“You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you.“
Nehemiah 9:6 (ESV)
Pam had to wake me up for this one last week, but I am so glad she did. Her words were, “I think the sunrise will be spectacular and I don’t want you to miss it”. She was correct and I didn’t miss it! I ran out wearing only a tee shirt and sweat pants and it was 29 degrees. 30 minutes later I returned to the house and discovered I was freezing. I think the beauty of the morning was such a joy that I didn’t realize how cold it was!
There is something special about first light where there is a period of 5 or 10 minutes at most that is like no other moment in the entire day. This shag bark hickory looks its very best in the moment!
Last Sunday when I mentioned the yellow bellied sapsucker I had no idea I would get the fun responses that came in. This magnolia in our yard is not far from the snowball that has been getting all the woodpecker attention lately. This tree is over 40 years old, and looking at all these sap wells, I am amazed that the tree is alive and seemingly well! No doubt the sapsuckers have spent a lot of time through the years doing their work in the magnolia!
A more economical method, with today’s gas prices as they are, is to pull your camper with a bicycle. The owner was in the back and appeared to be having supper so I did not drop by and interrupt. I truly wanted to get the story. This was in the late evening near our house and I understand he spent the night in the area. To my surprise, I came up behind him the next day about 12 miles from here traveling in the right lane along a major traffic corridor in town. I still don’t know his story. Everyone has a story (and usually many stories)!
I suppose this could be called the family tree. A pleasant February evening made for a fun time in the garden after an outdoor meal on the patio. Everyone, including their mom and dad, enjoyed Chick-fil-A and other treats, and later…
…it was time to hang out by the fire and roast marshmallows. I had everything ready to go and waiting!
Legend has it that Cherokee Princess Noccalula took a leap into the gorge after her father ordered her to marry a man she did not love. Whether true or myth, Noccalula has her statue near the falls that bears her name.
I encountered a number of trees down across the trail when I hiked recently. A little inconvenient to go under or around, but not nearly as much of a problem as it would have been to be on the trail when they were falling!
Heavenly bamboo is not a bamboo at all but a species of Nandina. It grows in mountain valleys and ravines and seems to be thriving along the gorge trail. The berries look nice, but it is best to look and not touch as these harmless looking little red things are quite toxic. Based on what I can determine, this plant is an invasive in Alabama and a number of states.
Fly fishing below the falls requires some work just to get there. The water has to be very cold, but a pair of good waders is the ticket. I didn’t see him catch anything, but this guy seemed to be an experienced fisherman!
Resurrection ferns growing on trees received a lot of attention and comments some weeks back. Ferns grow very well on rocks too!
The trunk of a tree, over a period of many years, has wrapped itself around a rock as if to reach down and pick it up. I believe the tree has a firm grip. It appears a “tree seamstress” sewed a hem around the edge!
Our good friend Martha gave us a winter honeysuckle a couple of years ago. I had never heard of a “winter” honeysuckle. Honeysuckle normally blooms in May I said. What do I know! I think I did damage the first season by accident with the weed eater, but it is in full recovery. PJ decided to get a nice photo, as we were excited about the blooms and resurgence. While observing the honeysuckle, another exciting thing appeared…
…a honey bee, in February, gathering pollen from honeysuckle blooms. Actually there were several bees. Who would’ve thought! God’s resilient creation!
Pam also discovered a sweet fragrance in the air near the bush, which made it an even better experience. My ability to smell has been limited since the virus of 2020, but I have a good imagination!
“I need neither pen nor paper to write a love story!”
~Butch Richardson
This past week in 2015, we celebrated our anniversary at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee. A beautiful snow blanketed the area on our second day!
What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours. Daffodils, coming of age, Sunday through Wednesday afternoon last week…left to right, top to bottom.
This weekend the moon was full. It was called the full snow moon. This looks like a full moon, but is actually the sun, just before sunset one day last week. The thin clouds created a strange glow and halo that produced a weird lighting effect, almost haunting as it dropped behind this lone tree. Definitely not my usual sunset pic!
Have a wonderful week!
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
I’m glad you shared the name of the moon — I hadn’t looked it up yet but it was beautiful. No snow here in Michigan, though (at least in my part of Michigan.) Normally in February there would be plenty. Love your daffs but my favorite photo in this series is the three little ones in the tree. That’s just really beautiful.
No snow in Michigan is a surprise. Maybe the snow will stay away and allow spring to come soon up your way. Thanks Jeanie for your comments and have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Anniversary blessings to you and Pam! The signs of spring are so inspiring!!
Thanks for the anniversary wish Rita, and we hope spring starts showing itself in WV soon. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
The moon was stunning last night with the clear sky. It’s cold here and the snow is pretty much gone due to rain earlier this week. We have a few bulbs showing. Ewady for apring here.
Thank you Linda. It was clear for us too so we enjoyed the moon. Rain on top of snow can be messy and I’m sure you are ready for spring. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Sunday mornings are the best! Love you both!
Thank you Martha. We love you and I hope you are happy I have saved the honeysuckle. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Your pictures today are so peaceful and as usual you have an eye for the unusual, the tree hugging the rock spoke to me. As we live we must gather the hard to love to ourselves. The grands are easy to love and having all three in the branches of the crêpe myrtle is better than the lights (which I love) it is a crêpe myrtle isn’t it? The fly fisherman had more nerve than I do. Looks dangerous. Here not a single bulb has stuck it head out of the ground. All the snow has melted and today we have a fire warning because winds of 40 to 50 mph are expected. I’ll be staying inside. Blessing to you on this Sunday.
Yes HAPPY ANNIVERSARY❣️
Alice, we do love our “family tree” and had a memorable evening with the grands. Colorado sure has extremes this time of year…from snow to fire warnings. Every place has weather that from time to time will be challenging and dangerous. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
I love the scripture you shared today!
The trio in the tree is an adorable picture. Sounds like a fun family evening.
So glad to see your anniversary dessert. I know you have had a fun week reminiscing about your anniversary.
I hope my daffodils will start opening. I have a whole bed of bulbs up but only three blooms.
Have a great new week. Bonnie
Well Bonnie you are such a southerner compared to where we are I’m surprised your bulbs aren’t in full bloom. We did have a fun week but I didn’t get a bite of that dessert, my fault entirely though. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
The sunrise photo was worth getting up for, so beautiful! I am seeing daffodils everywhere and yesterday I saw pink buds sprouting on a tree, it won’t be long until it’s in full bloom. Love the lights in your family tree, what a fun family dinner on the patio with Chick Fila, a fire pit, and marshmallows! I can’t believe the fisherman in that cold rushing water, that’s too crazy! Happy Anniversary Pam and Butch! It looks like mild temps this week, enjoy!
Jenna, thank you for the anniversary wish. We were down your way on Friday and spotted some tulip trees and possibly a red bud that were putting on some pink. 70’s the next few days will bring it on. Enjoy your week!
Butch and Pam
The family tree is adorable! Sounds like everyone had fun. You have a wonderful back yard space for relaxing. Happy 51st Anniversary! The sunrise was indeed magnificent! The sunset and full moon are so beautiful. Our daffodils are in full bloom also. The tree rock shows how adaptable tree roots can be. They do look like a seamstress did a few stitches on it! The falls are gorgeous. Have a great Sunday! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. Those 3 in that tree did make an otherwise bare tree
adorable. We appreciate the anniversary wish. I hope I can continue to be motivated to get going before daylight so I don’t miss anything. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
As always you capture nature so beautifully. Love the family tree just adorable. We are setting records up here in the midwest for the warmest February on record. We are having the southern winter temps like you. Loving every day it happens for us. We have our Robins coming out and the daffodils popping up here early with these warm temps. We are not going to get to cocky with this weather because we still have March and April to get through and we can get snow then. Happy Sunday. Have a beautiful new week. Hugs. Kris
Kris, I’m sure you will likely get a bit more winter but every nice day you have is one less bad weather day and one day closer to spring. A large number of robins were in our yard today. They just sit and look at each other. I guess that’s really early for daffodils where you are. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Congratulations on your Wedding Anniversary! Adorable Grands and beautiful photos. Have a lovely week ahead.
Thank you Maristella, for you kind comments and the anniversary thoughts. Have a lovely week as well!
Butch and Pam
When the Lord beckons and we answer without hesitation, there comes the reward; hence, your
gift of a brilliant sunrise. Just love the bright family tree lit up by bright offspring. Your wonder
of nature is so palpable, Butch, that so many lessons are learned through you each Sunday. I would
also like to meet up with that biker with the camper… there’s a great story there. A very blessed
51st anniversary to our beloved Pam and you, so fittingly topped with sweetness on a plate.
The gathering around the fire, toasting marshmallows with Family (while perhaps joining in song)
seems like a fitting antidote to the cell phone preoccupation dilemma these days. A blessed Sabbath
to all.
