“The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,”
Psalm 33:13-14 ESV
A true sign that summer is upon us…freshly mown hay, baled, and ready to be stored for the coming winter.
June is the first month of meteorological summer and the sky these days is a good indicator of the season. I will admit however, that our temps so far have been below normal with cool nights and pleasant days…at least until this weekend when 90 degree days arrived!
This is a portion of what keeps me very busy many months of the year. When I am complaining about it in my thoughts, I quickly remind myself that this is a choice, and I am the one who keeps adding on and coming up with new projects!
This fungi caught my eye from a distance due to its bright coral color and the fact that everything else around was a mixture of gray and brown. I hiked up a fairly steep hill to check it out. One of the neatest looking mushrooms I have seen in a while. I believe it belongs to a family called bracket polypores.
God seemed to have placed one of His rainbows directly over our garden last week. I could move around and view it from different locations and have it appear as if it ended in the top of one of our crepe myrtles. I suppose I had hoped for a pot of gold to be left in the top of the tree, but I found nothing but an old bird nest!
EK loves to serve PJ when she visits her house. This cake never dries out or spoils and has zero calories. Wonderful imaginations can make hanging out with the grands very interesting, and quite funny at times!
Coming up, I thought I would feature a few of what I am calling:
Current Bloomers…
Greater Tickseed is a native coreopsis which is plentiful in our area. Bees and butterflies love it and the seeds attract birds, providing food for fall and even winter.
Growing near, and sometimes among the tickseed is another native, the well known Black-eyed Susan. The stamen is really brown, but the name comes from a poem written about two flowers in the 1600’s…”Sweet William’s Farewell to Black-ey’d Susan”. The name stuck, and is still in use today. Like the coreopsis, the seeds are a good source of food for birds during colder months.
One of the nearby rural roadsides has a long stretch of purple that hopefully will not fall to the mowers. The state is currently mowing along our state highway but I do believe the phlox will survive!
I spotted yucca along another rural stretch of road. The plant found a safe place to thrive between the shoulder of the road and a corn field. I hear folks call this Adam’s needle. Looking at the ends of those stiff fronds, I believe the name is fitting!
Now how about this bright yellow bloomer, complete with a critter inside! Any guess as to what this flower is? I think I will mention it at the end of the post, but don’t peek!
Last, but not least of the selected current bloomers is elderberry. Elderberry is wild and abundant, especially along creek and stream banks, ditches, and other places where moisture is retained.
Elderberry is considered by many people to have very positive health and medicinal value. What are your thoughts? Maybe you take elderberry as a supplement?
I am probably the only person who finds it interesting and intriguing to observe the random way that a number of trees and limbs fall over time and form something like this. There were several hollow logs and burrows under the debris that seem to be home to animals of some sort. Worn trails and tracks give away their hiding places!
Today’s throwback is from June, one year ago. Our first ever visit to High Falls, not that far from our home in northeast Alabama!
The cottage garden is attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. I need to wait patiently and still near a planter like this one to get a pic of an “always on the move” hummer! They seem to like these colors.
A Weiss Lake, Lookout Mountain sunset is never disappointing!
The bright yellow bloomer seen earlier is…crooked neck squash. Was it a trick question? Not expecting a vegetable garden bloom?
Have a blessed first full week of June! Can you believe we are there already?
”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 Linda
Looking at all your pics is aLovely way for me to start my day
I am so glad you enjoyed, Gail.
Pam
Butch and Pam, first, I can’t believe how EM is growing like everything beautiful around you! The aerial view of your homestead gave me tears. There’s so much of God’s beauty around you and THROUGH all of you. It just touches my soul. I find beauty in the fallen limbs and disarray of logs and such. Often, especially when I was a regular hiker 🥹, I’d wonder what creature was taking up residence in the complete ecosystem leftover by a storm. What seems a mess, might be the perfect place. I take elderberry and it’s sad I’m just seeing it’s beauty! It gives me an idea. I have a TINY garden. Itty bitty. I grew marigolds in my little hydroponics and transplanted them in my little garden. I need to research elderberry and where and how to grow it! I pray for you both every morning, just as this morning. May God continue to give us all healing and the eyes and hearts to allow his grace and will to be carried out with confidence and faith! Love me and Finley 🌱🪴💐💚🙏🏻🐾🌎
Karla, thank you for sharing sweet thoughts. Hiking is a wonderful way to see how God’s creation survives and thrives. We have prayed for you this morning, dear one 🩷🙏🏻🐿️🎶🙌🏻🥰🌺🌸💛
It’s my blessing. Thank you, Pam. I know I’ll be hiking one day, again, pain free! I get giddy over what’s waiting! I love you!! Thank you for praying always. 🙏🏻💕💐💛🌸🌿🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Yes, you will hike again, pain free!
Beautiful Beautiful !!!! Love the aerial view! Your gardens must be so wonderful to stroll through. Have a great and blessed week!
Thank you, Shirley!
Pam
Good morning, dear friends. Butch’ Sunday post is always a treat, and this one is no exception. And the photo of EK is precious. Love to all.
