“For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.”
Psalm 96:5-6 ESV
There are no skies quite like the skies of October. My first October morning out and about was totally clear and very still. It is usually breezy here but everything this particular day was at ease. A few geese honking, but mostly quiet, so not a bad way to begin my favorite month!
A summer photo of Pam’s dad that we’ve shared before, but it’s a pic we believe reflects his kind, easy spirit. If you have followed Everyday Living for a while, you’ve no doubt seen posts where we’ve featured him or shared his story. Many of you check on Mr. Davis, asking how he’s doing. Pam tells him and that thrills him.
We celebrate, as he turns 94 today. He is unable to get out these days, but still lives alone at home and doing very well. Pawpaw dearly loves his family…two children, three grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Happy Birthday to Pawpaw!
I can usually talk my way into a photo from Pam when she is working on one of those fancy posts with all the pretty stuff on display. I have to assist in moving things about to earn the rights to a pic, but it’s worth it. I wanted a fall scene, but could only show my pumpkins, as the table in the background is part of tomorrow’s Monday Morning Blooms which is top secret!
Since we’ve been focused somewhat on “harvest” the last few weeks, I decided to introduce my autumnal-log. (Too early to think about a yule log). The bounty of the log consists of natures preparation for the harvest, gathered as I walked about in the yard, woods and fields. We find magnolia seed pods, dogwood berries, sweet-gum balls, hickory nuts, walnuts, acorns, sunflowers, persimmons, and buckeyes. There was an abundance of items available but my log was overflowing!
Now on to a slightly different operation. The soybeans are ready and the harvest is underway. One of our local farmers, who farms hundreds of acres, was kind enough to invite me to watch and photograph any of their harvest work. The owner laughingly said his only request was to not be in any pictures!
I admire folks that know how to grow stuff. My friend is very patriotic and flies flags on all his equipment. Of great interest and historical significance is the white, two-story mansion you can see through the dust. It is an antebellum plantation house, built in 1835. It is one of the oldest homes in our county! Maybe we can do a future post that features the home and its history. I need to visit the owner!
A different kind of October morning with fog along the mountain tops and none in the valleys.
Someone asked if we ate any of the pumpkins that are part of the fall decor. Since those are not really best for eating, and they also remain outside for weeks on mostly hot days…we don’t consume them. But, there are a number of creatures around that seem to find them tasty. This is the first one to get soft and smelly so it was time to start this year’s pumpkin graveyard. I will put all of them here eventually and coyotes and others will have their choice of colors and styles. I was surprised to find several stems from last year’s retired pumpkins still lying around!
October is peak goldenrod month and it has always been my favorite wildflower. Do I favor goldenrod because it is such a part of October, or do I favor October because it brings us an such abundance of offerings like goldenrod? I don’t think it matters either way!
While on a walk along the lake at the wildlife park I found a new meaning for the term slime. A button bush with its autumn buttons shows up well against a slime green background.
An area of shallow stagnant water stands beside a portion of the path opposite the lake side. Extreme drought can dry it up some but most of the time water is present, kinda swamp like. However, it does not normally appear as green pea soup. This turtle has a green coat on its shell as it dries in the sun. I suspected at first that the shallow water was undergoing what is called fall turnover. To me, our temps at night have not been cool enough to cause that phenomenon so I am really puzzled. I’ve not seen it this color before.
The residents don’t seem to mind dipping in the water and coming out with a new coat of paint. I hope to drop back by in a week or two and see if this clears up. This adds a new wrinkle to the definition of the common green turtle! You might think it would have a bad, or at least a strange odor, but that is not the case!
It is time to move on from slime to a view that is maybe sublime. Many of our readers mentioned that they never have the opportunity to see cotton growing. I mentioned I would try to get some photos of this year’s crop as it was nearing harvest. I took the drone over to a nearby field and went up about 100 feet to get a birds eye view. The Appalachian foothills are in the distance.
