“For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
Psalm 100:5 ESV
One of my late afternoons last week was spent only a few minutes from home around the shores of Weiss Lake. There are some beautiful autumn colors still hanging on around NE Alabama. I noticed several egrets were content to sit in a nearby pine while a single bird was in the water fishing. Maybe the tree sitters were well fed. Or, maybe they were content to allow their fellow egret to locate a good fishing spot for the group!
Happy spring to everyone. Well, perhaps it is premature to speak of spring except to wish our readers who live much to our south a wonderful spring! I told Pam maybe bluebirds are really good housekeepers and are doing their end of the season maintenance and house cleaning! I have witnessed one exiting the bird house.
Vinca has emerged in the cottage garden gravel path in an area that was beneath the old bicycle where vinca grew all summer. This is just another aspect of unusual fall weather. If future predictions hold true we will see some much cooler days and nights late this week.
We had a good laugh over a reader’s comment last week about her rain gauge being a collector of dust particles. Look at what happened last Wednesday night/Thursday morning to our previously unemployed rain gauge! This was the most at one time we have seen over the past few months. More coming this week proclaim the prognosticators!
Pam and the girls had their end of the season tea party in the garden. WL and I had planned to crash the party, but at the last minute we were invited to stop by. No fancy tea cups or hot tea for the guys. We had iced tea and chocolate milk in our man containers. As you can see however, WL had no trouble accepting the goodies. A good way to reduce calorie intake is to get more around your mouth than in your mouth. A great way to cut back!
I did venture back to the top of Lookout Mountain again. While I did not find it totally clear, the skies were clearing. It was definitely a different day than the one where I posted from this same spot in SSS 522!
Some pines up on the mountain are a different type than we normally see in the valley, or at least more common. Just a few hundred feet in altitude seems to matter. These 2-needle pines can literally grow from cracks in a rock. I believe this is a Virginia pine, but this was over the edge which was about 40 feet straight down, so I was determined to be content with no further investigation!
I was glad to see this new addition to local Christmas decorations in our city. I watched as the steel frame took on the shape of a tree, and thought they would just string lights all over the frame. What a surprise a few days later to find this work underway. Located high on a hill above the river, this should really be a joy to view. I hope to come back with some pics when all is completed and working. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and we’ve not even had Thanksgiving!
This window at Alabama Gift Company caught my eye, and again, it appears Christmas is breaking out all over the place. The owner of this local shop features as many items as possible that are made or crafted in Alabama. I headed in to buy PJ and the grands some shortbread cookies. I was able to find cookies that were not only produced in Alabama, but they came from a bakery and farm that is in our county!
What I call the “cormorant invasion” is underway again this fall. These birds are a real nuisance and messy is an understatement. They gather in colonies, and as a result, a high build-up of waste kills vegetation as well as other negative aspects this activity can cause. These congregate in the same place every year.
Cormorants are fish eaters and can dive deep to catch fish. Their sheer numbers can have a very negative effect on fish populations where they gather in such numbers. I understand many places seek ways to manage the cormorant population when they arrive in their area.
Enough about nasty birds…it is time for sweet kisses. There is a story here. When I was still quite a little boy, my grandfather (“Papa”) discovered that I liked Hersey’s Kisses. Once discovered, he made sure that there was always a bowl filled with chocolate kisses at his house. For years he kept them there. I loved them (still do) and he did too. I have decided to do the same for the grands. I purchased an inexpensive plastic jar to keep our kisses in. EM gave Pam the precious Home Sweet Home vase for her birthday, and I thought these two things naturally belonged together. BTW, Pam ate the opened one!
I enjoy reflections. Some cypress trees have turned brown or even lost most of their needles, but this one at the edge of the lake is still in autumnal display mode!
I named this photo “Headed For The Finish Line”. I am gathering the pumpkins as they are now all on the home stretch. In spite of a very warm season, they have held out great this year…we’ve really only lost one. It’s time now for the next chapter of seasonal saga!
A waxing gibbous moon over Weiss Lake as the late evening sun casts an orange glow along the shoreline.
I happened to look down a few minutes later along the near shoreline where I had walked along the mud flats to see that the man in the moon was about the be the man in the mud. Fortunate for him this was only a reflection!
I had a name for this one before I even made a photo… “Alone At The End Of The Day”!
I love sunsets over the mountains, especially when I can gaze across the water with nothing blocking the view. Partly cloudy skies tend to offer the most stunning of all, but I could never complain about this almost completely clear evening!
This bald cypress has lost most of its foliage, but it does have a room with a view!
