“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.”
Romans 12:10 ESV
A splendid morning provided the blessings and knowledge that we’d been given another day as the sun also rose on a new month. The beauty of creation is ever before us but I do raise two questions. Where did January go, and, is spring just around the corner? We do have possible record high temps in the forecast for this week, even prior to any news from the nation’s groundhogs!
While out for a walk I spotted a group of birds rising up and circling around eventually swinging over the river and heading my way. They seemed so unorganized and confused and appeared to be battling among themselves for position, even seemingly colliding at times. But, in only about 20 seconds…
…their amazing instincts brought them to this formation as they went on their journey. There are trillions of such things in the natural world around us that are astounding, mind boggling! To me, it is completely irrational and unreasonable to think that all is here by accident. I’m not sure, but these may be black ducks or cormorants.
I’ve discovered that much of the more tedious and important work in the garden area must be done in February, not in the warmer months as I first assumed. Of course there’s much to do in the summer, but the garden really needs attention about 10 months or more each year. I don’t claim to be knowledgeable regarding proper pruning, especially on hydrangeas, but our friend who is a master gardener and has thousands of hydrangeas (a hydrangea farm) was kind enough to give me instructions over the phone. I had sent several photos of the first bush that I planned to practice on. While the advice was fresh on the brain, I went to work.
Upon completion of my work on the hydrangea, I sent a photo of my first victim (as I called it) to my instructor and made preparation for correction. She is kind, so I knew it would be constructive criticism. To my surprise, it was deemed as a good job. I was extremely proud about this until I also learned it is hard to mess one of these up completely, since you can cut them almost to the ground and they will come back! Pride goes before a fall.
Thousands of grackles came through last week. A couple of days after the flocks were gone, this lone bird showed up to eat some of our sunflower seeds. I don’t know if he was slow, if he was abandoned by the group, or just smart enough to stay behind for the ease of accessing a tasty menu!
If it should ever snow here again, we have some things to play on. PJ and I will store them somewhere and hope that if snow comes, somebody will be around who can recall where the sleds have been hidden. We plan to show the grands the sled hiding place. They will remember!
Give a dandelion 50 degrees and 4 or 5 hours of sun and you get this in return. Tough, resilient, and pretty little pesky weed! It deserves some credit however.
I couldn’t help myself. I had to hike back over to the nearest of the walnut trees and pick up a bucket full. The more I read about everyone’s experiences with these nuts, the more I am convinced that I need to dump these over in the hardwoods. There are many squirrels residing there who are equipped with the proper cracking tools!
All the fuss about cracking nuts brought something to mind. My Dad was a machinist. My grandfather, in season, was always bringing home hundreds (yes hundreds) of pounds of pecans from my grandmother’s home place in Florida. My Dad made a couple of stainless steel pecan crackers for my grandfather because a lot of the pecans he brought had not been cracked. Eventually they did find someone to crack all the pecans for a reasonable price. After I reminded my sister about the homemade nut crackers, she not only remembered, she located one of them. It once had a wider steel bottom and was mounted on a nice wooden base. The wood and the base were gone but I was able to rest it on a piece of wood. It would not hold up to walnuts but it was neat to find part of it. I remember them so well. I used the nut crackers many times as a boy to help with the pecans. This one is around 65 years old, maybe slightly older!
Riding a backroad yesterday, not too far from the lake, I spotted something that grabbed my attention. I thought I was imagining things, and turned around to investigate. Ospreys will build nests in unusual places and often use man-made structures like large electrical towers. This appears to be an amateur radio tower or personal antenna tower and was behind a residence. No one seemed to be at home for me to ask questions. The owners and neighbors would be well aware, but I wonder how many people that are only passing through notice this nest!
This is definitely not self explanatory. Welcome to our version of the Stonehenge, England phenomenon which occurs only at the summer and winter solstice, based on the angle of the sun precisely on those days. This is the shadow which is cast on our refrigerator of a large urn that sits on our counter/bar. It only occurs in January on a day when the sun’s angle allows rays to shine between the trees and into the side door and across the bar. The urn is named Uncle Ernie. Maybe later I can share the story behind the name, and why anybody would even name an urn!
We had 4 carport companions on Friday. Pam discovered them looking over and inspecting her SUV. They moved beside the driveway and stayed for the longest. When Pam saw them standing as if they might come up on the porch she excitedly and noisily alerted me. I grabbed a camera quickly, thinking I would be fortunate to get a photo before they moved on…
…but no, there was no need to rush. These boys had come to feel right at home and remained with us for probably 20 minutes. It is a strange thing that at times they exhibit such tame behavior and at other times they can spot me a 1/4 mile away and flee, very much alarmed!
I made a quick afternoon trek to Little River Canyon National Preserve. We normally visit in the other seasons, but since it’s only a short drive from our house, I thought, why not winter? Little River Falls and Little River were very icy not many days back. I loved my winter visit, discovering beauty everywhere. With the leaves missing, so much more was visible!
Late one afternoon after having a rainy morning, I made my way over behind the barn where I caught sight of these two sycamore trees rising out of the fog. The fog had formed in the valley along the creek almost instantly. I decided to stay around for a few minutes which turned out to be a good choice.
I did not expect the evening to end as it did. I thought there were too many clouds and the fog would only increase. I remained until dark!
As daylight faded I felt as if I had accidentally stumbled into a gallery of “sky portraits”.
I can now hopefully remember the last day of January, 2025, as a day of “gracious presentation”!
We thank you for stopping by, and we wish you a gracious start to February!
“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’m sure glad I don’t have to crack those walnuts. Your dad’s nutcracker is an interesting invention. A hammer was my choice. Those sunset pictures are beautiful. Your journey through the woods always makes me remember spending days in my grandmothers woods. They were a place of the most interesting ways to spend a day as a child. Swinging from the grapevines that were plentiful and digging for blue rocks. The creek was the best place to cool off. Yours would probably not be a fun place to play in this time is year. Never knew there was a proper way to prune a hydrangea but yours looks much better than mine. I never killed one so I guess I did alright.
Thank you Alice. Behind us where I grew up was nothing but hundreds of acres of woods. I spent many hours roaming there. The test of my pruning will come this summer when we see how things look. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
I love how you journal your daily sights! The urn effect is unique! Talk about unique, your Dad’s creative nutcracker would be the kind of thing we love finding and offering in our booths – with the provenance, which makes it so much better to the prospective buyer. Great job on the hydrangea. My similar work will be just a few weeks behind yours, Butch. I bet the neighbors hate the mess of the osprey on that antenna. According to Mary (HIWTBI), one cannot relocate the nest either, as the osprey is protected. Lastly, we had similar sky portraits on Friday evening, after over 2″ of rainfall. Happy Ground Hog Day and (Spring-like) week to come!
Thank you Rita. I wonder if that antenna is maybe not in use and the owners are able to enjoy seeing the birds? The antenna looks old. We had some needed rain but not as much as you received. We are looking forward to a warmer week, 75 here tomorrow. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I love seeing the “V” of the geese. It always amazes me. And aren’t those grackles beautiful with their metallic blue throats? Lovely!
Thank you Jeanie. The metallic iridescent grackles were here in droves and quickly moved on. That one stayed behind for a day and departed. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
So interesting wondering how/why the birds figure out how to fly in a formation like that! That nut cracker is amazing! I love pecans, I need to appreciate how hard the process is! I’ve seen Osprey nests in some very unusual places, especially at the beach! I have seen some stunning sunsets this week and am so enjoying our warmer temps! So nice of your friend from the hydrangea farm to give Butch tip’s on trimming them back! Happy February!
Thank you Jenna. We too remember seeing Osprey nests in odd places in coastal areas. The warmer temps are definitely welcome but we know some cold days are still to come. Every warm day is one day closer though. Have a pleasant and warm week!
Butch and Pam
My husband’s family had a nutcracker similar to yours. I think we still have it. We buy all our pecans already shelled and bagged from a big box store. Things have really changed! When I was growing up, we had 2 pecan trees in the front yard which produced enough pecans for us and we had to pick up and shell every one! I believe my Mom continued buying unshelled pecans until she passed. I guess it was a chore that allowed her to sit and shell them versus being up and working on a different project. She was never still! The sky shots are gorgeous. It is amazing that birds form a V to migrate. Your hydrangeas look great pruned and will do fine since you sought professional advice. The sleds are colorful and hopefully will be used a few times in the future. Have a wonderful week! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. I think buying pecans ready to go is the way to go these days. We sometimes get them from Georgia but Pam’s Mom would always order from a place in Ruston, Louisiana. I too have shelled and picked meat from quite a few pecans back in the day. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
The formation photo attests to the Divine Order of things when followed, even instinctively.
That mankind should be so obedient… Great job of pruning… Describing the process and
understanding it by phone has to be daunting without having a vivid imagination.. A
NY radio commentator years ago annually defended the deplored grackle, calling it a
“noble bird” and creating humorous anecdotes to the delight of his audience. What a
generous soul to share the walnut harvest with the squirrels. That pecan cracker is
a handsome and masterful achievement…will those skills still exist in a few generations?
It is often mysterious where birds choose to build their nests. The urn photo looks as though
the piercing light is lifting the lid…great capture. The evening sky is a virtual symphony
of images…fun to decipher. The Little River Falls is a study in serenity and very apropos
for Sabbath contemplation. Bless you both for the spirit and message you impart.
Thank you Mary. I think your words, “ Divine Order”, cover everything we see and all that we can’t see. It would be interesting to hear a radio narrative about grackles in our day. I wonder how that would fly, no pun attempted. The pecan cracker is stainless steel. I would like to have it restored but stainless is very hard and takes special equipment and skill to weld. I fear many skills will become like some creatures, extinct. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Those turkeys! I think they want to move into the Sunshine Cottage.
I enjoy how you journal your days and add pictures. I do the same, but only so I can remember what I did last week. LOL!
The formation of the birds is always remarkable to watch.
The sleds will come in handy one day, and oh, how fun it will be!
Hydrangea pruning is scary for me. I take them down to very little, and they always come back. Amazing!
Your skies were such a delight to view here. I can only imagine how it was for you.
Enjoy your week!
Thank you Nancy. Turkeys love a rainy day and sometimes act like they are waiting to come in for a visit. Something about the rain makes them bold. We are with you on the remembering last week except mine is becoming last hour. I’m not pruning things as low this year as last. I’ll see how it all works out. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy February Butch & Pam,
What a delightful way to begin a new month. I’m in awe of your photos and life around you! The sleds look like they’re still “waiting” for at least ONE adventure as the skies glow with the promise of God’s color all across our country. In the midst of such life-changing events that occur, your photos of the winter nature area, homemade pecan “cracker” (oh how I loved using those in Arkansas and walnuts are huge in our area, Butch), the formation of the birds, the Grackle, and the curious turkeys that have no Thanksgiving worry, gave me such joy today!
The pesky weeds that I still love (I’m that girl, lol) and the instructor’s good feedback on your pruning made me smile!
I’ve been out of commission, once again, with a flu bug that has settled into a cold/congestion now, Butch and Pam. I pray for you ALL DAILY! Thank you for sharing God’s beautiful world and the world around you! You truly make life better for us all!
God bless you!
Love, Karla and Finley
Thank you Karla and happy February to you. Sorry you are dealing with the flu. It is hitting our area pretty hard right now too. So far we have been ok. I think I read that Missouri has the most black walnut trees of any state. I need to look back and see if I’m remembering correctly. (It wouldn’t surprise me if I was thinking about something else). The turkeys are safe as long as they don’t scratch up the flowers and plants this spring. Have a great week! Praying you get well soon.
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday Butch and Pam! The urn phenomenon is really something! Yes, we need the entire story…does Uncle Ernie contain Uncle Ernie? I just have a feeling we might get one more snow, so maybe those sleds will get put to the test. That osprey nest is huge! I had so many cardinals during the snow feasting on black oil sunflower seeds. Now they seem to have vanished and Carolina wrens have taken over. Looks like we are having a week of False Spring, so we all need to get outside and enjoy!
Thank you Roxanne. We had guests over and one couple had never been here. He kept rubbing around on the urn. I don’t know what came over me but it just came out, l said “that’s Uncle Ernie”. He quickly pulled his hand away and I realized immediately what he thought. I just said, I like to name things in the house. No, it’s not Uncle Ernie, but the name has stuck from that day. And BTW, it is the only thing in the house with a name, l think. We still have a lot of cardinals. We are enjoying these warmer days. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Our Florida January was colder than normal and this first week of February is supposed to be above normal. I’m sure it was hard to a famous groundhog to try to come to a prediction this year. Good job with your pruning, it looks like when I would prune our apple trees.
Thank you Karen. We are ready for warmer days and I’m sure you are too. I didn’t know apple trees needed much pruning. I wouldn’t know where to start on apple trees. I am wondering if I should do any trimming on blueberry bushes and about to read up on that. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Those colorful sleds will provide hours of fun if the snow returns! And they could easily be packed to travel to ‘snow land’. The feathered friends that arrived near your home must have a story to tell!
Thank you Mary. We won’t see snow for a while probably but we ( or the grands) will be ready. Feathered friends are moving in closer it seems; we are expecting a turkey on the porch one day. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I love the Sunday journal and photos.
There are only three sleds. Soon there will be another addition for next winter.
How is your father Pam ?
Thank you, Myrna. Yes, baby is due this week. We are very excited and on baby watch! Thank you for asking about my sweet Daddy. He had a good week. We are so thankful for his caregivers.
Blessings, Pam
The sunset picture are beautiful. Have a great new week and beginning to February. Hugs. Kris
Thank you, Kris. Wishing you a great week!
Butch and Pam
Those sunset shots are just gorgeous and were definitely worth waiting for! What a wonderful gift for the last day of January, especially given the January that it’s been. The turkeys are hilarious and that is such a funny story about Ernie the urn. The geese forming the V was amazing and I’m so glad that your weather is warming – we are freezing here (-20s). It’s so exciting to be on baby watch and I hope everything goes well. Have a wonderful week all of you!
Thank you Kim. You are extremely cold! We reached about 24C today and that will spoil us because more cold will come. We are on baby watch as the time is definitely here. We hope you have some warmer days soon. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I look forward to your beautiful photos, and I especially enjoy your narratives. Your appreciation of God’s creation inspires me to pay better attention.
Thank you Hilda. I try to pay attention but I’m afraid I miss a lot, but for certain the Creator has surrounded us with so much. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
What a lovely post Pam & Butch, I particularly enjoyed seeing the skyscapes, absolutely breathtaking!
And seeing your Nutcracker, brought back memories of my own grandfather’s workshop (he was a Welder for Shell corp & then in his retirement had his own business in installing dual controls for driving instructors cars that he made, welded & installed in his own metal workshop from his yard). Sweet memories ☺️.
Blessings to you both, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. It’s good to recall sweet memories. I hadn’t thought about those nutcrackers my dad made in years. My interest in those walnuts triggered my memory. Craftsmen like your grandfather aren’t nearly so plentiful in today’s world. Hope you have a blessed mid-summer week!
Butch and Pam