“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.”
Psalm 62:8 (ESV)
Sunday greetings from our wildflower garden. There are no bad sunrises, however last week did not provide one that I wished to post. But, this very “sunny” black-eyed Susan definitely brightened up my morning…hopefully it will do the same for you!
These blooms remind me of the blooms on bristly locust, but this is a vine called Everlasting pea, or Sweet pea. While it is of the pea family (bristly locust is also), it is not anything to munch on unless you don’t mind getting sick. Some people plant it, but most consider it very invasive. This one was thriving out in the wild near a lake where I was utilizing a trail for a little exercise.
Blue violets are quite aggravating and grow where I wish they didn’t. They are hard to control and seemingly impossible to get rid of…so I was not surprised to discover this common blue violet growing in the forks of a tree!
Just another family celebrating Mother’s Day last Sunday at the lake.
Should you ever wonder what would make a guy who is most at home in the country, outdoors, hiking, working, driving a tractor or similar activities spend 3 hours on Saturday night at a ballet performance…this is it! And Pam was a very willing date for the evening! EM and EK have a special sway that can get me out of the woods and into the theatre!
On dress rehearsal day, our daughter-in-love brought the girls to the garden for a few photos. The theme for their performance this year is based on the children’s book, “The Secret Garden”, by Frances Hodgson Burnett. EM loves reading and has read the book. Pam and I decided to read the book so we could have conversations with Ella Mae about the story. It is a very sweet story.
EK loves to play in the garden, but was excited to be here for a different reason. This is Emma’s first year for ballet, and the garden seemed like a fitting place to pose for photos, given the recital is about a secret garden!
Our first milkweed (butterfly weed) of the season found in our pasture. A Monarch butterfly’s delight, but we don’t have any Monarchs around this time of year. The variation in color as the new blooms develop caught my eye from a distance. This has just begun to bloom over the last couple of days!
I’ve lost track of how many years this pine has lived growing in the midst of a crepe myrtle. I vowed I would leave it as long as it lived and take a photo of it each growing season. One thing I did note this year is that new growth is minimal. Could that be a sign? We shall see!
I spotted these Friday from across the river, but since I’m always in a hurry (for absolutely no reason), I didn’t take the time to investigate the situation. They had never been here before. I came up with the bright idea of taking Pam on date night, out on the water, and of course, finish with a nice meal. You see, there is a restaurant accessible from the water only a short paddle distance away. People drop by on their boats all the time. I really built it up as a Friday evening surprise. However (however’s are usually bad news), when we arrived, the paddle boat rentals were closed for the night. Pam made photos and we returned home and had pasta!
Pam took a photo of my hair one morning just minutes after I had gotten up. It looked a lot like this thistle, but I decided the thistle was more interesting. Is it any wonder that little thistles are popping up everywhere? Maybe not as numerous as cicadas, but the seeds of some thistles, carried by the wind, can remain viable in the soil for 20 years!
The last 5 times I have traveled a particular route in town along the river, a large hawk has been perched on this light pole over a 4 lane highway. I don’t know the attraction, but it must be food related. After seeing it several times, I decided to attempt a photo without getting myself run over or spooking the bird. I accomplished both!
Trading places! These two were back and forth constantly taking turns entering the bird house. I did not know they were here until this past week. The other nearby box has housed bluebirds, but I thought we had a vacancy at this one. This is a first for our backyard. We’ve only had bluebirds in our 2 boxes, designed with bluebirds in mind. I’m not an expert, but these look like tree swallows?? If so, I believe we are near the southern end of their normal breeding range.
Here’s a better look at coloring. The birds have pointed wings in flight and are very acrobatic. Do you think they are tree swallows??
I think this post has gone to the birds. This is my first hummer photo of the season. While not the first hummingbird to visit, it was my initial opportunity to catch one close enough and still enough to capture with a camera. The males come by early and move on it seems, while the ladies are around all summer. We had a male for a couple of days in April, but I’ve only seen girls so far this month. Pam says she appears to have only one wing, but be assured there were two!
Murals keep cropping up on buildings around town. I think talented people are doing some very nice things, giving their time to make old drab walls look great. A lot of neat scenes and buildings will often have poles, posts, and wires as part of the view. I wish that wasn’t so but it’s just part of everyday living.
No northern lights on this particular evening, but a very nice night none the less. Our nights are still cool and pleasant, but warm nights can’t be far off!
Praying you have a pleasant and peaceful 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,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
I enjoy these posts so much. The Scripture you share is very comforting. The photographs of nature are beautiful. Thank you! God bless!
So glad you enjoy the posts Mrs White. Scripture is definitely comforting, convicting too, but always good. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I love your Southern Sundays. The girls look adorable in their costumes. EM’s legs and arms are getting so beautifully long! The wildflowers look so pretty, and the milkweed and bristly locust are definite eyecatchers. Those violets must be put on earth just to challenge gardeners (same with the Canada geese, if you want my honest opinion).
I’ve read tree swallows will use the same front door opening as bluebirds, so given your beautiful landscape, it’s no surprise to me they moved into your property.
It’s heating up for us this week. I really want spring to last longer. I hope you all have a great week.
Thanks so much Rita. I think we will be hitting around the 90 degree mark some this week. Spring gets short changed sometimes. Good point about the violets and the geese. I like both but too many in the wrong place seems to be the problem. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday Butch and Pam! What beautiful settings for your two ballerinas!! Their costumes are so pretty.. When I think of all the recitals my dad patiently attended…makes me love him even more. I consulted my bird book who agreed that was a tree swallow. Our goslings finally hatched on the edge of the pond too. Excitement last night here in the country as we were “up on the road” as a police chase went roaring by! The bad guy went in one direction, nearly flipping over in our driveway and the 3 sheriff cars went the other direction. I called 911 and gave a blow by blow. One of the deputies came back by later and said it looked like Tallegeda Nights, then invited us on a Citizens Ride-a-Long! We are not used to such goings on out here in our woods!
Happy Sunday to you Roxanne and thanks for the swallow confirmation. We’ve not had any of your excitement in our woods and hopefully we will keep our action to wildlife and such. We did manage to hold out for the girls recital, about 3 hours, but they are precious. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Beauty in every picture and word. Your grands are growing so fast and EM’s legs are long and lean just what a ballerina needs to dance. EK holds position perfectly. Violets and sweet peas are one of my favorites. Living in the Wild West where they don’t take over our lawns is however another thing. There is that however. We do have Canadian geese. I love them too. One Sunday as I was going into church hundreds came flying over the mountains and landed in a field not far from the church. As we watched them a lone goose came squawking loudly searching for the group finding them grazing in the field. It made my heart sing for that lone goose. Where most squawk about them I find them beautiful. I always tell them to stay safe. Gods world is so beautiful.
Thank you Alice for your kind words. Agreed, creation is very beautiful. It can have it’s fury but all for a purpose for which we don’t always understand. EM is getting tall. Time marches on. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
The girls are absolutely beautiful ballerinas. Your wild flowers are gorgeous. Thanks for taking us along on your walk. Happy New Week. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris. We enjoyed watching the ballerinas last night. I planted another spot of wildflowers last month so maybe later in the season we will have some different ones to view. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday Pam and Butch! Your ballerinas are growing up, they look beautiful in their costumes. What a good idea taking pictures in your garden, which is so beautiful and that’s no secret! I always enjoy your bird captures, that’s funny how the hawk returns to the lamp post, I would think the road noise and cars would scare him. It’s too bad you didn’t get to go to dinner by “boat,” I would have loved to see photos of you two in those paddle boats! The final sunset is gorgeous. Have a great week!
Happy Sunday to you Jenna. Our daughter in love wanted pics in the garden and that worked really well with this year’s program story. That hawk was back on the post yesterday. Thanks for your comments and have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Your morning hair (and mine) look like thistle -hee hee
Gail, I decided to post a picture of the thistle rather than my morning hair in order not to chance scaring or offending everyone. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
The wildflowers of the garden and the two damsel dancers among them ~ enchanting.
Our imaginations are captured from the very start of your Sunday journey. Your observations
always seem to discern things that might often be unnoticed or overlooked, and in them
you give us such insights and lessons on the nature that surrounds us, Butch. How fortunate
you are to be so inclined and endowed… Wish we all had the first-hand experiences your
area provides and the Eden-like beauty found there…although you and Pam, in great measure,
contribute much to the whole of it. Thank you for another Sabbath blessing.