Thankful for you all. Have a most blessed of weeks!
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Psalm 118:1 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Beautiful photos as always. The bald cypress in its fall glory is stunning! WL is such a cutie with those bright blue eyes.
Thank you Rachel. We do have nice fall colors still with us here. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Looking forward to see the finished Christmas tree. It being on a hill I guess it can be seen far away. Can you see it from your house? Boulder lights a huge star from m Flagstaff mountain and it can be seen for many miles. It is already lit and it’s a joy to see. Since Lowell graduated I now have to take my cavalier King Charles spaniel out at night and the blessing that comes with that is that I see the stars and the moon and it’s light as been a light unto my path. WL has the right idea, feed his face. May God bless you and your family this week and always,
Thanks Alice. We cannot see the tree, it’s about 10 miles away. It should be quite visible for many however. We can imagine the beauty of that star on the mountain, you definitely have the peaks for such a display. Have a peaceful week!
Butch and Pam
Gorgeous photos! Wyatt is so cute and adorable!
Thanks so much, Maristella. We are excited that Wyatt will have a little brother that is due in February!
Butch and Pam
Good morning! Spectacular photos of those red skies! I love your “new” tradition of the Hershey kisses. My grandpa always gave us butterscotch candies. Will looked quite pleased with the tea party goodies. The dogs wanted to go out just as I finished your story, and I realized I had not checked the rain gauge…4” here! The highlight of my week was I drove yesterday for the first time since my surgery (a wee bit scary but liberating!).
Thank you Roxanne. I’m with you on something like getting to drive again being a big deal. Been there before. You had a good rain finally. We should get rain again Tuesday. I like butterscotch too. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful colorful fall pics! WL had a good time at the tea party it seems with that sweet smiling face. Hershey kisses are a great tradition. I didn’t have but one grandfather alive when I was little, and the few times I saw him, he had Juicy Fruit gum in his pocket. He was killed in an eighteen wheeler truck wreck when I was about 4, but I do have that memory all these years later. I love that big Christmas tree they are constructing. Will be anxious to see it completed. We have Thanksgiving decorations on the dining table and a Christmas tree in the corner! We’ve never had that before, but after seeing so many Christmas trees already decorated for several weeks, I decided why not! That decorated window is beautiful! I would shop there for sure! Glad the rain gauge got to do its job. Enjoy your day! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. We are doing the exactly same thing with Thanksgiving and Christmas, never mixed the two before. Seems that’s what we see everywhere and Thanksgiving is as late as it can occur this year. We try to support our local shops when we can. Rain gauge should get more work Tuesday. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
So many beautiful photos, I especially like the one of the cypress tree reflection in the water. I think the on going tradition of the Hershey’s Kisses is going to be a big hit with your grands! WL is adorable, he obviously enjoyed the tea party! That Christmas tree is huge!! I usually don’t like to see much Christmas before Thanksgiving, but this year I’m all in the mood. I hope you both have a great week!
Thank you Jenna. We’ve always been the same way as you about Christmas before Thanksgiving. I guess it’s a case of, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. I’ll need discipline not to eat the kisses with them so available. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
We have bluebirds checking out our bird house too, and I don’t think they have ever spent a winter here. It is weird to see them this time of year. Gorgeous sunset photos.
Thank you Carole. We have several bluebirds hanging around. Maybe they will be here for the winter; we’ll keep check on them. Hope you have a safe and peaceful week!
Butch and Pam
WL is a charmer and is so typical an “always primed for a candy treat” boy…. Your Sunday photo stroll continues to fill the morning with beauty. The Christmas Tree seems a engineering feat and bless the brave one who erect and decorate it for the benefit of so many. Pam, where did you find that wonderful rain gauge? A must have….. Our seasonal supply of Christmas kisses is already ordered. Such a universal affinity. A pity that even wondrous Nature has us dealing with Commorant interlopers who cannot leave a serene setting at peace. The final pumpkin harvest photo is a beautiful closure to the season. A most blessed week to all.
Thank you Mary. I love the idea of Christmas kisses. I cannot allow myself to eat the number of kisses per sitting that I would love, so I determined today to eat 1 each day until Christmas. Surely that will not affect my waistline. We heard today the local tree lighting for that big new tree was not until December 6. Seems late but that probably coincides with the local Christmas parade. We wish you a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Good Sunday Morning to both of you. Always love your beautiful pictures. Ha Ha the way to keep calories down with WL demonstrating. Too cute. Love that you will keep the memorial tradition of the Hersey’s Kisses going with your new generation of grands. Touched my heart.