I waded into the edge of the field and I actually prefer this cotton view against that blue October sky and with white clouds to match! (And even a vapor trail)
You can see why picking cotton by hand would be a prickly endeavor!
A few hundred yards from the “slime” area, this was the view along the boardwalk on the same day. Quite a contrast!
Jewelweed, sometimes called touch-me-not, is native to a lot of the country and is very abundant in low, moist areas. Native American tribes such as the Cherokee used jewelweed for a number of ailments. When the seed pods are mature, the slightest touch will cause the seeds to scatter, hence the “touch-me-not” name!
October evenings are cooling down and the days are noticeably shorter. Only 4 weeks until we rotate back to standard time. A few of our afternoons last week, like this one, were partly cloudy. Our long range forecast for this week shows all sunny days with a couple of nights in the upper 40’s. But, we all know about those long range forecasts!
Have a pleasant 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
Good Sunday morning everyone. Yes Fall is starting to settle in here in Pennsylvania our temperatures are in the low sixties in the day, very low forties at night. We noticed our Husky’s coat is getting thicker in preparation for the colder weather, and some people say there is isn’t a Creater! Jewelweed is a good remedy for poison rashes. So cotton grows in the shape of a ball? October is my favorite month also. My favorite seasons are Fall and Winter. God bless Pam’s father.
Good Sunday evening to you Maryann. Your temps sound nice, if it would just stay for a while. Cotton does have bolls which are somewhat round like balls. One of those bolls can have as many as 500,000 lint fibers. Enjoy your favorite month and have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy birthday to Mr. “PawPaw” Davis! I’m sure Pam has a wonderful celebration planned to celebrate him!
Butch, your fall log is beautiful! And I love the fields of soybean and cotton. Do try to get the story and a post on the 1835 antebellum. That would be so interesting!
Have a good week.
Thank you Rita. There is a interesting happening and history at the old house. Hope to share that sometime. Pawpaw had a great day and we are full of blueberry cobbler. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
A very Happy Birthday to “PawPaw Davis. October is indeed a lovely month in your area. Love your autumnal log filled with your walkabout harvest.
Thank you Karen. We shared all the birthday wishes with Pam’s dad. We don’t have New England fall color but we are blessed with much beauty. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning Butch and Pam. A very Happy Birthday to Mr. Davis…he truly represents The Greatest Generation. I love the Fall Log idea and think I shall make one myself…so many interesting things have fallen in our yard since the hurricane. Butch, every morning I check my Cornell migration data which has been recording anywhere from 500k to over a million birds; the night of the storm it was zero. For a few days after I had more hummingbirds than I have ever seen, but now they seem to have disappeared. Everyone please continue to pray for NC. The suffering is unimaginable.
Thanks Roxanne. I have the Cornell app but haven’t pulled up the migration data except when you shared that with us. We continue to see the videos of the terrible suffering and devastation and keep praying. The storm affected everything. The normal migration path for monarchs that swings by here in October from New England was crossed by that storm, but the heartbreak on the human level leaves us without words. Mr Davis had a great day and we gave him everyone’s wishes. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy 94th Birthday to Pam’s Dad! We hope he has a wonderful birthday! The sky shots are beautiful. The harvest log is a nice centerpiece. The 1835 home would be a great post! Even though we see cotton and soybeans on a regular basis, I always enjoy seeing pics of it. It’s part of our heritage here in the southern USA. Every region in the USA has a crop it seems. We enjoyed the apple harvest in New York and seeing potatoes harvested in Idaho, etc. That green pond will hopefully clear up soon. Enjoy your day. Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. We shared all the birthday wishes with Pam’s dad. I do hope to do a post on the old house. Every place is unique and has it’s beauty and bounty. I watched a video of an Idaho potato harvest and was amazed with the operation. Hope you have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
An FYI, the small critters eat the pumpkins as well and pumpkin seeds act as a dewormer for the critters!!