Thank you, Patti. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Pam
Such beautiful flowers. I too like to see the interesting shapes in the mundane like fallen logs. I took a photo of a mushroom some years ago that I love so much, I framed it for my kitchen! Yours is stunning.
Thank you, Carole. What a neat idea to frame the photo of your mushroom!
Pam
I wasn’t expecting a squash blossom so I hadn’t recognized it. You are sneaky sometimes. I like that you see things many of us miss like the den in the hollowed out logs that God provided a home for an unknown little animal that He made. When we moved to our current home there were two large elderberry bushes. My husband made elderberry wine. Can’t say I was a par taker but he enjoyed it. Miss EK strikes a lovely pose in her pretty dress and ribbon.
We’ve had rain for a couple of weeks causing Colorado to become lush with tall green grass. For a minute I’ll enjoy the green.
Thank you, Alice. Enjoy all of the green color!
Pam
You have beautiful landscaping and I always love seeing the hay bales. My aunt and uncle baled hay for a living and it always reminds me of the two of them working on tractors in rural Arkansas. EK is a cutie and she had already learned to be a great hostess with calorie free cake! With the temps rising, the falls look so inviting. Have a great week! Clara ❤️
I love the smell of freshly mown hay. Yes, it was hot yesterday and today. Wishing you a lovely week, Clara ♥️
EK is so sweet. Love all the new bloomers. Your pics just make me smile. Have a beautiful start to the new week. Hugs. Kris
Thanks so much, Kris. EK is a sweetheart 🩷
Pam
Sunday’s tutorials never disappoint. We are also now surrounded by baled hay…
Cheered by your rainbow and colorful mushroom…Lucky PJ to be lovingly hostessed by EK… Thanks to daily Elderberry syrup over the years, I never catch
colds/flu and COVID never crossed this threshold. Highly recommend. I had not seen the plant, which is reminiscent of Queen Anne’s Lace. Must find some to sow. With the promise of 90 temps, joining those young’uns at the foot of the falls might be tempting. The aerial shot of your domain confirms the detailed planning, labor and creation of your beautiful surroundings. Now that is one piece of property on the Monopoly board for which I would vie. Karla so eloquently expresses shared love and caring and I join you all in today’s prayer for one another. Shabbat Shalom…
Mary, you are precious. Thank you for your prayers!
Pam
Hey, I love that hay. Smells so good all the day.
Yes, it does!
Gorgeous sunset, rainbow, waterfall, flowers and EK, she looks absolutely adorable! Nature is in full bloom! The squash bloom is my favorite of all your flower photos this week. I just drove in from the beach and it’s always a shock to see all the beautiful lush green trees after looking at water and sand for 10 days 😂 I think our summer temps have arrived!
I know you enjoyed your beach time, Jenna. We do live in a beautiful area of green mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and rivers!
Pam
So very lovely! I enjoyed every bit. The aerial view of your gardens is something else! And seeing EK always brings me a smile.
Happy New Week to you both!
Thank you, Nancy! Happy New Week to you!
Pam
I failed Butch’s test…I thought it was a daylily bloom! And I never knew a plant I see often is elderberry!! Everything looks so neat and tidy with the drone shot. EK is just adorable, and I love her dress. The gorgeous cool weather here in the South is causing summer to sneak up on me. I am amazed at the things already in full bloom and all the hay being baled. Hope you two have a splendid week!
Summer came into full swing this weekend with temps around 90. Elderberry has a beautiful bloom. Thank you, Roxanne.
Pam
Happy Sunday Pam The flowers are beautiful E K is an adorable server.
Marilyn,Joan and Marion
Pam Happy Sunday The flowers are beautiful . E K is an adorable server
Marilyn,Joan and Marion MarionMPC@aol.com
Thanks you sweet ladies 🩷
Pam
EK is so sweet with her cake and tea/coffee cup! Love EK’s little dress too! The nature pictures are such lovely memories as the seasons change!
Thanks so much, Mary. EK loves wearing dresses. Wishing you a wonder-filled week!
Thank you sweet friends for yet another of your delightful stories and photos. I look forward to them each Sunday. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get to the post, and the content is always a new adventure! I know that is because of the change of seasons and what is blooming at any given time….but I also know the effort involved and I thank you so much. I always love photos of the grands,,,they grow up so fast don’t they? The aerial photo is amazing. Everything is so neat and beautiful. Have a blessed week.
Thanks so much, Kari. There is much to discover in our Father’s world! Happy week to you!
Pam
When I first saw the photo of EK, I thought, “Who’s that?!” Oh my! Has she ever grown up. She’s definitely a little girl now — and a pretty one at that! What a lovely time.
Thank you, Jeanie. EK is 4 and EM is 7. Slow down time. Our baby WL is 2. Happy Monday’
I never in a million years would have guessed that the flower was from a squash! EK is really growing up – zero calorie cake is the best, I think. Love the aerial shot and those falls are gorgeous. Such a pretty sunset too. Thanks for all the lovely pics and have a wonderful week you two!
As always, thank you Kim for your sweet comments. Happy June!
It certainly is unbelievable that we are already in June! Christmas will be here before we know it. I praise God for every breath of life and to still be able to enjoy yet another new season being ushered in. He is so good!
Yes, God is so good and faithful! Amen!