Everyday Living

Simple + Southern Sunday No. 529 ~ Highlights Of 2024

~ Appalachian Foothills, Autumn, Everyday Living, Fall, Outdoors, Simple + Southern Sunday, Spring, Summer, Winter

We are grateful to have been blessed with the days of 2024, and thankful for the privilege of sharing our Simple Southern Sunday’s with all of you. Including this post, we have shared 915 photos on SSS in 2024. Today we share highlights and thoughts from the past 52 Sundays!

“O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭104‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV

Then came the morning…daybreak and twilight offer sights and sounds like no other time and trigger a thousand thoughts. There were so many sunrises to choose from this year that it seems unfair to the others, but this one from February has a story, so it wins the spot. This particular morning the temp was in the 20’s, and in order not to miss the timing, I rushed out in sweat pants and a tee shirt, returning to the house as an icicle 30 minutes later!
   

A February surprise that brought on anticipation of spring’s arrival and gave us a warm feeling, even with more cold weather to come. To our amazement, honeybees were on our winter honeysuckle collecting pollen. This bush, which I almost killed, had survived, bloomed, and attracted pollinators. We will be watching it closely over the coming weeks as the bush has grown and looks very healthy!
 

One of the area’s first bloomers is the Japanese Magnolia. The larger more mature trees usually bloom in February. Our younger tree typically waits until early March to announce spring is just around the corner!

In late March, on a sunny day near 80 degrees, we were blessed with a sweet visit from the local bikers club. They have grown so much over the past 9 months!

We didn’t realize how many perennials were in the wildflower bed, but warm days quickly caused the secrets to be exposed. 

Speaking of garden secrets…there’s no better place on dress rehearsal day to photograph a ballerina than in the garden. EK is ready for her first ever recital! Joining her…

…is another garden ballerina. EM loves the garden and on this day it had a special significance to the girls. They were preparing to perform “The Secret Garden”!  

WL was a trooper as far as the ballet and certainly cheered on his sisters (he loves those sisters). But I feel like he was more comfortable and at home in our garden the next day. That’s a happy face!

Many bird species spend time in the garden over the course of the year. The American Goldfinch is one of our favorites. A colorful warm weather visitor that loves cornflower!

A North Carolina cottage that we have passed a number of times through the years as we journey to a special getaway near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! We’ve never thought of a way to bring it back to Alabama with us!!

To bring modesty to the garden and hopefully win Ella Mae’s approval, shorts were placed on the standing garden statue. EM had expressed concern over the lack of attire on these little people, mainly the one standing. I suppose sitting brings its own form of modesty?
 

Sunflowers are a huge part of our summer gardens. This particular group stood ready to face the next day as they were all looking east on the eve of summer’s first day!

Certain visitors that come for the summer are an absolute must as far as a photo is concerned. Hummingbirds, like sunflowers, are synonymous with summer but it can be quite challenging to get them to pose!

The perfect southern style vegetable plate. A Pam favorite!

The Fourth of July and picking blueberries are a great combination. Our blueberries gave us the first ample supply of berries in 2024. In fact, we recently enjoyed another blueberry cobbler. Our frozen supply is depleting and it’s a long time until July. What must we do?

The cottage garden is probably the most colorful spot around, especially in the weeks prior to extreme heat and drought. Potted plants are also not yet root bound, so it is much easier to keep them looking healthy!
 

A unique late summer visitor is the hummingbird moth. We have 2 types that show up every year. But in 2024, they were much later to arrive, based on our best memory from previous years!

You all know that sky and clouds have a way of showing up in our SSS posts. We wanted to pick one or two for this 2024 review but the Creator provides so much beauty in the heavens that choosing them all would be appropriate. But since space and time will not allow them all…this late August afternoon sky speaks for itself!

The first of 4 full supermoons that occurred in a row in 2024. This one, called the Sturgeon moon, was on August 19!

The first group of pumpkins always makes me sad and glad. Sad to see summer fading, but excited about changes that are arriving soon. Pumpkins and September go together like a hand and glove. And, our pumpkins stayed firm and good for the entire season in 2024. Only one out of dozens had to be taken to the pumpkin graveyard early!

An autumn golden glow over the cottage garden from a reflection off high clouds near sunset. A peaceful scene, but also a reminder of something that is ongoing and where life will never be the same. The clouds providing such beauty were also clouds from Hurricane Helene which passed to our east and brought such destruction, hardship, and heartache. Many people continue to need our help and our prayers!

I hope we don’t bore readers every year in October and November with the cotton harvest. Cotton is a big part of everyday living around here, but it is rare to many, and a lot of folks don’t have the opportunity to see it growing. Cotton really is an amazing plant!
 

Cotton may not be rare to us, however, this sight is! We had the opportunity on two occasions this year to view the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), in February and again in October!
 

A very peaceful autumn day as seen from the middle of Tennessee’s Ocoee River. We are blessed with many pleasant blue-sky days in the fall here in the southeast. On a day like this one, it is hard to imagine such a river becoming a raging torrent! Fortunately that didn’t happen here.

No year is complete without meeting a monarch butterfly in the garden. They caused us concern in 2024 by showing up later than normal, and thus not hanging around for as many days. But they came!

We can always count on this sugar maple to be a star come early November. I passed by last week and it stands bare, but ready to take on another growing season!

As we view the sun setting near the end of a December day and approach the close of another year, we wish to say thank you to each of you for your support, kind words, prayers, and encouragement throughout 2024. 

We wish you a BLESSED and HAPPY 2025!!!!

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬-‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Linking with:
 Pieced Pastimes,  Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
 Life and Linda

Comments

  2. The best of the best. I could write an epistle for each photo. Oh how beautiful Gods world, The seasons of man and nature and children. Even the heavens proclaim Gods beauty. Beautiful SSS Butch!

