Red Honeysuckle

This is a picture of the Red Honeysuckle I made at my sister's house back when it was in bloom.

I was out there today and saw these cute little berries where the bloom used to be.  There were several like this on the plant.  Each one had a pea-size berry with two small ones and three orange 'carrot-looking' thingies!

My sister said she had never noticed that they looked this way.  I thought these were very unique!

Seeking Direction

The post today is copied from the daily devotional of In Touch Ministries.  We are at a place in time where we need, more than ever, to get on our knees and seek direction from God for our lives,  and also for the best direction for our nation to take! 

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Luke 12:16-21

We've all heard jokes about men who refuse to stop and ask for directions. But in reality, there's probably a good bit of truth to the stereotype, and it isn't limited to males. Plenty of men and women in this world zoom along without slowing down to ask for guidance.

If you were to look at the situation from a spiritual perspective, you'd see a world of lost souls desperately trying to save themselves. They think  they can earn their way into heaven through hard work and the accumulation of good deeds. But they're wrong.

Today's passage from Luke describes a wealthy person who makes a lot of plans based only on his own thoughts, desires, and experience. Take the time to look at the passage again, and notice how many times he used the words "I" and "my." What you'll see is that his focus was squarely on himself. This parable is a sad picture of the self-directed man trying to make his own way and secure his own future with no help from anyone--including God.

The Lord didn't mince words: He called the man "fool" (v. 20). Worldly wisdom amounts to nothing in the eyes of our omniscient, all-wise Father (1 Cor. 1:20), and He expects His children to request and follow His guidance.

The message for us today is clear: When we figure out our own plans and take action with no thought about what God would advise, we are behaving like fools. The Lord has a plan for your life. He knows where you'll succeed and where you'll fail. Be wise and ask Him for directions.

Copyright 2012 In Touch Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved. www.intouch.org. In Touch grants permission to print for personal use only.

Out in the Yard Today

Our neighbor's pasture ~ Babe and Desperado are having brunch;-)

New growth in the shade garden I'm trying to establish.

A young male hummer awaits his turn at the feeder.  In other pictures of him, I could see a few red feathers.

I think this is a Variegated Fritillary Butterfly.  This is as close as it would allow me to get.

Desperado sees me and comes over for a pat.

He actually came quite close!

One red leaf on the Sumac.  A harbinger of Fall?

 

While looking for butterflies, I spotted this tiny green lizard.  He was only 3 inches long!  Hard to tell just how small he is because I used a long lens and also cropped the picture.

What's going on in your yard?

Early Morning Hummers

This morning I was up before sunrise and out on the 'veranda' with a cup of coffee and the camera.  The Hummers were having a feeding frenzy.  The low rays of the early morning sun gives these Hummers a rosy glow.

Red Admiral

On my morning walk, I spotted a butterfly I had never seen before!

I recognized it as a Red Admiral from pictures I had seen.

My walk is up and down our long driveway, so on the next trip to the house, I got the camera.

 

It's always a thrill to get to photograph a new butterfly!

Ode to a Butterfly

 

In morning sunlight I fly about

Seeking the dew-laden flowers out

On tiny legs I stand and dine

The sweetest nectar, so sublime

Then on silken wings I fly

To meet the others in the sky

Wordless Wednesday

 

Wishing You Peace

When we go to Starkville, for any reason, we usually stop by Oktibbeha County Lake to see if any pictures are there just waiting to be snapped.


I understand that this lake has been being maintained by the State.  After we found the gate locked at the entry, we heard that the State said they could no longer maintain it and turned it over to the county.

We also heard that the county said they could not afford to assume the maintenance on this lake.

The last we heard they were taking bids for someone to maintain it.

 

There are camping hookups, fishing piers, picnic area, and boat launches.  A good sized brick building for activities has been built there in recent years.  It's a shame to let this recreation facility be locked for good!  We would surely miss it. I'm hoping that someone will come along and open it up to the public again.   

Feeding the Critters

One of the Squirrels that we watch jumping from tree to tree out in the woods, has ventured close to the house and found the seed and water we put out for the birds!!!



He just wants a little drink.  This is the second time we have seen him this close to the house.

Look how high he gets off the ground as he makes his way back to safety!

He knows he will be safe under the storage building.

 

After a while he made his way along the woods and then slipped under the fence.   I have a feeling he will make a habit of visiting the feeder and watering pan!

Watching and Waiting: Wordless Wednesday