“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!”
Psalm 100:1-2 ESV
Welcome to November and standard time. I personally prefer daylight time, but Pam is fine with standard. Maybe the best thing is to leave it one way or the other? I’m reminded that there are 24 hours in each day, and I need to determine to make the most of them!
The 90 foot nearby Noccalula Falls is temporarily not living up to it’s identity. We have had a few light showers over the past couple of days and November will likely bring back the stream!
Downstream are pools of still water, at least for now. The falling leaves have a chance to briefly rest on the surface as the limbs they fell from are reflected beneath!
The obvious isn’t always true and I was briefly fooled by this plant. I ran across it and thought, “this is a nice bloom and a plant I’m not familiar with or remember seeing before”. That’s because it wasn’t one plant!
A second look made me realize how two plants were intertwined and growing together. They appeared at first to be one. I separated the two. The top is the more familiar tall nutgrass or nutsedge. The one with the pinkish bloom is called false waterpepper. It has a sharp peppery flavor and the juice can cause eyes to water, not that I am about to prove it by giving it a try!
As we celebrated Pam’s birthday at Bottega in Birmingham, I wanted a photo of the birthday girl to remember the occasion. I discovered a way to prove that I was indeed with her, and also give another aspect or way of utilizing the “selfie”!
Pam chose the honey cake as her dessert. In order to properly celebrate with her, I had a piece as well. With 8 or 10 layers, it is truly a honey of a cake. To continue in a party mode, we also celebrated the following evening with the grands, our son, and daughter-in-love at their house. The grands gave PJ so much attention that without a doubt it was the highlight of a 3 day celebration. And again, more delicious cake, of which Alli (d-i-l) makes the very best!
The groundsel bushes start blooming at the time that most plants are retiring for the season. They have popped up all over this nearby undisturbed field over the past two years. Some of our roadsides are lined with this flowering shrub. It is evident to me that this species is spreading very fast here in NE Alabama. I believe I understand why some states are labeling it invasive.
I checked quite a few of the groundsel shrubs near our house and I found this particular type red wasp very numerous on all of them…along with other bees and insects. The blooms remind me of the flies that a fly fisherman would use.
This surely has to be a sugar maple. I figure our maples aren’t quite as showy as more northern or New England trees, but maples are one of autumn’s finest wherever they grow! One old sugar maple in our front yard isn’t doing well and will likely need to be cut down, as I think it is dying. It was always our go-to tree for a photograph, but not so in a couple of seasons now.
A light rain surprised us and was a welcome gift. Wet leaves and a light breeze changed things quickly, reinforcing why autumn is also called “fall”.
Sumac radiates a fiery red this time of year. It doesn’t always require a tree to get some great color. The state mowing crews were about 200 yards away and 5 minutes later this roadside scene disappeared!
I was thinking about that “old wives tale” (I did not invent this term) concerning local persimmons and their seeds ability to predict the weather for the upcoming winter. Curious about this, I gathered a few persimmons from a tree at the edge of the yard. I thought, why not, so I split one open and retrieved a few seeds. I was able to split open a couple of them cleanly without damage to the inside. So let’s see about our winter weather…
…using my two seeds to tell us all we need to know about the winter of 2024-25. Folklore says there are 3 predictors. A fork = a mild winter. A spoon = a snowy winter. A knife = bitterly cold, cutting like a knife. One of my predictors indicates heavy snow and the other bitter cold. This is not good news for us here in the south. However, these two seeds came from the same persimmon, so perhaps our winter will only be confusing!
I decided to string lights in our Japanese maples last week. They are getting a lot of color now. I usually wait until the leaves are gone since that makes stringing lights a little easier, but the grands were coming for pumpkin carving and they enjoy seeing the garden lit up. It is amazing how the little folks can cause an adjustment in plans!
Reflection would be a perfect name for this photo, both because of what we see, and the fact that it was made on today’s date in 2018. A perfect autumn afternoon in the hills of NE Alabama!
The oldest crepe myrtles in our yard still provide the best color, out performing the younger trees. We’ve been blessed with pleasant, showy surprises as fall has settled in…right here in the foothills!
