“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Romans 12:1-2
A quiet beach in February will transform into a busy and fun place in a few weeks. Some warm sunshine will help!
A very realistic mural got our attention in a rural Florida town. Parking in some of these spots might make you feel like you were in danger of being hit by a train!
Is anyone ready for winter and rain (and snow for many of you) to give way to days where we can enjoy having a meal in a spot like this?
A priceless expression!
Probably not the best selection for a zero carb program but sometimes you need a break!
We recently were able to stop by Butch’s great grandparents home place in the Florida panhandle. The 40 acre tract remains in the family and holds a lot of memories!
Azaleas are already in full bloom in Florida and parts of South Alabama.
In simpler times…does anyone have memories of wooden eggs being placed in the corn crib or chicken coop in order to get rid of what we always called “chicken snakes”? My (Butch) grandfather on a number of occasions took me with him to find snakes in this building that had swallowed whole wooden eggs thinking they were the real thing.
The camellia at the corner of the porch is very big and has been there since we were much younger! Hurricane Michael did a lot of damage even in Washington County, Florida. Many trees were down including a tree across this camellia but somehow it managed to survive. Butch’s sister, along with a little help, was able to clean up some of the storm’s debris.
After attending a beautiful wedding earlier in the day, we were treated to a gorgeous Florida gulf coast sunset.
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Dwellings-Heart of Your Home, Stone Gable, Confessions of a Plate Addict, Worthing Court, Between Naps on the Porch, Cedar Hill Farmhouse, A Stroll Thru Life, Katherines Corner, Petit Haus, Follow The Yellow Brick Home, Love Of Home, Celebrating Everyday Life, Little Farmstead, Rustic & Refined, The Freckled Rose, Life and Linda, DIY 180, Celebrate & Decorate, Me and My Captain, Shabby Fufu, Designthusiasm, Imparting Grace, Calypso in the Country
The old part of Florida in the Panhandle is so beautiful (my mother was born there). Pam, notaries in S.C. are allowed to perform marriages. My sister married her first couple on the beach yesterday in Charleston! She told the couple even though it was a civil ceremony, she would not do it unless she was allowed to pray for their union. Princess Ella Mae looks wise beyond her years! ?. Have a wonderful week!
Roxanne, the panhandle is very beautiful. I didn’t know that a notary could perform a wedding ceremony in SC. I am so glad she was allowed to pray. We have dangerous flooding in our county and surrounding counties. In my lifetime, I never remember so much rain.
Glad you were able to visit family in the panhandle and attend a wedding. It’s a shame there was no sun for you. Such a beautiful sunset. The azaleas and camellias are beautiful. Our azaleas are opening also. It seems very early this year.
That picture of Ella Mae is beautiful.
I’m up early this morning. Our security alarm went off at 4:30. It was pouring down rain and the front door blew open. Somebody forgot to lock the door!
Have a wonderful Sunday. I know your anniversary dinner was delicious.
Bonnie, we have sunshine this morning! What a blessing after all the torrential rains. How frightening for your alarm to go off in the middle of night. Our dinner was outstanding, Happy Sunday!
Happy Sunday Pam, enjoy the sunshine and your anniversary weekend! Ella Mae is looking quite sassy! Glad you enjoyed your trip to the coast, I’m heading down next weekend for Mardi Gras fun 🙂
Jenna
Jenna, it is so good to see the sun this morning! Thanks and enjoy your day!
What lovely photos, Pam. I’ve never been to the Gulf Coast of Fla., but spent many days on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. I am sure the deep south is about to explode in spring gorgeousness. The red Camellia is stunning.
The photo of Ella Mae is beautiful. The child certainly speaks with her beautiful eyes. And your sunset is gorgeous, as always. You do have a way with them.
Wishing you a lovely day, enjoy your blue skies.
Thanks so much Sandra! Wishing you a wonderful day!
Good morning Pam, The sun is shining & it’s truly a blessing after so much rain. The family homestead brings wonderful memories flooding back for those of us who experienced special memories of grandparents who raised a garden, had chickens, etc. Fresh chicken & eggs when I was EM’s age didn’t come from the grocery store as my grandma lived with us! Ella Mae has the sweetest face & the cutest little dress (the elbow hearts are precious). We have some blooms (daffodils, etc) but the azaleas & camellias in you photos are gorgeous! As usual your photos are wonderful & I do so enjoy them as they are so uplifting especially with the Bible verses! Glad you are going to have a sunny day for one day of your anniversary weekend. Perfect for riding the back roads and listening to Bread! Happy Sunday! Clara ?
Clara, I just read your precious comment to Butch! You are always so encouraging as are all our readers. I so appreciate that you notice the smallest detail, like the heart on the elbows of Ella Mae’s dress. Thank you for being a faithful follower of our little blog. I always look forward to every visit. Have a wonderful week❤️
Little EM – “Trailing in clouds of glory does she come from God, Who is our home”. .such
a wise angel….. Thank you for another profound Sabbath scriptural message, Pam. Praising
Him for the shining sun and receding waters. Butch’s family homestead looks like a prime candidate for sensitive restoration and frequent reoccupation by vacationing Family…..perfect
size….exquisite camellias already established.
You are so sweet! The sun and wind was a real blessing today. Butch’s sister has a real interest in the restoration of the old home. She and Butch have inherited it and the surrounding 40 acres. She has done a lot of clean up around it. Have a wonderful week!
Beautiful pictures and words. I know exactly where that mural is! You probably came right by my house on your way down. The old homeplace pictures are the best. I love places like that. Thank you for sharing.
Deb, I am so glad you commented. It is so interesting that we probably passed your home! Blessings❤️
My mother fed snakes alabaster eggs and we would find them in the spring with the egg that we would put back in the nest for the next unsuspecting snake. I had to feed the chickens in the morning. Mother didn’t want the king snake hurt but the dang snake hung out in the little building where she kept the chicken feed. I was always afraid the king snake would drop down from the celling or be curled up inside the feed sack. ️Yikes, I still feel the fear. Let me change the subjec? Miss Ella Mae is a beauty with a Mona Lisa smile and happy twinkling eyes. Can you guest what she’s thinking?
Alice, I read your comments to Butch about the alabaster eggs. I would have been so scared, I got scared just reading about the king snake hanging out in the little building. I am terrified of any snake. Thank you for your sweet comments about Ella Mae!
King snakes aren’t poisonous however they are still snakes.? They are called King snakes because they kill other snakes and thats the reason my mother didn’t want anyone to hurt him.
Obviously a good snake, but they all scare me! Butch can identify snakes, I can’t. So I am fearful of them. We have sun for the second day in a row! Have a wonderful week!
Love that FL sunset! EM looks so mature in that photo! I always thought her looks favored you guys, but now I see her mom in her! She’s beautiful, love those expressive eyes!
Thank you Rita! She is so much fun!
Wonderful pictures of the old homestead. Great memories to cherish as you go back and visit. The azaleas and camellias are so beautiful. Ella Mae just steals the show. What a blessing! We actually had sunshine this morning but there is so much flooding and landslides. Some roads will be closed for months.
Thank you Dianne. I am so sorry about your beautiful area being hit with floods and landslides. Our beautiful city is experiencing flooding from the Coosa River that runs through the middle of town. We were spared tornadoes last night which was a big blessing. Hugs❤️
I am thrilled you still have your husband’s rich family history still in the family. Beautiful memories go along with your beautiful captures! I bet Ella Mae had fun at the wedding!
Yes, he has so many memories as a child visiting his great grand parents in that old house that looked so different than now!
Gorgeous flowers,stunning sunset and adorable Ella Mae!Blessings,dear friends!
Have a joy-filled week, Maristella!
Ella Mae is growing up. She’s lost her ‘baby’ face and now looks like a little girl. She’s so pretty.
Late afternoon/evening on the Gulf coast is my favorite time of day…when the water turns that beautiful shade of pale aqua.
Thank you Mildred! Ella Mae has grown too quickly. Have a joy-filled week!
Interesting photos, I love old photos that bring back memories and provoke a serene smile.