Have a great week. Hugs, Kris
Thank you Kris. I worry about my willpower with the kisses here all the time so I determined today to have one each day max until Christmas. WL loves all things sweet and will eat them as long as we allow. I know where that tendency comes from. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
That sweet bluebird on the blue house! Perfect! I’m not ready for the full-out Christmas, though Thanksgiving is so late this year, I should probably consider getting started! What a lovely Sunday post. Happy week!
Thank you Jeanie. We did something this year that’s a first, put up a tree before Thanksgiving. I put one up today in the dining room and the table nearby is set for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is late but everything thing seems to kick off a little earlier every year. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
We have a wire Christmas tree like that in Fairhope, but it isn’t nearly as large as yours! Very cool!
Thank you Leslie Anne. They finished placing all the panels on that tree but we understand they will wait and have a lighting on December 6. We shall see. Seems they would do it earlier. We wish you a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
What a sweet post Butch & Pam! That’s a wonderful amount of rain in one go!
As I write this it’s raining here on the east coast of Australia, actually we’ve had quite a bit of rain this Spring. So hubby is busy keeping the lawn trimmed & the weeds at bay.
Yesterday, he quietly called me to our kitchen window & pointed out a family of King Quail in our back yard.
Mama, Papa & two tiny chicks happily foraging insects & grass seeds. We’ve never seen these in this area before so it was a real treat for us.
The sunset shots are breathtaking.
blessings to you both, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. We love hearing things about your everyday living there in Australia. Wish we could visit Australia sometime. We have a quail that lives here but their populations are much lower now than years ago when we were growing up. We rarely see them here at our place now. I will research King Quail. Ours is typically called a Bob White because of the sound it makes. Enjoy those birds. And enjoy your spring week!
Butch and Pam
Hello sweet friends,
I finally can sit down and catch up with all of you. We are back in AZ, but opening our house and yard takes time away from my blogging friends! I am so glad to be here with you both.
I loved all your photos, especially that last one. The silhouette of the cypress tree with the sunset behind it is priceless.
WL is such a sweetheart. I can see that he enjoyed all the goodies at the tea party. Yum!
What a lovely stroll we had. Even up on top of a mountain! Wow!
Enjoy your week, my friends!
Thank you Nancy. Glad you are getting settled in and had some time to catch your breath. WL and I knew the girls would rather have their tea party without the guys but they were kind enough to share and we were polite enough to partake. Hopefully you will be caught up enough to enjoy Thanksgiving and this week too!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful pictures as always Butch! I was delighted to seen the rain gauge with some water in it as I know what a dry summer you had. We had about 6 inches of snow here today and with the temps hovering around zero it was a big slushy mess. Tonight though it will all freeze. Ugh. The sunset photos are gorgeous and I love the bluebird. WL is adorable. The vinca is, ah, confused? But pretty nonetheless. Ohmygosh – that tree is amazing and I can’t wait to see it when it’s finished. Have a great week!
Thank you Kim. More rain predicted tonight for us and a temp around freezing one night later this week so we are finally getting some changes. Not snow though! Vinca and many other things are confused but the upcoming nights will probably help eliminate the confusion. We would enjoy a little snow this winter but it just doesn’t happen often here. I wonder if you will have snow on the ground most of the winter? Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Another wonderful post, sorry it has taken me so long. to read it…I, too am anxious to see the large tree lit up. Of course the tea party was wonderful and WL is so adorable. Do you think having Thanksgiving so close to the end of November is pushing us towards Christmas? Perhaps we are not wanting to give in to the idea of Christmas before Thanksgiving …but we don’t want to miss a week of Christmas??? Blessings Always
Thank you Kari. We do believe at least part of the early push to Christmas is because Thanksgiving is as late as it can come. We decorated a tree today. Earliest ever I believe. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
So many interesting photos. I love decorating a Christmas tree but wouldn’t want to have those two men’s job. It should be beautiful when it is finished. We have always lived near the water but I’ve never seen a cormorant invasion like the one you captured. Love the last photo with the silhouette of the tree at sunset. All together, a very pleasant post.
Thanks so much Karen. They finished putting all the panels on that Christmas tree. I was by today but I don’t think they are quite ready to light it. Those cormorants are messy at that location both fall and spring, glad you don’t have them. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I am so far behind again, as usual, and trying to catch up today. It is always such a joy to sit and read your posts with a cup of coffee. I just love coming here and save it for when I have plenty of time to enjoy! You are both a very big blessing to me! God bless you both this Christmas season!
Don’t think you are far behind, whenever you can visit is a blessing!
Pam