This small chapel is used mainly for weddings. Although it isn’t very old (2008), it offers an intimate setting for small gatherings. Pam reminded she had attended a wedding here. I decided to walk over and take a photo while strolling through another part of the park, prompted by a song I had just heard on the oldies station before arriving. There are several hit songs from the past about chapels. Do you remember any? How about “Crying In The Chapel” by Elvis?
Some of you may recall the green bog I had on a post a few weeks back. I kept going by to check on any changes, thinking it might clear up. The only changes are that it is much smaller because it is drying up, and the local turtles have moved next door to a nicer environment. I suspect this is an algal bloom. Blooming flowers are much more appealing than algae in bloom! I think some algal blooms are toxic, but maybe not so with this spot. After many weeks, there is no foul smell or odor of any kind. Nevertheless, I didn’t wade in!
This sunset last week provided a few moments of awesomeness in its own right, but I loved the silhouetted old dead tree.
Whether you have fall color where you are or not, we still know you can have a colorful week, and we sincerely hope you do!
”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
Happy Birthday, Pam. May all sweet things come to you.
Thank you, Ruthie for your sweet birthday wishes!
Pam
I always love the sunset photos! They are so calming and restful to see. Your pictures of nature are always so nice. It was lovely to see the picture of you both at the restaurant. Happy birthday to Pam!
Thank you Mrs White. We often talk about the fact we go places together but never have photos of the 2 of us. The mirror solved the problem. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning Butch and Pam! Pam looks radiant in her birthday photo (beautiful blouse!) and her dinner companion is pretty cute too! I once read in Southern Living that crepe myrtles are among the oldest living tress on earth. “Going to the Chapel” by the Dixie Cups gets me dancing in the kitchen every time! Hope we all get some promised rain this week.
Thanks so much Roxanne. I wasn’t aware of the crepe myrtle fact. Have to check that out. Don’t be dancing in the kitchen until your back gets well. I’m thinking the Dixie Cups had another chapel song too?? Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
How you find a way to take pictures of your true love is very sweet. She won’t be “Crying in the Chapel”. Oh yes I remember singing along with Elvis. That cake reminds me of one that has many layers that has tempted me to make it. I’ve gathered the making for my fruitcake and hoping for a day where I can stay home long enough to make it then bake it. November brings birthday’s for people I love too. Hope it’s a month of peace in our country. I have persimmons in a bowl waiting for them to ripen so I can make an old fashioned persimmon pudding. Have you ever had that? Love the color in this post. Sugar maple’s are a favorite. Love all the ways you make your family happy.
Thank you Alice. We have fruitcakes in December, mainly a tradition for Pam’s dad who loves a fruitcake. I’ve not heard of persimmon pudding but Pam has, although she’s never had one. October is a busy birthday month for us and it sounds like November will be for you. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful fall photos! Love the shot of Pam with you in the mirror waving, very nice. Yummy cake, would be lovely to share a slice.
Thanks so much Carole. I told Pam that mirror gave me an opportunity to prove I was there with her. Wish we could send out a slice of that cake to everyone. So delicious. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday, sweet Pam! It sounds like you had a wonderful celebration. I enjoyed seeing “both” of you in that fabulous picture! Dear Pam, you look so lovely, and Butch, you look great!
I would love a piece of that delicious cake.
There are so many pretty pictures. I enjoyed the sunset at the end.
Thank you once again for our Sunday Stroll.
Enjoy your week to come.
Thanks Nancy, the celebration was wonderful (for 3 days). We saved you a slice of cake but we ate it before we could send it out. Pam thanks you for the birthday wish. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday Pam. Your honey cake choice looks yummy. They are predicting more snow and cold this winter for us in the midwest too. We got spoiled the last few winters with mild temps and not a lot of snow. Have a beautiful Sunday and lovely new week. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris. We rarely see snow, so we shall see if the folklore is more than just that. Most of our days this week are around 80 degrees but the cold will come. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Your birthday was nicely celebrated with lovely meals and desserts. Wishing you a wonderful year ahead! The restaurant shot is cute. It’s nice to have you both in the picture. The fall colors are really showing up. We were in the mountains for a few days and the trees were spectacular there. We still have a lot of green at home but beautiful color is beginning to overtake the green. The reflection pic is gorgeous. Have a wonderful day! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. We too have a lot of green but changes are coming pretty fast with a lot of leaves falling now. Glad you had the opportunity to be in the mountains. It’s probably good that I was in the distance in that pic, no close up of me. Have a peaceful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Birthday Pam, three days of celebration sound perfect. Love all the color still left in the trees.