In Madrid we have a beautiful time as if it were already spring. The cafes are full of people taking a snack in the sun … but … do not sing victory that in the month of March is when the weather gets angry and it usually snows … Yes, I said NEVAR … just like if it were the month of December.
I love that little lady called Ella Mae, she’s very pretty !!!
I’m glad you’ve had a beautiful weekend in all those places you’ve visited.
A hug
❤️
Oh, what a beautiful sunset! And, I loved seeing that old homeplace. Wouldn’t it be the neatest thing to restore that old house, if possible, and bring it back to its original beauty? I love old places like that and always wonder about the people who lived there. Thank you for sharing with us here! God bless you, sweet friend. 🙂
Cheryl, it is so neat that it belonged to Butch’s great-grand parents! God bless you my friend!
I do not know if the sale is repeated, but I have not seen my comment …
Interesting photos, I love old photos that bring back memories and provoke a serene smile.
In Madrid we have a beautiful time as if it were already spring. The cafes are full of people taking a snack in the sun … but … do not sing victory that in the month of March is when the weather gets angry and it usually snows … Yes, I said NEVAR … just like if it were the month of December.
I love that little lady called Ella Mae, she’s very pretty !!!
I’m glad you’ve had a beautiful weekend in all those places you’ve visited.
A hug
Estimados Dolores, gracias por visitarnos hoy! Los cafés suenan muy bien, ¡pero March no suena tan bien! ¡Ella Mae es muy divertida y trae mucha alegría! ¡Estamos emocionados de que su hermanita llegue a fines de marzo! Bendiciones y abrazos!
how time passes !!! … What an illusion to have a new granddaughter so soon. That tells us how time passes and to think that when we met there was still no Ella Mae !!!
Blessings
Dolores, ha sido una gran bendición que hayamos conocido! ¿Recuerdas cuando fue? ¡Has sido como un amigo por correspondencia, y ha sido maravilloso conocerte! ❤️ abrazos
Beautiful photos Pam. ♥
Blessings to you,
Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer! Have a great week❤️
As always I leave so inspired and smiling, loved the scripture, photos, and the wonderful stories, especially the adventures you and Butch have shared, sounds like some of mine and my Dh,
Have a blessed week,
Sue
Thank you Sue. Have a joy-filled week!
My camellias are very tough too. It’s nice the old family home has been preserved. That’s a beautiful photograph of Ella Mae, would look good over a fireplace.
Thank you Cath! Have a wonderful week!
It’s lovely. And I’m glad you had a little getaway for the wedding. I always get to your Sundays, even if it’s Tuesday!
Thank you Jeanie. I am always glad to see you whenever it is, I totally understand!
What beautiful pictures Pam…and of course Ella Mae gets cuter and cuter if that is possible. Each time I see her, I see a new sparkle in her eyes. What a joy for you and Butch. Tell Butch I have been around and raised chickens all my life and if it wasn’t the bull snakes in the chicken house, it was the fox. We had grey foxes in the mountains of New Mexico which can also climb trees, apparently the red fox (which we also had) can not. LOL
Bull snakes tend to look like rattle snakes and can also give off that rattle by rubbing their tails on dry grass. I don’t care for any kind of snake and I especially wouldn’t want them to show up unexpected.
So glad for your trip to the panhandle…although it is still at least 8 hours away from where we live in the Cape…it is still on our wonderful coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Love your sunset pic with the steeple and beautiful ocean in the frame. Blessings dear friend.
Thanks Kari, what interesting info. I haven’t ever heard of a bull snake, but they sound scary. Actually all snakes scare me?. We enjoyed our quick visit to the Panhandle. Ella Mae is pure joy! Wishing you a good week sweet friend!
This is beautiful, Pam. I just love seeing your beautiful messages and photography. I am a gulf coast fan, and my family and I love the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area. We really enjoy the antique shopping in Foley too. We are so hungry for the beach, as we are landlocked in Missouri, (and right now it is snowing again. ugh) Thanks so much for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things!
Thank you so much Pam. The Alabama and Gulf Coast beaches are the best. Foley has wonderful antiques and so does Fairhope if you get a chance to visit. Have a wonderful week!