September has arrived to open the door to autumn!
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
Ephesians 5:1-2
I understand photographers call this a lens flare. We just recognize it as God providing another awesome start to a new day. But the flare is a nice desirable feature in the world of photography, so we are told. It happened purely by accident and appeared in every pic taken at this moment and angle!
Cardinal flower enjoys moist areas and grows along the creek bank near our house. I try to search it out every year.
Field thistle has really made a showing this summer in a disturbed area that has a great variety of new growth. As I have pointed out in the past, the word “thistle” in a name throws up a caution flag for me. A close look at the plant and its leaves in this pic verifies why I feel this way!
Then this beautiful, appealing bloom appears on the thistle. I decided I would cut a few of these stems for PJ to use in a floral arrangement and surprise her with them. That’s when I learned the hard way that the needles all along the leaf edges will eat you up! I am choosing a nick-name for this one…Satan weed…since it is so alluring but will bite you in the end!
September morn…and a hike along the boardwalk within a nearby wildlife park. This is an aquatic environment as you can see. It offers a very different variety of flora and fauna than what we find only a few miles away in our fields and woods.
Only Winnie the Pooh can command such undivided concentration and attention from the Queen and Princess!
These orange mushrooms (Amanita) are common in moist areas of our yard but I don’t remember ever seeing one growing as if it is sprouting from the middle of a tea cup! I have seen pics of this particular variety but this is the first one I have found that looked exactly like this. Do you have these?
It is early September and a long way to peek color but we may be seeing a slight preview on these branches that are high above Little River! Hopefully we will have the opportunity to pass this way again in late October or early November.
I was on a road that I haven’t traveled in years and noticed this house so I turned around to make a pic. I would normally pass by and consider it just an old abandoned shack. That would be true, but I couldn’t help but wonder about the history, the story, the people that called this their home!
We have autumn fire sedum that I believe will soon burst forth in wonderful fall color. I am sure PJ will feature this in a garden post soon. But for now, the orange color is being provided by dozens of these “friendly” insects that have beady eyes and likely impressive stingers. I did not put this one to the test!
Taking a look back this week to 2013 and the ancient theatre in Ephesus, Turkey. The theatre was originally built in the 3rd century BC and was enlarged later by the Romans to the structure we see today. It could seat around 25,000. The verses at the top of this post are from a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians. His teaching caused quite a stir at a meeting in this theatre almost 2,000 years ago!
This egret was probably waiting on an unsuspecting fish. It makes sense to think that a bird that stands in shallow water likes fish…and they do. But these birds, herons and egrets, will eat amphibians as well as small mammals like mice and even squirrels. Herons and egrets belong to the same group of birds and I guess most people would say an egret is a type of heron. I say this is an egret mainly because of the black legs. The lighter color phase of herons have lighter colored legs.
I personally like to identify with the meteorological definition of autumn which means all of September. I believe the 3 month breakdown of the seasons better reveals what’s really going on outside, at least in our zone. I have always thought that sweet gum trees provide great fall color and typically a bit earlier than other trees. This one, spotted on yesterday’s hike, is giving us an early touch of autumn.
A peaceful and beautiful sky that gave way to clouds and rain as Hurricane Ida left devastation and loss in a path from the gulf coast all the way through New England. While we had only about 3 inches of rain from the storm, this was not the case for so many. Prayers for all those affected.
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Lind
That mushroom looks like a toy! Amazing. I have always wanted to see the ones with red tops and dots that you see in children’s books. They grow in England but were not in season when we were last there. Quite a treat for you! Great pix all around and story telling.
Thanks so much for your visit, Ruthie. Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Prayers go to those in the path of destruction from Ida. We are blessed so many times here in the Northeast corner of Florida to escape the path.
Thank you once again for the beautiful pics of God’s beautiful world, that bring information and wonderful memories.
I too wonder about abandoned old homes like that one when we drive state roads through Georgia to go to North Carolina.
Seeing your granddaughters watching Winnie the Poo brought back sweet memories of watching them with my oldest grandson. Those were his favorite. All the grandchildren had their own favorites. The Winnie the Poo guy who is now 30 will be getting married in October.😍
Nancy, congrats to your oldest grandson on his upcoming wedding. Happy Labor Day!
I have seen that kind of a mushroom but not growing like that… how cool!
Good Morning Friends!
Isn’t it something how the girls love their Winnie the Pooh! They are growing so quickly.
I enjoy all your beautiful pictures… and fall is starting to show up in your neck of the woods!
Enjoy this beautiful Sunday and Happy Labor Day!
Happy Sunday, Nancy. I am anticipating cooler weather and I can’t wait!
Pam and Butch, Your sunrise shot is glorious! The nature shots are so interesting. That mushroom is so perfectly formed. The girls are really concentrating on Winnie the Pooh. They’re so cute! Ephesus was such an archeological wonder to me. I loved the history and still have the little clay jars they gave us to fill with holy water near the area of where Mary spent her last days. As I recall that was somewhat shaded with trees whereas the city area was laid out like our modern metro areas. I loved the opportunity to see living history. The sunset shot is marvelous! Enjoy your day! Clara❤️
Clara, Ephesus is truly an archeological wonder. I would love to take a trip that involved Paul’s missionary journeys. ♥️
The thistles are beautiful, I’ve never seen one before, but ouch sorry about the prickles! We have leaves falling all over the place, seems early for that…the sunrise is beautiful, and the girls, as always, are adorable in their cute matching dresses. Happy September Pam and Butch!
Jenna
Thank you Jenna. Beware of thistles. Roll Tide!
Absolutely wild about that mushroom, which looks like a fairy house! I wish I had those in my yard! And what a beautiful egret. All lovely sights to begin my new week. Have a lovely one!
Thank you Jeanie and wishing you a lovely week!
If that is the resulting view, I wish you many flares…Just love that shot of your precious pumpkins mesmerized by the Pooh.
Butch’s photos never cease to amaze… the mushroom is almost unreal and the thistle deceivingly friendly in its beauty…
Butch’s naming it Satan weed is quite apt; a gotcha plant. I so enjoy the discovery his lessons convey. May this Sabbath bring a sense of peace and recovery from the dark happenings in so many corners of our world and a reaching out to help wherever we can….
Amen and amen! Thank you Mary and wishing you a blessed week!
I always love reading these Sunday posts and learn something new. Those little girls are adorable, and I can remember the days when Winnie the Pooh could command such attention around our house. Wishing you both a wonderful week ahead.
Thank you my friend. Happy Week to you!
Hello, Pam and Butch. What lovely photos and all so interesting. Oh, those girls, they are something beautiful in this world. Wishing all of you a wonderful and peaceful week ahead.
Thank you Sandra. Happy week to you and Mike!
Like everyone above, I am totally entranced by that mushroom! Such a sweet picture of the girls. I’ve seen many articles that say children who are read to from a very early age excel in school. We will continue to pray for those affected by Ida, what a terrible path of destruction.
They love their Peter Pan book and I enjoy reading to them!
Never seen that mushroom. Our 90 year old friend was hiking above Boulder and brought home three different varieties of mushroom last week, cooked them up and had them for lunch. He’s still living so I assume they weren’t poisonous . He showed us pictures of them in the pan and they did look delicious. Thistle has about taken over here. The only way they remove them here is by fencing in an area and bringing in the goats. The goats don’t say ouch!
Alice, your friend must be knowledgeable about mushrooms. I am not eating any foraged mushrooms, would be to scared they are poisonous. Happy Labor Day!
Do you find it interesting that goats are sent to eat the thistle? The satanic weed, being destroyed by the left, the goats.
Yes, very interesting!
Beautiful pictures,dear friends. Keep safe. Sending hugs and prayers.
Thank you dear one!
Wow! I almost missed this post, but so glad I’m taking time to read it today. The picture of the girls is absolutely beautiful, with the sunrise / sunset (? which) lens flare photo and aftermath of Ida just edging in behind as favorites this week. That old fixer upper is indeed interesting – what caught my attention was the modern utility hookup still attached to remnants of the wood, metal and stone structure. It was obviously a house that withstood many past generations of living. Thistle / satan weed – never knew it called by the latter, but it fits. So temptingly beautiful, yet so deceptively evil. Have a great week, Butch and Pam.
I always love your visits, Rita and your insights. I thought the tiny house was so interesting.
The lens flare is so neat! I love how God does things like that – we may not even see it at the time, but then later we look back and say, “Look at what God just did!” I’m so glad your sweet girls love Pooh! I believe with all my heart that Pooh and his friends instill great values in a child. So innocent and wholesome! Nothing like the trashy, mindless junk being produced today. God bless you all!
Many blessings and thank you, Cheryl!
That mushroom is amazing! It looks like a lawn ornament. LOL! All the pics and narration are wonderful. The queen and princess are growing so much and do really seem interested in Winnie the Pooh as so am I. 🙂
Thank you Lynda. Yes, we do love Winnie the Pooh!