Thank you Karen. The only thing about 3 day celebrations is the fact that we are required to eat a lot every day to properly celebrate. Now it’s diet until Thanksgiving. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
What a great birthday, dinner at a favorite restaurant, fancy cake, dinner with family and more cake! Love the photo of you taking her picture Butch! Gorgeous Sugar Maple, Fall at it’s finest~ so sad to see the Falls dry, hopefully we’ll get some rain soon. Have a wonderful 1st week of November!
Thank you Jenna. It is still quite dry but we see some possible showers by next weekend and that would be ok. We did have cake 3 nights in a row, now trying to recover. Christmas at the Falls opens early this year, Nov 22, so maybe a little rain will come before. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning Butch and Pam! You have shared so many beautiful fall photos with us today. I cut open a few persimmons and mine were all forks. It sounds like Pam had a wonderful birthday celebration. The honey cake looks scrumptious! Wishing you both a wonderful week ahead!
Thank you Shannon. We hope your persimmons are correct, indicating a mild winter. I’ve never been particularly fond of extreme cold. Maybe I’ll try a couple more persimmons and see if a fork turns up. We both celebrated her birthday quite well, it was a nice week. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Another collection of beautiful photos… Reflection is so serene and calming. I
thought my chocolate ganache birthday cake was something, but Pam’s many-layered production really takes the cake. Wonder how it was decided that cake should be the key birthday centerpiece… with candles, no less… wonder what the losers were …..The photo of you both at Bottega sings celebration.. The lesson of persimmon seeds is fascinating… utensil shapes… just love Heaven’s games, but I don’t look forward to the North Pole predication. What a lovely chapel setting. All in all, the color and insights for this sabbath visit are balm for the soul. Blessings ~
Thanks so much Mary. Chocolate ganache cake sounds quite scrumptious and tasty to us. Interesting, I think I’ll research and see where celebrating birthdays with cakes originated. We are glad someone thought of it. Great idea. And we agree, no North Pole winter for the south. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
The birthday photo of Pam is lovelier than any of the flowers or fall leaves! Happy Birthday to her. I’ve never heard the folklore of the seeds. Isn’t it fascinating how we’ve always been looking for signs and ways to control our world? I’ll have to start chopping my seeds to see what’s inside! – happy new, exciting election week to you!
Thanks Leslie Anne. Pam thanks you for the birthday wish. I had heard of the persimmon seed thing but never opened a seed until last week. I suppose people have always tried to predict and control our world but cannot, and that’s good. Have a pleasant S Alabama week!
Butch and Pam
Wonderful photo of you both! Beautiful landscapes. Happy Birthday to you, dear friend.
Thank you Maristella. Maybe the mirror helped me a little. Pam is grateful for the birthday wish and we wish you a great week!
Butch and Pam
First, happy birthday Pam. I love the Sunday photos and narrative. You take us right there with you on your walk. Butch, have you ever thought of reading for books on tape ?
I have never seen a persimmon cut open or the winter prediction. We will see how it goes.
Have a good week.
Thanks Myrna. I had never opened one of those seeds but for fun I thought I would try it. I’ve not thought about doing any reading for audiobooks but I have honestly had thoughts of writing some short stories, not that anyone would want to read mine…but maybe the grands would enjoy. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I’m a daylight time person too and have a hard time with the fall switch. Darling photo of Pam celebrating her birthday (and great cake!). It’s beautiful in your world!
Thank you Jeanie. I’m with you on the daylight. It’s a hard adjustment for me but in a couple weeks I get over it. Pam on the other hand likes shorter winter days because they force me inside. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam