV

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 

that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

May you also be filled with joy and peace and hope, by the power of the Holy Spirit and from the God of hope Himself. Amen!

Good Night!!

Wednesday Treasures~It's April!

How about we start out this first Wednesday in April post with some Sand Hill Crane Colts Cuteness Overload?

Trumpet says, "That sounds like a great idea to me!"

Now I know which one is "Spring"...she chooses the flower garden to take her afternoon rest...

At 90 degrees in the shade, I can't say as I blame her...

What a beautiful picture of "Spring"....

Trumpet says, "Hey! What about ME?  Aren't I cute sitting here on my haunches in the shade too?"

Yes,, Trumpet, you are very cute too...looks like you are either typing on your computer or playing the piano this those long fingers...

"I guess I'd better get up and go see where Mom and Dad went..."

"I think they went this way..."

Somehow Spring decided to go for a quick swim and cool off, and then she wondered where everyone else was and why weren't they following her??

"Hey, y'all! You ought to come down here where the water is cool and refreshing!"

"Where'd everyone go???"

"Hey! Save some food for me!"

"Whew! I thought everyone had gone off and left me!"

Mama said, "You gotta stay close to me little ones...I will keep you safe AND show you where the good food is."

Hooray...everyone is safe and sound and happy again.

Meanwhile, our saga with the Muscovy ducks continues...they have found a nice cool spot to spend the hot afternoon, in the shade on the other side of Still Waters Pond.

The folks who came to try and capture them and take them home with them were not successful yesterday, as the ducks stayed over there on the other side, but they showed back up in our yard later in the evening when no one was available to catch them.

However, we've discovered that they have created a nest under our porch, and now have 4 eggs. The people who came to try and catch them said the ducks are all females, so the eggs aren't fertilized. I guess they would be good to eat...but...I'm not quite brave enough to try...however, if they keep laying more eggs I may have to think about that. It went from two to four overnight...

And our sweet Blackie Sue watches all the excitement around her, but she continues to get more rotund with child every day...and I really am not so sure that it is in hers or our best interest to keep her here for the "blessed event".  I was literally praying about this overnight the other night, and asking the Lord to give me some kind of peace of mind about what to do.  We are not really "equipped" to handle multiple kittens here at our house and there are too many predators around who could harm them outside on our porch...

And then this dear lady, who is the same one who is trying to capture the ducks (with her husband), said that she loves cats and has a good place for them, and that she would be very happy to take Blackie Sue home with her and keep her through the birth and care of her babies, and then at the appropriate time she would get Blackie Sue "fixed", and also take care of the kittens and find homes for them! I told her she was an answer to prayer and a miracle in my estimation.

So while they were here trying to catch the ducks, we decided that she would go ahead and take Blackie Sue home with her now as she is thinking that Blackie Sue is getting pretty close to delivery...so she scooped her up and took her to their car and tried to put her in a cat carrier, but it was a little too small for Blackie Sue, and she squirmed and managed to escape from our friend's arms and refused to be caught again...

And so she is still here with us, as are the ducks. They won't be coming back until possibly tomorrow to try again...

And meanwhile, I am having 2nd thoughts about letting Blackie Sue go home with her. I know that once that happens she will most likely NOT come back here to live as she will then be used to living indoors and we are not in a position to have indoor cats here.

And although I haven't asked Sunshine what HE thinks about that idea (I still can't wrap my head around Sunshine being a "HE", and possibly the father of her babies...)

I am very mindful of the fact that these two are very fond of each other and I think they would each miss the other if they were separated.  Do you think cats have those kinds of feelings?  I'm not that much of a cat "expert" (that's pretty obvious I guess!)  but I am conscious of their affection for one another and I just think Sunshine would be very lonely without Blackie Sue.  

And maybe I would be too.

So I continue to pray, and I have also put out a box on the porch, with a sheet in it and some old chair cushions under the sheet, in the possibility that Blackie Sue could go into labor sooner than we think. I don't know if she will go in there or not, but at least I am making the effort. 

Some of who who are more experienced in these matters may have some better advice for me. I'm all ears.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and little prayers for this situation. I just want to do what is best for all concerned.

Okay, NOW, it IS April already, and of course that means it is time for the roll call of the calendars!  Here you go:

This one is in my bathroom, and I love the view of the picnic table on the shore of that beautiful lake in the sunset.  I can just envision sitting there with my hubby and enjoying watching the sunset together as we have our evening supper or just sit there and relax...if only there weren't any bugs...

This is the John Sloane Country Seasons painting for April! "Spring Market Day".   I love the old Trolley /street car, don't you?  Have you ever ridden on one?  My father grew up in Crafton, PA., which is a suburb of Pittsburgh.  They used to ride the streetcar down town. And then before my mother met my father, she lived in Crafton with her older sister for a while, and she actually met my father's sister at the streetcar stop in their neighborhood, and they became friends, and one thing led to another, and my mother was introduced to my father by his sister, who later became my Aunt Marion, and they lived happily ever after.  In case you've missed that story before, you can read all about it HERE.

Next comes the Thomas Kinkade calendar, which is in my hubby's bathroom.  We were both looking at this one today, and remarking about how interesting this "Spanish Cafe'" is.  There is SO much detail in this painting, I could look at it all day and still see new things.  I love the verses on this calendar also:

And this is the Teapot Calendar...I love this pretty dainty rosebud teapot and set.  

Interesting and fun quote:

What do you do when you're "freaked out?"  Drink tea? Hmmm, well, I do find it comforting.

Okay, I love this Susan Branch calendar for April...

And my pretty songbird has come out with her Spring Bonnet on...I can hear her singing already...

Here's some thoughts for today from God's Word, The Bible:

John 3:8 New King James Version

8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, 

but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. 

So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Well, my friends, Oh, I almost forgot!  Hubby's eye appointment yesterday went extremely well. He is doing so well that the doctor doesn't want to see him for 6 months! He told him that he was "lucky" that the eye condition that he has has not worsened and seems to be doing well.  My hubby told him that he is not lucky, but blessed. And that's the truth! We praise the Lord for this wonderful news, as the eye condition that he has could mean further surgery on his cornea, and that would be much more involved, but the doctor doesn't seem to think it is going to be necessary, at least not anytime soon, so we are very very thankful! So Praise the Lord for this answer to prayer!

We have an Administrative Board meeting at church tonight in a little while, so I need to get a move on. We need to be there since I am the Secretary and hubby is the Chairman of the Board. LOL.

I'll be back soon, and hope to get around to visiting you all soon...but I'm way behind because it seems like I spend a lot of time watching the birds and the cats and doing other things.  So bear with me. Hopefully things will calm down soon.

Bye for now dear friends.