Everyday Living

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 414

~ Autumn, Fall, Simple + Southern Sunday, Wildflowers

β€œBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5:22-23‬ ‭

I took a couple of early morning walks last week, starting before sunup. This particular day was rewarding in several ways. The sunrise was awesome as you can see. There were turkeys roosting in the trees and they were very vocal while preparing to fly down and begin searching for breakfast. Geese were honking along  the river just beyond the trees. I was so enjoying the morning, and without noticing, I walked right up on a skunk…only a few feet away. He never knew I was there and I was able to back away slowly without getting sprayed. Another reward indeed!

Autumn fire sedum has been a very good choice for an area of the garden. It is a stylish plant in the summer and the autumn color speaks for itself! Can a plant have style? Maybe architecturally interesting is a better description.

Deciduous hardwoods and other plants get a lot of credit for fall color, and rightly so. But pines certainly bring some nice changes as older growth needles have served their time!
 

Your majesty, the goldenrod…

…I warned in a previous post there would be more goldenrod. I can’t help myself. It is a favorite of mine and October is the prime month!

This little man loves dirt, grass, and anything with wheels. It is very special for me to play in the dirt with WL…exactly like I played with his daddy. These toys were his daddy’s and now they belong to another generation! (I never throw away anything).

You may remember the chicks and the new coop that I showed in a post a few months ago. Patience is paying off as our son and daughter-in-love now keep us supplied with fresh eggs. Not only are they pretty, there is a noticeable difference in the taste. They are just better than store bought!

One of my jogging routes offers some really nice scenes like this one, and…

…a truly diverse flora and fauna. This looks like bushy bluestem. It is native to our region and sometimes planted as an ornamental. There is a lot of it growing around the lake and I noticed it also in the landscaping near the parking area. 

Let me just say, I have to appreciate this truck owner for two reasons. He or she did not run over me, and, if you zoom in, there is a tribute and thanks to a dad who helped with the project. And “love you dad” is proudly displayed. Respect!

Without fail I get out in the fall and enjoy taking pics at various stages of growth in nearby cotton fields. Some fields have been harvested but most are not quite ready. Many of our readers that live in cooler climates where cotton cannot grow, share with us that they enjoy seeing these seemingly endless fields of white, not something they’ve witnessed except in photos. 
 

It is beautiful, and to me an unusual plant if I think about it. All those useful fibers! Versatile too. Make a shirt or clean out your ears!

Rough blazing star is a native wildflower that we are glad to have around. October is the month we see monarch butterflies as they make their way south and west. They really like this plant. So far, we have not seen a single monarch in our garden. I have seen a few along my jogging and hiking trail but not at our place. With cooler than normal nights this weekend, I am wondering if we will be visited by any monarchs? We will keep watch.

I have my weird favorites and also my own names for many plants and animals (as well as people, all nice of course). I call this an Alabama Aspen. It is the nearest thing we have in my opinion. Same genus as the aspen! I am glad this old eastern cottonwood was spared when the nearby interstate was built. 

Cosmos is another butterfly favorite, especially monarchs. We planted cosmos early in a planned raised bed area and it was nice for a while, but really did not do that well. But over the past few weeks, cosmos has popped up in a spot where we did not intentionally plant it! I think maybe we need to plant a little later in the season next time.
 

A pleasant ending to a beautiful fall day as the fading sunlight filters through the willows and grasses along Weiss Lake!

The hunter’s moon was dominating the evening sky last night so I had to slide this in the post last minute. Officially a full moon today with peak illumination at 4:54 P.M. Eastern. With clear skies predicted the next few days, we should have several great evenings for viewing.

Wishing all of you a pleasant day and a wonderful week!

 

”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,

Comments

  1. I love your moon shot! Just beautiful. I forgot to look last night and this morning at five it was so low at treetop level it was hard to see. I won’t forget tonight.
    Wyatt is adorable playing in the dirt with his Daddy’s trucks. It is special to save toys for the next generation. I saved quite a few and it gave me great pleasure to see the grands play with them.
    Fresh farm eggs do taste far better than store bought. There is a distinct difference in taste.
    I look forward to seeing the cotton fields. Unfortunately the fields near our home have been developed into subdivisions so I will have to drive out further in the country to see cotton growing.
    Have a great week.

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  2. Beginning my Sundays with you is such a treat. The eggs are as I see on my daughter’s farm and you are right about their being so good. Happy Sunday.

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  5. Pam I know you are happy about Butch not getting skunked!
    Good Morning Friends.
    Another wonderful Sunday Morning stroll. I enjoyed seeing WL playing with his Daddy’s toys. So heartwarming. I enjoyed seeing your moon… it was on display early this morning through our bedroom window. It lit up the room and night.
    Oh how I love fresh eggs. There is nothing like them. They taste better and they are so golden. How lucky you are.
    Thank you for a lovely Sunday Morning! Enjoy your day!

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  7. I always enjoy my virtual Sunday nature walks Butch, you have such gratitude for Mother Nature’s creations and you find beauty in everything. I too saved special toys from my children’s childhood and yes, it is very special to see the grands playing with them! WL is adorable, those eyes! I did see the incredible moon last night and will be looking for it again tonight. White cotton fields are one of my favorite sights in Fall too. I’ve never had fresh eggs, what a treat they must be. Enjoy this beautiful Sunday!
    Jenna

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    • Thank you, Jenna. I can never get enough of cotton fields in the fall. Fresh eggs are amazing. I recently made a pound cake and banana pudding with fresh eggs. I could really taste the difference!
      Pam

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  8. What peaceful and beautiful post… Yes, God is good! Precious Wyatt! Thank you for your friendship and encouragement, my dear friends…

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  10. Butch and Pam, Lovely Fall shots; always love the nature ones. Wyatt looks very happy with his surroundings. It’s great you saved the toys. Thank goodness you were able to back away from the skunk. I remember tent camping many years ago with a skunk visiting on the other side of the tent! We were never more still and escaped the spray as well. Cotton fields ready for harvest are a glorious sight that I shall never grow tired of seeing! Thanks for the moon shots; we’ll have to remember to go outside and observe the Hunter’s Moon. Enjoy this wonderful Fall day! Clara❀️

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  11. dear friends… Your posts are really educational, I, at least, am from a real city, I love knowing about the beauty of the countryside and its fruits and flowers… Everything you show is beautiful, I love it…
    The one I love and I got a surprise, he is your grandson… what a handsome boy!!! he is beautiful and with such beautiful eyes !!!! I love it…Of course, with so many new things in my life: the broken shoulder, the change of city and house, and all the things that surround these events, I have lost a bit of recent life. Now I’m fine, I can’t ask for more…
    A big hug

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    • Dolores, estoy tan feliz de que hayas superado todo lo que ha cambiado en tu vida. Nuestro nieto tiene 17 meses y es muy dulce. Estamos muy agradecidos por nuestros tres nietos. Β‘CuΓ­date, amigo mΓ­o! Enviando amor, Pam

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  13. Oh Butch, I feel so in tune with God’s nature through your photos and observations each Sabbath. Darling
    Wyatt looks so intent on commandeering his “wheels” Wouldn’t he just glory in having a replica of that red
    monster made possible for another devotee by his Dad. Memories are revived by the sedum and goldenrod
    and I’m fascinated by the bushy bluestem. Would love to live in close proximity to a cotton field… our house
    would be covered in cotton boll wreaths…. I envy you your before sun-up ability to get moving….no wonder
    you just about miss nothing. A blessed Sabbath gratitude to you and our beloved Pam.

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  14. Hello from Canada.
    I just so respect your healthy lifestyle…appreciating nature, all things beautiful, and your faith. You glow in your photo.
    Gwedhen Nicholas.

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  16. Happy Sunday, Butch and Pam! The opening photo of the sunrise is beautiful as well as the Hunters moon. We just came back from an evening walk, and the moon is gorgeous tonight. Wyatt looks like he is having so much fun. Those blue eyes are beautiful! I’m glad the skunk didn’t see you. That would have been awful. Wishing you both a blessed week ahead!

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  18. Your country photos are a pleasure to look at and are uplifting. Fall is certainly here. How wonderful to have fresh eggs. I never tire of seeing a beautiful sunrise or sunset. thanks for this lovely post.

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  19. Oh my goodness – I am so glad the skunk didn’t see you Butch. Indeed a reward indeed lol. Its a very cute picture of Wyatt playing in the dirt with his daddy’s toys – he sure is a handsome little man! Love the sky shots, and I’d never heard of a Hunter’s moon before. Very cool. I love the cotton fields and I hope the monarch’s are just late this year. Wishing you both a wonderful week!

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  20. Good morning, Pam and Butch. As usual I am late, too much going on here. Anyway, love all the photos, and of course, your little man is my favorite. The blue eyes just capture your heart.
    Have a beautiful week – we are shades of autumn here. Hope you are too!

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  21. Thank you for the beautiful sitings along your walking paths!! I’ve seen a few monarchs here in North Texas but mostly they are outside flying while I am work (whaaa!). A couple have wandered into our yard and I do have a couple of butterfly bushes, but they are still babies. Hoping next year they will really attract the butterflies! We do get evening moths, though.

    Loved the moon this week, too, during my early before-school walks,
    Fall hugs to you both,
    Barb πŸ™‚

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