“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”
Romans 12:9 ESV
Greetings on this last Sunday of January. For some reason, when it is cold, it feels colder near the water. We had a very frigid week here, but what a crazy record breaking week of snow for those south of us, even on the gulf beaches. Snow in palm trees is a strange looking sight! It is weird news when the snowy cities are places like Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, and Pensacola. Are you ready for spring?
The poor birds kept sitting on this ice sculpture up in the bird bath hoping for a thaw. I finally removed the ice saucer from the reservoir and replaced it with warm water which helped out for a while. The days are rising above freezing now so I am no longer needed as the water boy, and I’m happy about that!
All the talk of extreme cold and snow for our southern neighbors had no affect on some of the garden bulbs. Yesterday I discovered a number of daffodils have broken ground. Is it spring yet? Next Sunday is Ground Hog Day and our local marmot who lives out back hasn’t shown his lazy face since early November!
I walked along the garden fence wearing several layers of clothing, gloves, and a toboggan, looked down and spotted this…an aster, blooming, along with a few additional buds on a stem that otherwise appeared completely dead. I thought about taking off my head covering and gloves for the rest of my time outside just to prove I was as tough as an aster, but decided I had nothing to prove that was that important!
A new visitor to the feeder last week would seem to be quite common since it is a type of sparrow. We think this is a dark-eyed junco, and the first we have noticed while watching the feeder area this winter. Some of our expert birding friends may help out here, as there are over 30 species of sparrows, and that’s a lot to sort out for an amateur!
I called this one “Gulligan’s Island”. Some of you may be too young for this to make sense, so ask an older neighbor.
Maybe not far enough back to be an official “throwback” since this was only last September, but I posted this after finding absolutely hundreds of black walnuts on some trees near the house. On a recent return trip to the grove I found the ground was covered in walnuts and I shared a photo last week. I brought two black walnuts home. EM wanted one so I gave it to her but kept the other. My curiosity got the best of me, especially after reading a few comments about the walnuts and what I should do.
I brought my lone walnut out to the garden and found a nice place to begin what I guess turned into analyzing the anatomy of a walnut.
The outer covering was tough but I was able to cut through it with a sharp knife.
I cut slits in the outer portion but could only penetrate a 1/4 inch or less before hitting a surface that just laughed at my knife! This took a few minutes and had to be done in small sections.
Finally, after some rigorous scrapping and cleaning, we have ourselves a nut. There were now two nuts visible in the garden!
A large set of channel locks (all adjustable pliers like this are called channel locks here in Alabama regardless of the brand or type) should easily crack the walnut.
There was no way I could make this nut develop the smallest crack, even with a lot of straining and a finger pinching. It was time for “Plan B” (seen here).
While holding the walnut tightly in the jaws of the pliers the hammer did the trick. The real meat was now exposed but the job was still in its infant stages. Picking the goodie from the inside of the complex and hard shell is not an easy task and it took a lot of time to only get very small pieces.
PJ and I ate the larger of these pieces and they tasted wonderful. Pam’s mom would always order shelled walnuts and pecans each year for all her baking. She wanted the best ingredients. No one can make desserts like she did! We remember the walnuts were always more expensive. Now without a doubt I used an old fashioned method which is not the way it is done commercially. But, I don’t see a lot of walnut trees, and with all that it takes to get from the tree to some nice little edible pieces in a neat package and to a retailer…I’m surprised they aren’t $50/lb. We haven’t bought any lately, maybe they are that much?
There are warnings every year about the dangers of walking on frozen lakes and ponds. Some defy and snub the warnings not realizing they are walking on thin ice. I keep reminding myself that any time I stray from truth and common sense, I am walking on thin ice! BTW, the ice here is very thin since our lakes and ponds rarely freeze and usually not for long. Our heron friend can fly away if he beaks through, but I can’t fly!
The garden lights make the green of the rye grass show up so well you can almost get a sense that this is an early spring evening. Looks can fool..it was a night with single digit temps!
We were blessed with some beautiful late afternoon skies last week. I had to hurry out on foot to a spot beyond the barn and face a bitter north wind because there was too much obstruction blocking this view. The clouds were very different, looking like oil on canvas. Of course the work was done by the Master Artist!
Have a great final week of January!
“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
I had to laugh at the equipment you used to crack the black walnut. And to think that mama sent me to crack enough to bake her black walnut cake. It definitely was a time consuming process. Did you miss getting snow? I think I see snow on ice in the river. If so I have enough to share. I’m definitely ready for Spring and I’m not a young sprout that can deal with the deep freeze we’ve been experiencing. When reading your comment regardless your attire I was thinking I was going to wear my fur hat today to church because it’s so cold plus there is a new layer of about 10 inches on top of what we already had of snow. The late afternoon sky picture is beautiful, I’m looking forward to what is forecast today of late afternoon sun as it’s been cloudy for a spell. Blessings to you and Pam have on this very cold Sunday.,
Thank you Alice. We did miss snow. The ice you saw was just a few days of the waves lapping at the shore of the lake, freezing and building up. Hope you wore that fur hat today. We actually have a long range forecast of low 70’s for next weekend. Have a great week and keep warm.
Butch and Pam
“There were now two nuts visible in the garden”. 🤣🤣 Walnuts are abundant in WV, as are squirrels, and I mostly see the shells on my walk paths. I think what I’ve learned from your experience and my observations is that squirrels must have the strongest teeth and jaws around! Walnuts can put some major dents in a car’s body if parked near the trees, that much I do know is certain.
Beautiful images, as always. I am full of hope in this last week of January to see my grass again after a very snowy month. Zone 7a, they tell me. Not this year!
Too funny, Butch! I like the “two nuts” comments, also. 😊 Walnuts really are tough to crack. I’ve been putting out pecans and peanuts in their shells for our squirrels and they take off with the whole thing.
Lovely skies out your way! Our pastor at Denton Bible is going through Romans 12 right now. 💝 Enjoy your Sunday and enjoy the warming trend!!!
Thank you Barbara. Squirrels are amazing and seem to have no trouble with cracking even the hardest nuts. We have a lot of hickory trees and those nuts are very hard but no match for a squirrel. It is warming a little and we are delighted. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Thank you Rita. Squirrels and other rodents must absolutely have some tough teeth and strong jaws. I would think parking under a walnut tree would not be a wise choice. Glad you’re possibly thawing a little. Supposedly it will hit 71 here next weekend. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
What your mom bought already shelled were likely English walnuts that have thinner outer shells and are easier to remove whole. Black walnuts are indeed a pain to crack, and almost impossible to get a whole nut.
I had to laugh at Gulligan’s Island! Too funny.
Happy Sunday!
Thank you Carole. I remember the walnuts alway came packaged nicely but were tiny bits and pieces. After having fun with just trying one I realized that even with proper processing equipment black walnuts would probably not come out whole. They are tasty so I’m glad someone figured out a better way. Hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Black walnuts I do believe are the toughest nut to crack. They require a lot of time and energy. We had pecan trees growing up and cracking those were relatively easy. Trying to crack them to get two complete halves was rather challenging for a kid, so most of what I retrieved from my efforts went into the icing not on top of the cake for decoration. It was all good regardless! It was indeed cold last week. I’m really ready for a warm up and Spring! Gilligan’s Island was a favorite show of mine growing up. It never made sense that Mr. and Mrs. Howell carried trunks and suitcases around with them! Although last week, I did carry a blanket around each time we got in car! I loved the two nuts comment! 😂 Have a good week! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. I’m glad you have fond memories of Gilligan’s Island and a good memory too. We had forgotten about the Howell’s and the suitcases. Guess they thought they would be always ready in case rescue showed up. I could go back and gather a lot of walnuts but I’ve not talked myself into that yet. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
That was a lot of work to open that walnut!! I am not sad to see the temps warming up a bit, last week was too cold for me to do anything but sit by the fireplace! I love the photo of your garden lights at night, so pretty! I loved seeing the green tip of a future daffodil beginning to emerge, Spring is on the way!!! Have a great week ahead, Pam and Butch!
Thank you Jenna. We too are glad to see warmer predictions, even 70ish next weekend. That will likely speed up the daffodils. If it does get that warm our local groundhog might even come out. We wish you a great week!
Butch and Pam
I am glad you are warming up. We up in the midwest are going to warm up too. We just wanted to share winter with all our you in the south. Fun NOT!!! We are going from below zero single digits to 40’s this week. 40’s for you are still too cold but to us that is going to feel like heaven. Loved reading today about the black walnut. Have a great and beautiful week ahead. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris. We got cold just reading about your temps. When we were in the 40’s a couple of days ago I stated that 40’s felt really nice. We can definitely see what 40’s will mean for you. Warm up and have a nice week!
I’ve lived long enough to get a chuckle from your Gulligan’s Island comment. The Walnut saga was
something to follow, O ambitious one. And squirrels crack and devour them? What is their secret?
The innate wisdom of God’s creatures who teach us so much. The photos of the lighted garden and early bloomers lend us hope for the warmth of Spring while enduring these bone-chilling temps. I can just
visualize Pam’s beloved Mother beaming from afar at your raves about her baking and desserts. She
really left a shining Proverbs 31 legacy. May February and Valentine’s day warm our hearts sufficiently
to dispel the memory of this Winter’s thermometer readings…. A blessed Sabbath all….
Thank you Mary. I’m thinking I may have had an audience of squirrels who like comedy watch the episode of walnut cracking. I left the remaking nut and pieces on the rock and two hours later it was all gone. Pam’s mom filled those hummingbird cakes with black walnuts and sprinkled an abundance on top. The forecasters say we might start February off with some nice temps but we all know February and March can bring surprises. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
I think with your walnut saga that we can say that persistence pays. 😊 That streaky sunset is lovely.
Thank you Karen. I had fun with the walnut and it was mostly sunny and 43 which was a great improvement for us. I was outside and busy doing something, even if it didn’t produce anything substantial. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thawing out here in the South part of the state, but loving your exploration into your winter wonderland. Beauty is everywhere!
Thank you Leslie Anne. How about your unusual winter week. The photos and videos from down your way are amazing. I’m sure the snow was fun for a lot of folks. Warming up is welcome though. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
This read was so much fun and sparked fond memories of the family setting around the table cracking walnuts, not the black walnuts though…enjoyed every word and beautiful photo!
Thank you Sue. My great grandparents had acres of pecan trees in the Florida panhandle so I mostly remember sitting around cracking pecans. Someone mentioned that English walnuts were a little easier to deal with. We hope you enjoy a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday, Butch and Pam! Sounds like walnuts might be a diet food based on the calories expended to crack them!! Our pond has been frozen over for days, but the geese found an opening and have been swimming furiously in a circle to keep it open. When I left for church it was still frozen and by the time I got home, it had completely thawed. Thin ice indeed!
Thank you Roxanne. I imagine you and the geese are happy to see the thaw, the geese more than you. If I ate only the walnuts that I cracked in the manner I did, I agree the calories would land in the negative. Maybe I need to work harder for all my food as I’m struggling with removing holiday pounds. The heron I watched seemed cautious and puzzled by that ice. Have a good thaw and a great week!
Butch and Pam
The snow and freezing temps have finally departed our area, and rain is in the forecast. That we need! I uncovered plants. It revealed a mixed bag. Some things didn’t survive, and some things look OK. They will hopefully perk up if we do get some good rain.
Happy last week of January.
Thank you Sarah. Hopefully you will have some survivors, maybe even some that don’t look so well will respond to improving weather. We had frigid temperatures for us but no snow this round. Glad things are improving at least for now. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Your Walnut yarn took me back about 70 years. When I was a kid, each Fall, our family would go to the woods and hunt for nuts for Mom’s baking during the holidays. We always had Pecans, Hickory nuts, and had to have Black walnuts for Mom to make her famous Black Walnut Cake! Daddy had a special 2×4 that he had bored a hole in the size of a Black walnut without the husk. He would place the walnut in the hole and whack it with the hammer. It would go flying out below and the husk would be totally removed. Then he would whack the walnut with the hammer to crack it open, Our job was to pick out the meat. There were 3 of us, so it went pretty quickly. I too, can’t see how those little “tree rats” can break them open. God is good. 😉 I absolutely love your Sunday stories, and Pam’s table settings are the bomb!. Much Light, Sharon
Thank you Sharon. Those black walnut cakes, yum. We loved your story and it sounded like your dad knew there had to be a creative method to make the walnut job easier. Picking out the meat is a task too. Granddaddy had those special picks that kinda looked like knitting needles and those worked fairly well on pecans. I do know where there are a lot of black walnuts but I’m thinking I may leave them for the super jaws of those tree rats. We hope you enjoy your week!
Butch and Pam
Daffodils, wow, friend! It’ll be a long long time til they make their appearance here on Cape Cod, but you have given me just a glimpse of spring on this cold frigid evening. And I am so thankful!!!
Thank you Linda. We hope a glimpse of the daffodils did warm you a little. We have 70’s predicted for next weekend but as they say, “it ain’t over ‘til it’s over”. Our worst snowstorm/blizzard ever was in March. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Reading the Sunday adventures takes me back home, long ago. We had a lot of black walnut trees. I am trying to remember if that outter husk fell off at some point. I remember they were all over the ground and we ate plenty. My uncle who could do anything, including play music by ear, cut down black walnut trees, took them to the sawmill to make boards. I helped him (a little) make the kitchen cabinets.
Stay warm.
Thank you Myrna. So many readers have commented on the black walnuts. They seem to be in some way connected to memories from long ago. I would think a few large walnut trees would be very valuable for lumber these days and bring quite a price. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
As always, I enjoyed your Sunday post. It seems that several of your observations hold true for those of us in Piedmont NC. Those are black eyed juncos for sure. We have quite a few at our bird feeder everyday and are prevalent here in NC. And our daffodils and jonquils are also starting to emerge in our natural area. By the end of February they will all be in bloom. And as for those black walnuts, definitely a tough nut to crack. Like Sharon mentioned, my mother also made a delicious black walnut cake. Can’t remember the last time I had one, too many years ago. We experienced severe cold too, with three days never getting above freezing. Gradually we are returning to normal temps. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and beautiful photos every week. I look forward to reading them. Have a great week!
Thank you Darlene. Sounds like your weather has been similar to ours and we are now seeing a warming trend. Thanks for the word about the junco. We aren’t always sure about identification but try to get it right. With all the reminders about black walnut cakes I’m thinking I should go gather a couple of buckets of those walnuts and start cracking. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
“Two Nuts!” Too funny! Walnut trees are pretty valuable. Your Black Walnut did not look messy. I have always heard of how dirty they make your fingers.
The cold temperatures are still here in the desert, but there is no snow here in the Valley. We are getting a few sprinkles of rain, but we need a lot more than sprinkles.
I loved seeing your bulb growth! It’s always fun to see, and it gives us hope that spring is on its way, no matter what the groundhog says.
Thanks for the stroll!
Happy new week to you both!
Thanks Nancy. Those walnuts I think are messy and stain, especially when green. We’ve read and looked at videos on how to crack the nuts after they have dried out like ours have. Seems the key is to soak them in water for a couple days before cracking. Of course we aren’t desert but we too are shy on rainfall for a while now. We can catch up quickly in the upcoming months. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Seeing that wee sprout of daff is a timely and welcome reminder that one day spring will get here, too! Another lovely visit, Butch!
Thank you Jeanie. We do know there is light at the end of the winter tunnel. Things around here try to rush into spring and usually get bit. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thanks, you two for taking me on a nature stroll through your lovely part of the country! Walnuts are extremely hard to harvest by hand, I’m glad I can purchase them in a grocery store!
I hope your Sunday was filled with many blessing and warmer temperatures!
Thank you Mary. We were thinking about trying our hand at harvesting the black walnuts but I think you’re on to something with the grocery store idea! It is warming a bit and we are ready for that. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Oh my gosh, the walnut cracking was hilarious as was the comment about two nuts in the garden! I’ve never seen a blue sparrow – ours are shades of brown and tans. Very cool. I loved that picture of the garden lights and the rye grass looks fabulous. I can’t believe the daffodils poking their heads up in all the cold weather you have had. I’m glad that the temps are finally warming for you. The afternoon sky shot is gorgeous! Have a wonderful rest of the week you two!
Thank you Kim. I think Pam believes I’m a bigger nut than any others around here. It is warming and we as softie southerners are glad. I actually had to mow all the rye grass about a day prior to our very cold week. Hope you have a wonderful week as well!
Butch and Pam
we were here in NC in the teens for a few days and got about 1/2 in. of snow. I’ve been asking what happened to global warming. I’m ready for warm weather. my parents had walnut trees on their farm and yes it is very hard to crack walnuts. like you we used a hammer.
Thank you Nancy. We did have 8 degrees one night but no snow. We are with you on ready for warmer days. Some on the way I believe. We are finding a lot of folks have black walnut stories. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Laughed at your black walnut story. We have 4 trees in our yard. Gave up long ago trying to get meat out of them. What a job for so little meat. I’m always amazed at our squirrels though, they eat most of them. Good obviously gave them great teeth and jaws. Thanks for sharing your walnut story.
Thank you Cherry. I gathered
a bucket full of walnuts yesterday and brought them home with the idea of cracking a few. I think leaving them for the squirrels might be a better idea. Have a blessed week and weekend!
Butch and Pam
we are a little North of you with the lake ice 25-30″ thick and freezing deeper. I do love pictures of spring.
Thank you Gary. You are no doubt very far north of us. We are expecting 75 degrees mid-week but it will only be tease of spring. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Such beauty and peaceful… Always a pleasure stopping by… Hugs and blessings.
Thank you Maristella. We are always glad you do stop by. Blessings and have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Nuts surely are so expensive, along with everything else, it seems! That was a lot of work to go to for such little results, so I am glad they tasted good! That last picture of the garden at night reminded me of something in a Hallmark movie. Just beautiful!
How sweet, thank you Cheryl!