Everyday Living

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 607

~ Independence Day, July 4, Simple + Southern Sunday

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭67‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The 99 year old Memorial Bridge serves as the perfect spot to display two very large American flags. The flags, put in place mid-week, are part of this weekends Freedom Fest. I happened along just as crews finished hanging the flags so I eased out on a public pier to get a photo. Our city, like hundreds across the nation, had a well planned celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The bridge was closed to traffic early last night as crews prepared for a large fireworks show to be set in motion from atop the bridge. I imagine there were plenty of similar activities in your neck of the woods!READ MORE

The Early Summer Garden

~ Flowers, Gardening, Summer

Hello and welcome friends! Can you believe this is the last day of June and 2026 is half over?

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.””
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭91‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭(ESV‬‬)

I would invite you to talk a walk in the garden, but with a temperature of 96+ and heat index values of 105 to 109, I advise staying inside with the AC and scrolling through the photos and reading the commentary in comfort!

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago. Now the sunflowers are so tall that we need a ladder to cut the blooms! A blog post with sunflowers and zinnias will hopefully be coming mid-July! Friends who visit often ask what kind of tree has the purple spike blooms. The Chaste (Vitex) tree is constantly buzzing with bees and hummingbirds visit often as well!READ MORE

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 606

~ Aerial Photogaphy, Holidays, Independence Day, July 4, Simple + Southern Sunday

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This old dead tree near the river behind the house is not such a bad thing to have in the landscape, at least not if you are a Bald Eagle. It is a thrill to have America’s National Bird visiting and flying over our place from time to time. Still an amazing sight to me each and every time I see one. One was circling over the highway directly over my truck as I drove through town last week and I parked and watched until it was beyond my vision. It has been 15 years since the first time I saw a Bald Eagle while standing in our back yard. I’m always looking up!READ MORE