    Reply

  3. Good morning Pam and Butch! Thank you for the recap and the beauty you shared in your year of SSS. I never tire of sunsets, flowers, birds, bees, butterflies or seeing your grands grow and bloom. Wishing you and your family a healthy and happy 2025 and looking forward to seeing your new family member! 🐝🦋🌺❤️

    Reply

  4. Good morning Butch and Pam! What a beautiful roundup for 2024. The rare “ballerina flowers” were especially beautiful, and it is amazing how much WL has grown. I levitated out of bed at 6 AM when a tornado warning went off. We have been having them off and on the last 3 hours, but we are safe. 2024 has been a year for severe weather for sure.

    Reply

  6. All the beautiful shots are magical. It’s so nice to see the year in review. The children have indeed grown! We really enjoyed all of 2024’s pictures and narratives. I always learn something new when reading SSS. Happy 2025! May God richly bless you in the new year with health and happiness. Clara❤️

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  7. A delightful look back at your favorite photos of 2024. Nature at its finest, the grands and the one that gave me a chuckle… shorts placed on the garden statue. Wishing you and your family a wonderful new year.

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  10. Happy New Year Pam and Butch. Everyone of the pictures shared are beautiful. I look forward to your posts each week. Beautiful way to start the new week. This year has flown by. Wishing you and your sweet family a healthy and happy 2025. Hugs. Kris

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  12. Pam and Butch, stunning recap of the year of amazing photos shared. I love the birds, the flowers, the sunsets, the smiling faces of your precious grandchildren. All the best for 2025 as you share more of the beauty that surrounds you.

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  13. What beautiful photos. A coffee table book should be in the works. Thank you for sharing your world to brighten our Sundays.
    May all of you have a happy healthy New Year.

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  14. How can one choose from so many magical moments? Your keen eye, Butch, has
    blessed us with visions perhaps not otherwise seen…i.e.; a cotton field…and culled the most compelling in sunrises/sunsets and garden children. You have brought your surrounding to life for us each Sunday. Here is to 2025 as a year
    of hope, peace, healing, renewal and dedicated understanding. Blessings to all +

    Reply

  16. Blessings as we say goodbye to 2024 and hello soon to 2025. Your pretty ballerinas and little handsome fellow have grown so much. I loved their photos.
    I always love the beautiful sunrises and sunsets as as well as fabulous moon shots and gorgeous clouds. Birds, butterflies, trees, pumpkins,cotton, and this year the amazing Aurora Borealis were beautiful examples of God’s creation.
    Happy New Year and wishing you many blessings. I’m thinking of the excitement to come with the new baby.Bonnie

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  18. I love seeing your year in review….Thank you for the reminders of beautiful past posts.
    Wishing you a very Happy New Year with much love to you and yours.

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  19. I have enjoyed looking back over your photographs and memories from 2024. SSS is always a treat each Sunday. I wish you both a healthy and blessed New Year!

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  22. I’m raising a toast to the both of you! You enjoyed a festive year filled with children, grandchildren and the beautiful likes of Mother Nature. Wishing you exceptional experiences in 2025!

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  23. Dear Pam and Bruce, what absolutely stunning photos you’ve shared of the beauty of Our Lord’s creations. Happy 2025 to both of you!

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  24. Butch & Pam, seeing your year in review photos brought tears to my eyes! From the captivating nature shots, the giggles with the shorts, to the beauty in the grands. Truly, you all make this world more beautiful through sharing the goodness around you. Seeing through YOUR lens of the Lord makes me happy! “Then came the morning…” I went from singing O’ Holy Night and thinking of your Christmas cottage to that song. I’ve reflected on the years I’ve known you both. The joy your homestead, life, words, and testimonies bring to my life. Through life, love, loss, and joy. Through it all. 2024 was quite a year! THANK YOU for taking the time to create this space of beauty and allowing us all to be a part of your world and family! YOU ARE LOVED! God bless you all as we begin 2025! Love, Karla and Finn

    Reply

    • Thank you, sweet friend! When I was reading the post for the first time after Butch finished writing and I saw, “Then came the morning,” I teared up. He and I used to sing it as a duet so many years ago, and it brought back wonderful memories of those days when we sang together so often. You bring us much joy, Karla and your posts are always so encouraging and uplifting! YOU ARE LOVED, and we appreciate your friendship! God bless you and Happy New year to you and Finn ❤️🙏🏻

      Reply

  25. What a wonderful wrap up of 2024. There were so many amazing photos! Thanks for sharing your Sunday thoughts and pics. Happy New Year Butch and Pam!

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  26. What a wonderful look back at 2024 through your beautiful photos. I must say though, that those rare ballerina flowers in the garden stole the show! I’m wishing you both a Happy New Year and a blessed 2025!

    Reply

  28. Pam, you and Butch, reading your posts and enjoying photos from your beautiful home and gardens is always a joy. A beautiful round-up of seasonal photos to close out the year. May you and yours have a Blessed and Happy New Year…….

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  30. Adorable Grands and amazing vignettes!!! Great inspiration! That standing garden statue with shorts made me smile! Happy New Year my dear friends! Grateful for SSS!

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  31. What a wonderful series of events, the photography is amazing. My goodness, how fast your grandchildren have grown Pam & Butch!

    The statue with shorts on brought a smile, I love the modesty of little ones.

    May you & your family have a wonderfully blessed 2025.
    Blessings, Jennifer

    Reply

  32. oh, sunrises, the flowers, the smiles of children, the garden, the seasons … you continue to inspire us to appreciate and savor God’s creation, Pam. i wish you and Butch the best of new years … and so much love.

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  33. Such a wonderful collection of photos, filled with reminders of God’s love and grace over you and your family. May He continue to bless you in 2025!

    Reply

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