Thank you Mary. When I venture into the garden and look closely I find weeds, briers and even poison ivy. It reminds me of why those are there, the choices Adam and Eve made in Eden. The lesson I hope to learn is that it is far better to root out those undesirables early while small and the roots are still shallow. We pray you have a wonderful Sunday and a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Butch and Pam, I so enjoy your posts! The swan paddle boats look to be fun. I’ve been thinking swans of late after my Atlanta trip and visiting Swan House. Perhaps you should make one of these paddle boats for the girls.
I have to say the photos of the girls in their ballerina attire made me want to spend a few hours watching these girls dance. How adorable!
Loved seeing the mother duck and ducklings and also the hawk. I walked past my front door late afternoon and noticed a hawk on top of my car. It was dancing around as if it was performing a ballet! I took photos, then a video, then began to worry that for some reason it was in distress. At first I thought perhaps his claw was caught, but close inspection of the photos showed otherwise. Then I thought perhaps the slick car kept him from the the needed traction required to fly off. Wrong again! I opened the door and approached him asking if he needed help. He slowly looked at me, turned, and flew off. Animals never cease to amaze me.
Happy Sunday!
Thank you Sarah. So glad you enjoy the posts. Animals do unexpected and crazy things but a hawk on your car is a new one. How strange is that!! We had to watch a lot of dancing to see our girls but it was worth it. Maybe taking the grands on the paddle boat is a better idea. Have a good week!
Butch and Pam
Be still my heart…as you know I have a Secret Garden in my back garden and even have a sign aptly named “Kari’s Secret Garden”….I love the peace and solitude of it and the beautiful flowers ….My daughter-in-love visited me last week and spent many mornings out there …she loved the area as she sipped her morning coffee in her pajamas. LOL It is really hot here in Florida right now so early morning in the Secret Garden is the most perfect time to be there. I would have loved the romantic paddle ride to dinner…maybe next time you and Butch will succeed. The girls are growing so fast….and they are both so pretty. Have a wonderful week sweet friends.
Thank you Kari. I love the sound of your Secret Garden and the idea of your sign is neat. We had all 3 grands playing in the garden this afternoon. Sounds like Florida is warming up already. A fairly warm week coming up for us per the forecast. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I always love seeing your posts!!
So good to hear from you Judy and glad you enjoy the posts. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Sweet peas are such a favorite. And your little ballerinas are yet another favorite. Oh, they’re getting so big. I love a good mural — that one is a gem. Happy week!
Thank you Jeanie. The ballerinas are growing too quickly. We happened by that mural on a street I guess we hadn’t been down lately or we surely would’ve noticed it. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I loved taking a walk with you this Sunday and reading some scripture, too. Your little dancers are just adorable! Thank you for the beauty. ❤️
Thank you Kitty, glad you could come along for the Sunday walk. There’s beauty in every direction. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Pam and Butch, Your ballerinas are both beautiful and the settings are pretty too. All the birds are interesting to see and the flowers too. Hawks seem to get so focused in on their prey that they often get hit by cars when they are pursuing their food when they make highways their hunting ground. We’ve seen so many of them hit. The sunset pic is gorgeous. We hit 90 around here today. I’m not ready! We’ve enjoyed having a few cooler days so I guess those are gone for another season. Enjoy your week. Clara❤️
Thank you so much Clara. I too see a lot of hawks on roadways where they were focused on food and not traffic. We aren’t ready for 90 either but it is that time. I think 75 year round might be nice but we’d probably tire of that too.??? Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
The girls are getting so big! They are beautiful ballerinas! They look so lovely in your garden! Perfect for their recital!
The swan paddle boats are too cute!
Loved it all!
Thank you Nancy. We are hoping now to take the ballerinas and their little brother on the paddle boat. We understand 5 can ride in one so that would be perfect. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thank you for such beauty and inspiration. The girls are wonderful! Heavenly garden!
Thank you, Maristella
Blessings always,
Pam and Butch
Thanks for sharing the sweetest ballerinas posing in the garden – priceless!
Thank you, Mary. They are the sweetest! Wishing you a lovely week!
Butch and Pam
EK & EM are so beautiful! They are growing up so fast. Time flies, and it seems before we know it, they are grown. May the Lord bless your every moment together!
Thank you, Cheryl. Time passes quickly and they grow up so fast!
Butch and Pam!