Mary…such wise words you share, “cell phone preoccupation dilemma. Thanks for the anniversary wish, it was a sweet occasion even though I chose not to touch the dessert. Several people around the area saw the bike-camper and it stirred up conversation. I so wish now I had sought to get his story. Have a fabulous week!
Butch and Pam
Happy 51st Anniversary! We need a good Latin horticultural name for a tree full of grandchildren! Chick-Fil-A and a firepit sounds like a perfect time. The sunrise photos were beautiful. I worked with a great guy at Clemson who always said “if God wanted me to see a sunrise, He would have made it later in the day”! My pups make sure I see every sunrise!
Thank you Roxanne for the anniversary wish and I got a chuckle from your Clemson co-worker’s quote. I’ll try to come up with some “binomial nomenclature” for that tree. That might be fun to think on. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
So enjoyed this trek through the woods with you and Pam this Monday morning. I also love capturing those little incidental surprises of nature such as the root with a perfect hem. We have enjoyed seeing the large snow moon through the upper arch of our master bedroom each evening as it tracked to the east. It was like a spotlight. I look forward to another visit next Sunday.
Thank you Elizabeth, so glad you did visit. Sounds like you have an awesome viewing spot for the evening sky. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
There is so much to love here! My heart is overflowing with words–and I don’t know best how to say them all! The family tree was my favorite, of course. God’s spectacular sunrise, the moon, honeysuckle, the Indian Princess–oh, how I love how you capture the world around you and share the beauty with us! Happy Anniversary to the coolest Christian couple I know (besides my parents, tee hee)! You are truly the bees’ knees to me! I love you all and send you blessings and prayers every day. Even if I can’t respond to your comments after your comment to me, know that you’re in my heart daily!! Love, Karla💛🙏🐝🌕🌄
Your prayers, wishes and comments are so appreciated Karla. And you have a wonderful way with words, you say things quite well. You are in our prayers. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Hello Friends, I always enjoy seeing your weekly pictures. But first… Happy Anniversary. The dessert looked tasty! I hope you had a wonderful day.
My favorite was the family tree picture. Then to have the family gathered around the fire pit with s’mores had to be an absolute delight!
The bee picture was wonderful too!
By the way Butch. My friend lost her taste and smell for 3 years after Covid. However, she heard a story on the news where Doctors from the Cleveland Clinic were doing a procedure with some sort of shots on both sides of the neck. She went to see if she was a candidate and sure enough she was. She had the procedure and thank the good Lord, she can smell and taste now. I found it to be a miracle!
Have a lovely week my friends.
Thank you so much Nancy. I don’t know if I would go for shots in the neck. Doesn’t sound so pleasant but I’m glad that worked for her. We appreciate your anniversary wish and we did have a very good day. Hope you enjoy a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Anniversary Butch and Pam! Such a lovely post with stories and nature photos. I love them all and of course your grands are darling and I love my favorite flower, the daffs! Have a wonderful week…….
Thanks Emily for the anniversary wish and your kind comments. I’ll bet the daffodils are in full force down your way. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Always a pleasure Pam and Butch for yet another Sunday of beautiful pics. Happy Anniversary dear friends. Blessings always
Thank you Kari. Anniversaries are supposed to be a year apart but seem to come so much faster than that. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Anniversary Pam and Butch – it looks like a wonderful time with the family tree and Chick FilA and roasted marshmallows! That sunrise was truly spectacular and the sunset equally so just in a very different way – it looks like something you would see on Halloween. I too would love to hear the story about the man whose bicycle is pulling the camper – I’m sure it’s an interesting one. The daffodils are lovely and I’m so glad spring is in the air for you. We have a month or two left here to get through. Wishing you both a wonderful week!
Kim, so good to read your comments today, I’m a little behind. I know you are probably ready for spring. It was 78 here today but we will have more cold days and often frost in April. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Struggling with a little bit of envy over that firepit area – it looks so inviting. Love the pic of your grand-blessings in the family tree. God bless and keep you and yours.
Thank you so much Cindie. We did enjoy that family tree. Praying you have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Reading about your family times in the Sunshine Cottage, your beautiful yard, or around the fire pit always warms my heart. God has richly blessed you. It is such a blessing to come here to catch up with your wonderful posts and I always leave refreshed in spirit.
Thank you Cheryl for your kind comments. It’s much cooler today and a fire this evening might feel good. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam