Simple + Southern Sunday No. 537

“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

After a 15 degree morning with wind chills in the single digits, Friday afternoon turned out to be sunny with only light breezes. Still quite cool, but nevertheless I felt the need to head to Little River Canyon and do some roaming. This view is just over 20 miles from our house, so why not?
 

Grace’s High Falls is a little gem which is seasonal. My February visit allowed me to catch the falls in action. I guess it was actually “being a falls”. We often visit this area in October for the awesome autumn beauty and it is rare to see water that time of year!

The rocks had grown a beard. Another sight that I’ve not seen before in the canyon. It’s all about timing. Had I waited for a warmer day, I would’ve missed this particular display of nature’s beauty!

It is impossible to tell in this photo, but some of these icicles were 2-3 feet long. Zooming in to get a good look is nice, but can also fail to capture the magnitude or size of the subject. I couldn’t get very close to this bluff!
 

I made a U-turn when I passed this old house on a rural county road near the canyon. And again, to know the stories, the lives, the hardships, the happiness, and the history behind this scene would give us a glimpse of the days spent here as real people experienced everyday living. I suspected this was owned by the folks that resided in a new house on the front of the property. No one was home so I couldn’t ask, and did not wish to snoop around on someone’s property! There appeared to be plenty of signs to suggest I not trespass!

While on the subject of something old…Today’s throwback takes us back exactly 2 years from today, our 50th wedding anniversary, February 23, 2023. Such a wonderful memory of time spent with family and friends! We are blessed to be hanging around 2 years later, and with a very new family member, Daniel James! If you missed “50 Golden Years”, you are invited to join us.

“You don’t have to have pen and paper to write a love story”
~Butch Richardson

We decided to begin celebrating Anniversary #52 a few days early because Thursday was crabcake night at a favorite restaurant. Crabcake with haricots verts, potatoes, and beurre blanc. Pam could pronounce it, and also managed to eat every bite.

When you cannot come to an agreement on a dessert, then sharing is no longer an option. In such a case, two desserts must be ordered to maintain a peaceful table. I had coconut pecan cake, with vanilla bean creme anglaise. Pam indulged in lemon meringue tart, lemon curd, and Swiss meringue.  

Sharing seems to be the norm until the food becomes scarce. Right now everything is peaceful but I can see the feeder is getting low. I will need to replenish soon before a hockey game breaks out!

Last season the Autumn Fire Sedum bloomed very early and we couldn’t figure out the cause. I decided that maybe I trimmed the old growth away too early so I passed it over this year when I started my February pruning. I see now that leaving the old growth changes absolutely nothing. This plant is stubborn and determined to do as it pleases! Hence, Pam has recommended we rename this plant to Butch’s Sedum!
 

I cleaned out some of the planters and assessed their condition in preparation for April. I called these “planters in waiting”!
 

I was told recently by an acquaintance that I needed to drive across town sometime and see a senior living complex that was under construction. He knew we had a grandson named Wyatt Lee and was talking about the coincidence. I thanked him and went on my way. To be honest it isn’t a coincidence, this is the last Alabama project I put together before retiring and I named it after our WL. Hopefully, weather permitting, it will be completed soon and we can take Wyatt to the grand opening before too long!

I ran across this amazing old pine and thought, what resilience, a real survivor! This reminded me of a bit of news I heard during the week that was of particular interest to me since we had our anniversary coming up today. 
A couple in Brazil was recognized last week as being the longest living married couple on the planet. They celebrated their 84th anniversary near the end of last year. Manoel is 105 and Maria is 101. Nine of their 13 children are still living. The grands, great-grands, and great-great-grands total 121. I get our 4 mixed up! Can you imagine? When asked the key to such a long marriage the couple had a one word answer, “love”! 

I pushed my way through brush along the lake shore and finally came near the waters edge. The thick brush was alder. The male catkins stood out among what otherwise, at a distance at least, seemed like dead bushes and shrubs. Many people look at plants like alder, which puts out male and female catkins in late winter before leaves appear, as an indicator of spring being “just around the corner”! The reproductive cycle is already underway!
 

Male and female catkins are both found on the same plant. The smaller female catkins can be seen here. Pollination will occur when the time is right, mainly assisted by the wind. Creation is more than amazing! I wish we had moose in our part of the world. This alder thicket would be a moose hangout this summer!

It could be said that a hydroelectric dam is not necessarily a wonderful thing to have in the landscape. But this powerhouse has been in operation over 60 years. A blinking light in the top of the tower can be seen from our house. We are only a few miles down river from the Weiss Dam powerhouse, but I have to drive about 20 miles to park near here and walk out to this point. Without this we might be living by candlelight. There would also be no lake …

…and no sunsets like this. Here I am on the other side of that powerhouse. It is a hike to get here. You can see the tower in the distance about 1 mile away! 

Have a great week. March is coming on fast!

“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