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sunday's pic

black-eyed susans...

One day this week, I sat outside admiring my Black-eyed Susans.  My mind wandered and I was taken back to some special childhood memories...

Every summer of my childhood, I spent two weeks at my Tennessee grandparents' farm.  It took FOREVER to get there.  My sister and I prayed for safety because my Dad spent way too much time looking at the beautiful views we passed along the way.  After riding FOREVER, we turned off a paved road onto a 26 mile long dirt road.  

At this point, I could hardly contain my excitement!  We drove and drove and drove. We passed by the one room school house my mom, aunt, and two uncles had to walk nine miles in sun, rain, snow, and ice to get there and get educated.  Along this dirt road, Black-eyed Susans grew among the trees and vines and plants.  They are one of my all time favorite flowers, but they never distracted me very long.  This place had creeks and creeks and rocks and wooden bridges and dust.  I really could hardly contain my excitement!

When we passed by one family’s farm, I absolutely loved seeing the creek and wooden bridge and peacocks and a bunch of other animals.  I knew it wasn’t too much longer before I could get out of that car and run up to the door and see my grandparents!  I seriously could hardly contain my excitement! 

Finally, we got to a point where the road curved and we came down a hill and I COULD SEE THE HOUSE!  I could no longer contain my excitement!  But first, we crossed an old wooden bridge across the best creek ever.  Then we turned onto the long dirt and rock driveway.  My excitement burst like fireworks!  This was the old home place where we visited with my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, and (especially!) my cousins.  This was the place of special childhood memories...

Memories of swimming in the creek and playing with crawdads and hiking and playing and coloring and eating meals on the front porch and smelling my grandmother’s biscuits and bacon every morning and drinking spring water and playing with salamanders and walking seven miles to the old country store that doubled as a library and exploring and skipping rocks and dangling our legs off the bridge and watching the cows and collecting rocks and riding into town with my granddaddy and playing tag and... 

I am not responsible for any exaggerations above.  I was just a kid...

~

always & forever

You’re Always There for Me

When the world comes crashing in

And chaos rules my mind,

I turn my heart to you, Lord,

And pure, sweet peace I find.

You lift me out of trouble

You comfort me in pain;

You nourish, heal and cleanse me,

Like cool, refreshing rain.

In times of joy and bliss,

When things are going right,

You lift me even higher,

And fill me with delight.

You listen to my prayers;

You hear my every plea;

I’m safe because I know

You’re always there for me.

Author Unknown

one beautiful place

Hebron Rock Colony.  A beautiful gem hidden in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina between Boone and Blowing rock...

we are blessed indeed...

inside looking outside

Carolina Wren juvenile

Carolina Wren juvenile

It’s a beautiful day!  I wish I could be outside enjoying nature.  But, I’m supposed to take it easy because I had my 13^th and 14^th spinal injections this morning.  Believe me, if these don’t work, I’ll scream.  Very loudly.

Anyway, I’m watching many birds that have just left the nest.  They are stink’n adorable.  A little Carolina Wren actually took a sand bath to fluff up its wings.  Then he flew to the deck rail, tucked in his feet, sat down, and rested for awhile.  Made me smile! 

Northern Cardinal juvenile

The Northern Cardinals are doing their paternal instinct thing. They get seeds in their beak, go to their not so patient fledglings, and let the babies pluck the seeds from their beaks.  So cute!

I’ve so enjoyed the hummingbirds.  It amazes me how they can beat those wings quickly and suspend in mid air.  They are nimble, they are quick, and their chirping is dainty.  Love them! 

Hummingbird

There have been a few Bluebird and Mockingbirds fledglings still sporting their spotted feathers.  I’ve seen a few juveniles looking nothing like the adult they soon will become.  I have no clue who they are.  One Carolina Chickadee still had some fuzzy feathers.  Could be he made an early exit.  Too sweet!

Eastern Tiger Swallow Tail

A yellow and a blue butterfly have made their way around and around and around the butterfly bush.  I love the little dancing thing they do.  Beautiful!

I could go on and on about the world outside my door.  But I’ll end this for now.  Our Creator is awesome!

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

Genesis 1:31 NLT