“Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.”
Psalm 135:6-7 ESV
We decided to take a little journey backward to bring a few things to our remembrance. Remembering a good year with its blessings and its challenges is an important aspect of our everyday living. We aren’t guaranteed another breath, yet, by His Grace, we have just entered another year into our logbook.
January 2025 began with a cold start. That it was seasonal should’ve been no surprise, after all, it was winter and January is our coldest month on average. There were some surprises later in the month however…
…like fog that was freezing on everything. Fog and mid-twenties together combine to make for an interesting scene!
February does bring us Valentine’s Day, but our Valentine arrived on Valentine’s Eve! Daniel James was born at home and his siblings were able to see him and spend time with him soon thereafter. What a special gift. Childbirth is beyond miraculous! And we have 4 grandchildren! We could’ve never dreamed such a wonderful thing!!
Winter sunsets can be some of the most spectacular. We have considered doing a post of just sunrises and sunsets. If we do, this one might have to be included!
Pam told me that March daffodils were the harbingers of spring. After I looked up the definition of harbinger, I agreed with her. This was March, but most years we see a few daffodils in February.
The full moon of March, 2025, was amazing. It was also in total eclipse later that week at about 2:00 AM. I did get up, but was disappointed to see only clouds!
The girls played a trick on me, and from a distance, had me wondering what I was seeing in the garden. It was fitting to have an umbrella handy as we do get those April showers.
Passing spring rains in April brought us a month that was filled with rainbows!
May and milkweed…a butterfly delight and a sure sign of warmer days. Also the delight of other insects I do believe!
The annuals have normally established good roots in their new homes by May and begin to grow, fill in, and bloom.
A few hummers might stop briefly as they pass by in April, but June is the month when the tiny birds arrive to stay a while. The red crocosmia is a favorite!
What would June be without black-eyed-Susan’s surrounded by one of my favorites, asters?
We had an exciting, but hot July ribbon cutting. Wyatt did the honors of cutting the ribbon at the grand opening of Wyatt Lee Meadows.The Mayor and other upstanding dignitaries (ha) were looking on. It was a big day for Wyatt.
Zinnias are the staple, the garden anchor flower that always comes through. By July the zinnias are at their best in my opinion, even though they are around until frost!
When words are inadequate it is best to just “be still and know” rather than make an attempt to describe the Creator’s handiwork!
August in the Appalachian Mountains at The Swag, one of our very favorite places to visit, and not that far from home!
Baked Feta – Bottega Cafe
What else is more a part of everyday living than food? And, what a blessing it was to have the opportunity to visit some of our favorite restaurants in 2025!
September days are some of the best. The weather is typically great, a perfect time to spend time outdoors and to observe the changes that are beginning to take place. The cottage garden appears to be enjoying September!
We are always awaiting the Monarchs of October. The migration was a few days later than expected in 2025, but they are quite dependable and are welcome autumn visitors.
Amongst our very favorite autumn (and any time) visitors, we discovered 4 pumpkins. This is as good as it gets!
Early November is peak fall color most years here in NE Alabama…2025 stayed with tradition!
When God reminds you of His goodness and His promises as you are on a short drive home!
December has a way of drawing us into a frenzy if we allow it, and most of us do. But simple scenes and brief moments can remind us of why Christmas exists!
The Williamsburg Fan came through the Christmas season untouched by the critters. If we are around and able to attempt another fan next year, I do believe we will apply the granulated repellent around the area…that seems to have worked!
A thought for the New Year:
“Let us unmask kindness with the hope that it will be highly contagious.”
~Butch Richardson
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Happy Sunday Butch and Pam! I so enjoyed seeing the highlights of 2025, from the glorious sunrises, sunsets, rainbows garden views, sweet Valentine and adorable pumpkin carvers. Wishing more Happy and Healthy Everyday Living in 2026. ❤️
Thank you Mary. Every day and every year has its blessings and challenges. 2025 was good, we are glad to have lived it. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Love the recap, Butch and Pam. It’s a blessing to have lived through so many beautiful moments, and to be able to relive them through remembrance. Such, too, will be the loving memories of those we’ve lost in 2025.
Thank you Rita. We are blessed to have good memories of beautiful moments and to still be able to remember them, something that can certainly slip away. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thank you for sharing the year in review and all the wonderful memories. Love seeing the world through your eyes.
Thank you Gail. We are grateful to have experienced another year and now a beginning to a new year. We hope you have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
It’s a beautiful life. Happy and healthy 2026. God bless!
Thank you Ruthie. Life is good, God is good. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Thanks for the lovely pictures and year in review. I think I saw someone running in the clouds in one of the July pictures?? Wishing you and Pam good health throughout the year.
Thank you Rachel. When I get a minute I’m gonna see if I can spot someone in those clouds. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Maybe a runner in the upper right corner?
A wonderful compilation of 2025. We hope if you’ve already had knee surgery, that you are doing well. A home birth is special indeed! That is very brave! The sky pictures are always enjoyable. The cedar tree with the colored lights is so pretty. The clear lights of the tree behind it makes it look like a tree topper on the cedar tree. Hoping 2026 brings much joy, health, and fun memories. Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. Putting the months together and compiling made 2025 even seem more like a whirlwind. And it is already Jan 4. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
What a beautiful walk through the seasons! Happy New Year!
Thank you Carole. Those seasons come and go so quickly it seems. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Oh my gosh the pumpkin picture with the kiddos is just adorable. little Daniel is precious in that picture. The year does go so quickly and it is fun to look back at all the memories and fun things you did through the year. You have such wonderful community where you live. Wyatt at the Ribbon Cutting ceremony is adorable. Glad it was a good year except for your sweet Dad passing. Wishing you lots more health, happiness and memories made for 2026.
Hugs,
Kris
Thank you Kris. Each year seems to go faster but it’s a blessing when we can look back on fond memories. Losing Pam’s dad was very sad but his memory and life brings joy. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I love posts that look back, and this is a beautiful one. You’ve had quite a year — and now four grands, a Wyatt meadow and so much beauty and good times. I know the year has had its challenges and sadnesses but you have found such wonderful joy here! Onward to a new year!
Thank you Jeanie. It is onward to a new year, they come on us so fast. Challenge and sadness does come to us all but there is also joy to be found. We hope you have a joyful week!
Butch and Pam
Such wonderful photos and remembrances…time sure seems to have flown by in 2025 for us.
All our best wishes for continued blessings for you annd your family in 2026 and a huge thank you for sharing fun, family, and beauty with us. Keeping you in our thoughts and prayers for a healthy and gentle recovery…
Thank you Sue. We can’t put the brakes on time and it just keeps flying by. Blessings for you and family in ‘26 and thanks for your prayers. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
What a wonderful look back at a remarkable year. And may your new year be filled with blessings in abundance, Butch and Pam. Thank you for a lovely blog. It is a pleasure to visit here. God bless you and yours.
Thank you Michele. 2025 was a year of change and firsts but every year probably in some way brings those two things to all of us. We hope you have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
In the ‘Swag’ pic I see a puppy dog face looking down in the upper right corner….and in the’ be still’ photo, I see a hand holding a saucer with a hamburger on it (also upper right). I have a great imagination but I must stop looking or I will come up with many more formations. I adore Wyatt and his sweet facial expressions. and the pumpkin pic is precious of them all. What a wonderful year in review you have collected. Take care of your health as it becomes more fragile the older we get. Hugs to you and Pam and Blessings for all your family. Happy 2026.
Thank you Kari. I think becoming more fragile is a good description of at least a part of getting older. We will have to have a look at those photos and see what our imagination tells us. My imagination can get me off chasing rabbits and before I realize I’ve been chasing an hour. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Thanks for sharing a mosaic of joy, love, and growth throughout 2025. May all the goodness of 2025 light the way to a beautiful 2026 for you and your family! ❤️
Thank you Mary. Building on the past and, while being careful to not be presumptuous, we look ahead to a bright future. We hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday, Butch and Pam! The day started out dark and dank, but it beautiful outside at the moment…the craziness of weather in the South! I love this look back on 2025. It is comforting to see nature progress on schedule as it always has. “For every time there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven”. Is this the week for your knee surgery or are you already recuperating?
Thank you Roxanne. We ended up with a sunny cool day today. And I see we have spring like temps coming later in the week. I will be all beside myself with it 72 degrees and I’m laid up (the surgery is this Thursday). But as you reminded us, there is a time for everything. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
A lovely Summary of 2025 Butch & Pam! Praying all goes well with your surgery Butch.
Blessings to you both, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. We hope you have a blessed week and thank you for your prayers!
Butch and Pam
We all need reminders when the decorations are all put away and everything seems drab. Month by month lets us see the awesome way God changes our world right down to the last month of the year then starts all over again. Beautiful photos Butch. Praying for a perfect and quick recovery so I can see more of your beautiful work.
Thank you Alice. I appreciate your prayers and hopefully recovery will go smoothly. I’m not a good patient if unable to get out and about but my caregiver knows how to keep me in line. I guess most photos for a while will be taken from a window. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Such a beautiful post recounting the goodness God allowed you to enjoy in 2025! Another year of experiencing His faithfulness! May His blessings continue for all of us in 2026!
Thank you Cheryl. God is truly always faithful and we were blessed in 2025. Have a wonderful week to start off 2026!
Butch and Pam
Hello Folks. What a beautiful Stroll through the year 2025.
Every picture was a breath of fresh air!
I particularly loved the “pumpkins” all lined up!
2026 will be a wonderful year!
I see that your surgery is this week. I will keep you in my prayers. Do everything the doctor says, and you will be out taking pictures in no time.
This Thursday, it will be 7 weeks since my hip replacement. And I am pretty much cane-free, except for early mornings and at night.
You will do awesome!
Happy 2026!
Thank you Nancy. Glad you are recovering well, thanks for the encouraging words. I’ve been out weed eating and mowing as if that’s going to get out of hand here in January. It is spring like here this week. Have a blessed week, maybe it will be “ditch the cane” week!
Butch and Pam
I am very close! 😄😁
What a wonderful remembrance of 2025 – the pictures are spectacular. I’m always partial to the sky shots, but the sweet Valentine’s day gift and the pumpkin pictures steal the show. Such special memories. Happy New Year and wishing you all the best in 2026!
Thank you Kim. We were blessed in 2025, certainly nothing we could ever deserve. Now we have the gift of beginning another year. We hope you have a great week and a wonderful 2026!
Butch and Pam
Pam, such a lovely post, full of special moments. The pumpkin photos are so fun. Love the scenery, sky photos and so much more. Blessings for a great new year with more special moments. I am happy to feature your lovely round-up of 2025.
I enjoyed lookin back, it was a beautiful year. For some reason your posts are not making it into my Wordpress reader. I’ll have to try and discover why.
What a fabulous look back! Your photos are fabulous but, of course, the newborn photo was just THE BEST! What a fabulous Valentine’s gift for the whole family.
Thank you Joanne. We can’t believe that a year has almost passed and we will be celebrating his first birthday. Happy week to you!