Thank you Dianne. I had no idea about the seeds being a dewormer. Plenty of all size critters around here to eat the pumpkins. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday to Mr. Davis! God bless him. Stunning photos and sweet post. Thank you for your encouragement.
And we thank you for sharing Maristella. Mr. Davis had a good day and enjoyed all the wishes. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday to Pawpaw! Love the autumnal log filled with your forest findings Butch, and the teaser photo of pumpkins for Monday Morning Blooms~ That slime green water looks nasty! The cotton fields are beautiful. It is getting dark so early now, I already miss long summer days. I hope you both have a great week ahead!
Thank you Jenna. I miss the long days too but admit I do get more rest in the cooler months and Pam says that’s good. I need to recheck that slime in a week or so and see what’s happening. We wish you a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning Butch and Pam! Happy Birthday to Pam’s dad! I enjoyed all of the photos from nature. The cotton fields are so pretty. We have a few fields not far from our house. I wish you both a most wonderful Sunday and peaceful week ahead.
Thank you Shannon. We shared the birthday wishes with Pam’s dad and he was thrilled to hear everyone’s comments. Some cotton fields have been harvested while others don’t appear to be ready so a lot of variation there. We hope you have a peaceful week as well!
Butch and Pam
A most blessed Birthday to Sweet Daddy. May his year be filled with well being and God’s prosperity. Bless you both for your devotion to him. Love the log centerpiece and its collection. Certainly appreciate the farmer harvesting his
crop and the photos of the cotton field awaiting the same. The historic home
in your midst would provide a fascinating inclusion in your Sunday log. Too many are being dismantled in the name of expediency and “progress”… Looking
forward to Butch’s insights on this Manse. The goldenrod is so pretty when overlaid on the “slime” green… God’s palette. Continued prayers for those dealing with the devastation of Helene.
Thank you Mary. We join you with continued prayers for those impacted by Helene. I am hopeful that I can approach the owner and do a post on the historic home. We’ve known the owners for many years but that may not translate into their willingness, but I think they will be happy to have us share. We shall see. Pam’s dad had a very good birthday and we are all filled with blueberry cobbler. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday! 94 is quite a milestone for Pam’s Dad! I know the celebration will be enjoyable for him and all the family.
What a busy week! Blessings to all. Bonnie
Thank you Bonnie. We did have an enjoyable day with family and Pam’s dad had a great day. Blessings and prayers for you and Mike!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday to Mr. Davis. May God grant you good health for another year. You have to hand it to southerners. We handle adversity like no others.
Love the fall photos. I have seen that green stuff many times growing up. Hopefully, you can gain access to that amazing home. I was born and raised in what had been a one room school house on my grandfather’s property. When my parents got married, it was moved to an acre of land next door.
Prayers for those devastated by Helene. Praying too, that we are not hit this week by Milton.
Many blessings to Butch and Pam.
Thank you Myrna. We share everyone’s wishes with Mr Davis. That means a lot to him. Maybe we can do a post on the old home. It sounds like the story of the one room schoolhouse on your grandfathers property would be amazing to hear. I see Milton is ramping up and expected to cross Florida. A lot to pray about. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Precious Pam, I had to get on my PC and write to you. This was the first post I read very early this morning. Can I just say, “Happy birthday, Pawpaw!” I just love him through you! There’s so much to love in this post–Butch, thank you for the encouraging words to all of us, what you teach us, ….it’s all SUBLIME! God bless you all. Much love and prayers always, Karla 💛🤗🙏🍂🍁
Thanks Karla. Pam read your comments to her dad while we fed our faces with blueberry cobbler. He loved the birthday wish and the cobbler. We always love your encouraging words. Have a peaceful week!
Butch and Pam
This might be my favorite pictorial post with golden rod, cotton, turtles, and jewel weed. Such a bounty of beauty. Thanks for sharing and for explaining what I was looking at.
Thank you Gail. It’s truly about everyday living, just sharing what we encounter day by day each week. Sometimes it’s a wide variety of subjects and things. We hope you enjoy your week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday Mr.Davis! It’s good to know he can still live in his home. I’m sure you are a great help to him. Fall temperatures are upon us. I love the cool nights some down in the upper 30th. Then the days warm up to the low eighties. Pumpkins are everywhere. The trees are not as colorful I think due to the drought. Here comes another hurricane.,October is turning out to be a fierce month weather wise. I pray God will slow it down and turn it around. Love the should n riding and sun setting pictures .
Thank you Alice. Sounds quite pleasant in Colorado. If it just wouldn’t get too much colder. You know we freeze here when it’s 35. Yes, October is a wonderful month but the gulf is turning out some powerful weather this season. We appreciate the birthday wishes for Pam’s dad. He had a great day. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Awww, Happy Birthday Mr Davis! 94 years, wow!
The harvesting scenes take me back to my time on the farm, my late husband was a Wheat farmer & Wool Grazier of fine Merino wool.
blessings to you both, Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer. My Dad has enjoyed all the birthday wishes. I know you loved the farm. Blessings sweet friend,
Pam
Good Sunday Pam and Butch. Happy Birthday to your sweet dad Pam. Wishing him many more. The pictures of the cotton and soy fields is pretty amazing. We are having a sort of fall here in the midwest. Summer is holding on during the days but it is dropping in the night to more fall like temps for us. Glad you are enjoying the month of October. Have a beautiful new week. Hugs. Kris
Thanks Kris. Hope your Monday and week is off to a good start. Cool nights are coming here too this week per the forecast. We are enjoying October but struggle with that in light of all that people are dealing with after the hurricane. And another one is on the way. Blessings to you!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday to PawPaw! I bet he had an incredible Birthday with all his family! 94 is a milestone! Sweet Man’s Mom just turned 99. We will see her soon to celebrate!
I enjoy seeing your Everyday Living, from Turtles to Pumpkins to Slime to Gorgeous Sunrises and Sunsets. SUBLIME!
The harvest scenes of the soybean fields are similar to what we are seeing now in Pennsylvania.
I enjoyed seeing the cotton fields. We don’t have cotton fields here in Pennsylvania.
Happy October Friends!
Thank you Nancy. Wow, 99, that’s something a very, very small percentage of people will experience. Hope you have a wonderful celebration with her. We did have a good day with Pam’s dad. Maybe cotton grows in some parts of Arizona?? Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Butch, this is sorta late response but we are still in our motorhome in the midwest and are combining the concern over yet another hurricane (Milton) slamming the Florida coast with our everyday living …we have batten down the hatches so to speak at our home in Florida and can only pray for relief that the hurricane stays far out in the Gulf, to protect those who have. already suffered tremendously.
Thank you for a diversion from the current concern for everyone. I love the cotton fields as they bring up memories of the cotton fields (and smelly cotton gin). of our years in Texas. Love the turtles near the green slime…reminds me of the creatures of the black lagoon, only green. lol
Have a great week and be safe.
Good morning Butch and Pam. Happy birthday to Pam’s dad and I hope he had a wonderful day! The sky shots are beautiful and I very much hope that you do a post on the antebellum mansion – I suspect it has an interesting history. I love seeing the cotton fields too. But oh my – that slime. It’s quite something and it’s funny that the turtles don’t seem to mind it. I am watching Milton from afar but my thoughts and prayers are with anyone in its path. Take good care down there!
A good Monday to you Kim. Pam’s dad did have a very nice birthday. I do hope to get the opportunity for a post on the antebellum mansion. It does look like Milton is a monster of a storm and will cross Florida. We should have no impact where we live if predictions are correct. We hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday to PawPaw! So thankful he is still doing as well as he is. It is just wonderful that he can still live alone. I pray it will always be that way for him. He has the most pleasant demeanor and expression. God bless him with many more!
Thank you, Cheryl! He had a wonderful birthday. We are so thankful that he is doing well.