“The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting.”
Psalm 50:1 ESV
A few clouds gathered and we managed about one eighth inch of rain later in the day on Friday. We were thankful for the small amount, some places received more. It’s simply September and that is how it normally goes. October is often our driest month but we think October days are the best! We probably all have a favorite, but regardless, they all pass too quickly! September is already almost 2 weeks old!
These kids were out playing by the kudzu patch when I was on my morning walk one day last week. I warned them that they were too close to the road. The next day they were out there again. Kids these days just don’t listen!
Later on the same morning I circled by our picnic spot on the river to check on the table and see if squirrels had been dining on the premises. The river was lazy and reflective. I had not been down this trail lately because every time I drop by, mosquitoes and gnats think it is their job to greet me and escort me along the way. They were still waiting on me so I didn’t tarry long!
This truly represents the art of camouflage. Our Creator is beyond amazing. This green lynx spider is very common, but through all the years and all the hours spent in our garden, I had never seen one until I was watering one afternoon last week. This guy doesn’t spin a web, but hides and catches prey by surprising them. I can easily see how this spider is well adapted and designed to do just that. My watering was disturbing, causing movement, or I still would not have seen a green lynx spider!
I decided to take a stroll along a path behind the house where there is disturbed soil and the wildflowers and other growing things are always changing with the seasons. On this walk I noticed yellow is becoming a dominant color, even though a lot of the goldenrod is not yet in bloom. The woodland sunflower (here) and the bearded beggarticks (below) grow side by side and bloom at the same time.
The beggarticks are sometimes called tickseed sunflowers but regardless of what we call them, all are in the daisy/aster family and can look a lot alike!
Looking up from the garden while watering, I spotted this crawfish, crayfish, or crawdad in the sky. I wondered which one of these descriptions was correct. Which would you use? It doesn’t matter…all 3 are acceptable! Generally, there are regional differences, and even then, there are overlapping and local uses that differ. Some sources say Crawfish is most common in the south, Crayfish most common in the north and in Canada, and Crawdad more common on the west coast, parts of the midwest, and select areas in the eastern US. Maybe you’ve read the book, “Where The Crawdads Sing”, set along the marshes of coastal North Carolina? I actually use all 3 of these terms, depending on the conversation at hand!
While continuing to water our few surviving plants, I did remind myself to keep looking up. The crawfish had drifted on by, but something else caught my eye. We hadn’t had rain in quite some time, nor did it rain on me this day…but I’ll take a rainbow any time, even without the needed rain.
Back along the trail, I felt a sense of being welcomed when I spotted what looked like little pineapples, many crowned with gorgeous lavender tops. Normally a sign of hospitality, I approached, but decided these pineapple lookalikes were attached to thistle and would not be hospitable whatsoever. Have to be careful what you grab hold of out in the woods!
This just looked like an allergy attack searching for a place to happen. American burnweed is currently everywhere along a nearby utility easement and those white fibers were flying around like those from dandelions. Surely you’ve blown on a dandelion? As you can see, the blooms are in multiples and very numerous, dozens on just a few stems. They grow several feet tall, these 7 or 8 feet I would guess. I came away sneezing, from what I’m not sure. Ragweed is all underneath the burnweed and around the area but it is a little too early for ragweed to cause trouble! I’m not generally allergic to things outdoors, but that may be changing.
Some spiders spin webs, but it seems this one may have installed a safety net. Sometimes what appears to offer safety, to catch you if you fall, will catch you as promised…but refuse to turn you loose.
Often it takes the death of one thing to provide what is necessary for others to have life.
Soon to be heading south, our little visitors are preparing for a long trip. We still have a large number of hummers spending time with us in the garden every day. Change will come, but we continue to enjoy watching them zipping about from flower to flower. I had briefly encountered a Monarch butterfly late the evening before, so I was out in the garden with my camera the next morning…no Monarch, but this girl paid me a visit.
I cut back all the cone flowers some weeks ago in hopes that more would emerge. This is our lone flower, but it happens to be a pretty one, admired by us and a gulf fritillary! After not seeing many fritillaries all summer, they have now arrived by the dozen!
Recommending a book is not something I ever do, but I am making an exception. This was such an inspiration and a perfect fit for me as one who spends so much time outside, observing everything around, and hopefully keeping the proper focus and rightful adoration and balance between creation and Creator. Pam read this and enjoyed it equally as much. It is very easy to read and practical, with entire chapters dedicated to each of the 7 days of creation, as well as other wonderful chapters filled with insights relating to the natural world we live in. The book is filled with Biblical references. I plan to read it again. I wish I could write a book. I could never articulate like this author, but I figure this is the kind of book I might write.
We had a number of dead or dying pines removed some months back. We did not realize that at certain times of the year, this would open up a gap where the afternoon sun would pass, giving us a filtered view before sunset.
Just after sunset on Labor Day. For our readers in other places, and you probably know this, the first Monday of September is a National Holiday here in the US. A lot of folks see it as the end of summer and try to have one final long weekend doing “summertime things”. Our day was one of labor…trimming trees, cutting weeds, watering live plants, pulling up dead plants, and a few other “end of the season” tasks!
We pray your week will be a safe and joyful one!
“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
So that is what those pretty purple “flowers” are, they are growing here among the Queen Anne’s lace. Now is the time for spider webs.I almost walked into one last night as I was walking down the porch steps, the spider was in it! The book you read sounds similar to one my husband bought titled God’s Story In The Stars by Melanie Eberly. It is raining here again, we have had a lot of rain this summer, wish I could have sent some down your way. Have a great week. God bless.
Thank you Maryann. It is amazing how quickly spiders that build webs can build them, and build them back after we walk through them. I’m not familiar with the book you mention but may want to check that out. We hope you enjoy a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Thanks for the picture of the spider and the story of how he hunts
Rainbow but no rain – cool
Forest “pineapple” thistles were quite pretty
Thank you Gail. We love seeing rainbows but still need some rain. Those thistles are pretty but prickly. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I was driving yesterday amid snow flurries of burnweed! We received about the same amount of rain as you did on Friday, just enough to make for mushy geranium deadheading. I changed out my summer wreath, mat and flag to fall, but the temperatures forecast for this week defy any season other than summer!
Have a great new week, Butch and Pam.
Thank you Rita. We are gradually swapping out a few things too but the temperature hasn’t caught on just yet. We past a field yesterday that was about 20 acres of white and I realized it was all burnweed. We hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I always enjoy my Sunday morning verse and stroll through nature with you. How wonderful to see the rainbow, which is always a reminder of God’s promise. The recommended book sounds like one that I would love to read. Thank you!
Have a beautiful week.
Thank you Kitty. We both read a lot but I seldom make a recommendation but I felt like people that enjoy the kind of stuff they see and read on our Sunday posts would also appreciate and enjoy that book. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
The green spider is amazing with his perfect camouflage. We need rain desperately also. It went all around us this week sometimes only 1/2 a mile away! My poor flowers are barely hanging on. I never knew what burnweed was called. No wonder my allergies have been bad! Praying we all get much needed rain and cooler temperatures this week. I haven’t done any fall decorating outdoors yet as it has been too hot.
Thank you Rachel. We’ve been slow to change over to fall stuff too but starting to do a little seasonal transitioning, mostly pulling up and removing spent and dying flowers. We’ve seen pumpkins for sale but it’s just too hot still. I think it’s upper 90’s again tomorrow. Hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
OMG, that is a big spider!! I had a wolf spider in the house some time ago, also a hunter not a web builder. Those mushrooms are beautiful. We haven’t seen butterflies this year either. Strange.
Thank you Carole. If we find a spider in the house it is normally a wolf spider. I always wonder how they get in? Butterflies have been scarce but all of a sudden have come in numbers. Hope you have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Good Sunday Morning. My hummers have still been coming around they love my petunias. They will be leaving soon. Fall is on its way. I have seen a few monarchs too. That is a great sign that they are beginning to flourish again. I want to do some fall decor but summer is still holding on here in Illinois. The book sounds like a great read. Have a good week. Hugs Kris
Thank you Kris. The monarch that came by our garden was a ragged looking one that was showing a lot of “wear and tear”. It was a male. I got a couple of poor photos but may show one next week since it surprised me as we usually start seeing them in October. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Enjoyed your walk today. That spider is amazing. Thank you for sharing. Have a wonderful week.
Thank you Lisa. I’ve looked for that hard to see spider again on the plants in the area and have not found it again. We hope you have a wonderful week as well!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday,Butch and Pam! That spider is amazing, and it is incredible you spotted it. I would probably faint if it jumped on me! There are spiders everywhere around our house and yard the last few weeks. Walking into a spider web freaks me out…where is the spider, is it in my hair?!? My darling sister came up for the weekend. She and John settled in to watch Clemson and Carolina play last night, but there were rain and lightning delays all evening.
I’ll take every drop of rain that comes down, so I was happy (unlike the thousands of fans in the 2 stadiums!).
Thank you Roxanne. I think the spiders, butterflies, insects and the like are wide open getting in their last hurrah for the summer. Pam watched most of the Alabama game and remained cool and comfortable with iced tea and no danger of getting wet from her TV seat. That’s the way to go these days. I was in my element outdoors. We can’t squeeze out any rain, maybe soon. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday!
I wasn’t sure if I found the Green Lynx Spider in your splendid photo, so looked him up, just to be sure. Although spiders have always left me with a creepy vibe, they do have their purpose and this spider is rather beautiful…you always introduce us to interesting and unique creatures. The yellow flowers are so sweet. Just about all the flowers around our house are spent now, just the mums are bright and ready for their turn to bloom.
Thank you for the recommendation of the book by Seth Lewis, The Language of Rivers and Stars, it’s in my cart and sounds like a marvelous read. I do love how you both write and tell stories…what a wonderful thing to ponder…a book by Pam and Butch! Sigh…
Wishing you a blessed week and more Happy Trails…
Thank you Sue. We don’t have any mums yet and thought about not getting any until we return from vacation, someone would have to water them while we are away or they wouldn’t survive. The author of that book talks about growing up in Alabama and the area he mentions is about 50 miles from us, but he lives in Ireland. That’s an interesting move. I probably don’t have the patience to complete an entire book even if I was a writer. I’m too often in a hurry to get to the next thing. We hope you enjoy a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
What a nice pleasant morning stroll you have given us Butch, with much to see along the way, minus the mosquitos of course. That green spider is amazing and I don’t believe I have ever heard of it before. Of course as I age that old C&W song comes to mind regarding one’s memory…(only I have to apply it to pretty much EVERYTHING these days)…LOL… and the lyrics go something like this: “I’ve forgot more than you’ll ever know about [him] everything?
Summer is definitely winding down, and a few snow birds, searching for warmer temps are slowly infiltrating our Floridian cities. I don’t think they realize Hurricane season peaks September through October, but our businesses welcome the economy boost when they come.
Have a great and wonderful week…
Thank you Kari. So far the hurricane season has been quiet but we know how quickly that can change. Hopefully things will remain calm. I remember an old gentleman who often came by the place where I worked as a teenager pumping gas who always teased me and said “ son, I’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever know “. Maybe he had! We hope you have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
As always, beautiful images and even more beautiful skies! We are definitely feeling fall!
Thank you Jeanie. Send a little fall our direction but stall the winter as long as you can. Hope you have an enjoyable week!
Butch and Pam
I say, “Crawdaddy” but honestly, I see a pitchfork. The kind a farmer uses, not the devil. He’s too bad to think about on such a pretty day! Have a great week!
Thank you Leslie Anne. I’ve heard crawdaddy too. We have had a delightful day also, no thanks to the devil for sure. Hope your week is as delightful as this day!
Butch and Pam
Butch,
I think you would do well as a writer. I really enjoy how you describe everything and your dry humor. If you added all the beautiful photography, it would be a bestseller.
I also wanted to mention that I love the rainbows that you capture along the way. They are a lovely addition to the interesting flowers and animals. Thanks for another pleasant Sunday missive.
Have a blessed week,
Sharon
Thank you Sharon. A couple of our readers are good writers and write books and possibly chuckle when I mention writing. Perhaps they would give some suggestions but might suggest I need to consider doing something else. I’m very glad and encouraged that you enjoy the writing and even the humor. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I love the sunset photos Butch! And I wouldn’t have seen that camouflaged spider either, well spotted! To be different I thought your crawdad cloud actually looked like a trident when I first saw it, lol!
My husband is doing the same with our garden in trimming, raking & getting ready for all things Spring whihc has sprung here & Summer. The main culprit of falling fronds/leaves at the moment is our huge Jacaranda out the back which interestingly loses it’s foilage in Spring flowering in late Spring before getting it’s new fronds/leaves in Summer.
That book looks very interesting.
Blesings to you & Pam for the coming week, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. I researched the weed, Patterson’s curse that you mentioned last week and what a terrible pest and problem that that one is. I read articles about the weed in Australia but found it has made it’s way to parts of the US and other places. That’s a bad boy. Now I’ll have to read about the Jacaranda. We love learning about what grows other places- everyday living is different for all of us in many ways but the same in a lot of ways too. Have a great week and a wonderful spring!
Butch and Pam
Hello Folks!
I had a hard time looking for that green spider! Wow! It’s big. I am quite frightened of spiders because a brown recluse has bitten me twice. Both bites took very long to heal.
Thank you for naming all the flowers. I love learning new ones.
Your sunsets are quite beautiful.
And I say crayfish… ☺️
Thank you Nancy. Maybe crayfish is the PA leaning. Pam had a cousin that was bitten by a brown recluse years ago but we remember that it took a very long time to heal. Bitten in bed at night in a college dorm if I remember correctly. Hope you have a spider free and pleasant week!
Butch and Pam