For the Love of Florida’s Butterflies

7 Nov

A Time to Live

Melody Hendrix

I thought I would do another series for a few months. I would like to share with you a true earth treasure. The butterfly.

 

 

A little creature that whispers Gods glory and gospel. The apostle Paul says we are works in progress and that our transformation from the old to the new is a struggle. All of creation is overflowing with living attributes paralleling the divine principles of life and struggle. Look at the transformation of the butterfly from egg to larva to butterfly, a supreme work of nature.

 

Monarch

 

It wasn’t until my admiration for them turned to passion that I wanted to photograph and learn the details of a butterflies life. It wasn’t just their magical beauty in my garden that thrilled me, but their life story. The one our God  wrote for them. Oh, what they go through to live and multiply. I call their life cycle “from mushy to majesty”.  The marvel of metamorphosis.

 

 

Sit in my butterfly garden with me in the weeks to come. I would like to share with you how you can enjoy butterflies in your yard, how to photograph them and to enjoy their beautiful story. Each week I will showcase a different Florida butterfly.

I am going to start with information about planting a successful butterfly garden next week. Then show you how to enjoy their entire life cycle by raising your own. The first butterfly showcase will be the Monarch since they are the most well known and are the easiest to attract and raise.

See ya next week.

 

 

 

 

I am retired and enjoying life. My hobbies are my 5 grandchildren, son and daughter, and my loving husband. I am a photographer and extreme nature lover. I love spending time in my garden or in the wilderness connected to God my Creator.
Melody

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No Matter What…

6 Nov

In the morning before I open my eyes until I close my eyes in sleep.

 

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Circuitous Travel~Part 11

5 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

JUDY

 

 

This day in London started off with my cutting Fred’s hair. Being in the U.S. military, he had a set way that he wanted his hair cut – as well as how often it should be shaped up. We had been gone from Germany for about 10 days now, and he was getting “shaggy” according to his specifications! It didn’t take long, but it had to be done!

 

 

We had arranged to take the bus to Canterbury on this day, and so we did. Fred and I had visited England many years before, when we lived in Wiesbaden, Germany. We knew we wanted to share this experience with our girls.

 

Canterbury Gate

 

We had an enjoyable time walking around the town and looking through the cathedral. It is a magnificent edifice, both inside and outside.

 

 

 

Once again, one of the amazing things about this cathedral are the parts that were built during the Norman times. It’s amazing to me that those areas – and stones – are still standing after all these centuries! According to Wikipedia, the cathedral was founded in 597 A.D. and was completely rebuilt from 1070 to 1077. The last alteration was in 1834. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England.

 

 

When Fred and I had visited Canterbury in 1970, we happened upon a building that was marked “Queen Elizabeth 1 Guest Chamber.”

 

1970 – Guest Chamber/Restaurant – second level

 

We had a meal there in the restaurant and it was quite lovely, and rather inexpensive, which surprised us. We found that much of the furnishings, i.e. tables, etc., were original to that time. The date on the front of the building states: 1573.   Elizabeth I visited Canterbury in 1573 and entertained the Duke of Alençon in what was then the state room of the Crown Inn. Apparently she stayed there for three days, celebrating her 40th birthday. So it was definitely something we wanted to share with our girls. Unfortunately, at that time (1983), it was not a restaurant anymore. But we were able to have an ice cream, so our girls were able to see the inside we had raved about. It was so fun.

 

983 – Guest Chamber – second level

 

One of the most fun things about that day in Canterbury, was that we came upon a couple that had been in our church in Heidelberg! Roy and Vicki Crawford. We visited with them for a few minutes, and decided to have supper together at a local Chinese restaurant. We then went on our ways and met up for supper. We enjoyed that time together, knowing we probably wouldn’t see them ever again – which we haven’t.

 

Judy, Karen, Janet Wills with Roy and Vicki Crawford

 

It was a rather long – but fulfilling – day. So after supper with the Crawfords, we headed back to the B&B for another overnight.

 

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

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Help! My Life is Way Too Busy

4 Nov
Walking by Faith, Not by Sight
Janet Perez Eckles
His Way
Reblogged November 4, 2017
One funny fact is the quail’s ability to freeze at the sign of danger.

Have you asked a friend lately, “How are you?” Their answer is usually something like “Busy; I’m so, so busy.”

That might be your answer, too. I know mine could be as well. We’re all ridiculously busy.

Strange though, a group of quails taught me just how crazy that is.

A lovely piano tune echoed through the house where I stayed during a recent trip. My friend’s piano faced a window. And during one of his melodic tunes, a group of quails gathered outside.

Suddenly, the strangest thing happened. Each quail, big and small froze, no movement, no twitching. They turned to feathered statues.

Why? Their keen ears had picked up a pitch from the piano that mimicked that of a hawk. As a defense mechanism, they instinctively freeze in place.

That night I reflected on that rare reaction by those cute quails. And I vowed I would follow their example.

More than once a day, I would stop my insane busyness and be still. I’d pause enough to listen to God’s Word. I’d not move until, in my soul, I felt His presence. In my heart, I’d hear His whisper. And sense His voice in my ear.

Not only our ears, but our whole being needs a quiet break, away from the busy and away from the stress.

Are you game? Let’s give it a try. When we want victory, pause. When we want results, stop. When we want solutions, freeze…He’s about to reveal something huge.

When the Egyptians chased the Israelites, God was about to do something big as well. That’s why Moses gave the same advice to the Israelites as they ranted, complained and shook in fear.

We do the same, don’t we? When stress, demands, conflict, illness, disappointment chase us, we grumble, too.

That’s why Moses’ words ring true today as they did back then: “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.’” (Exodus 14:13-14)

While they were still, God did something huge. He fought on their behalf. He delivered them from danger. He did the impossible. He supernaturally parted the Red Sea so His people could cross on dry land and be free of the Egyptians.

Why wouldn’t He do the impossible in our lives today? He would. He will because He can. When we’re still, the path to a better life is revealed. A renewed panorama appears. A fresh answer is found. And best of all, when we learn from the quails, and stop, He turns the busy to the best.

Father, show me to the quiet spot of my day. May I be faithful to seek You for strength, for wisdom and for serenity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

How will you stop your crazy busy and find a calming moment?

Janet

Video sneak peek: https://youtu.be/Ey1UJZnp4JU.

Source: http://www.janetperezeckles.com/blog/help-life-way-busy.html

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Reach Out

3 Nov

From the Heart

Louise Gibson

 

author of Window Wonders

 

 

Lord, thank you for friends.
They warm our heart and lift our spirit every day
Our thoughts are lifted to you, Lord
You are The Truth, The Light, The Way

 

The joy of creating, of touching another soul.
That is the reward of reaching out.
Lord, in You we are all made whole.

 

Knowing God has a plan for our life
is important, don’t you see-
Faith in God’s plan allows us to trust
that the events in our life are meant to be.

 

The joy of creativity,
of touching another’s soul
That is the reward of “reaching out”
The reward will make you whole.

 

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Road Trip~ Fort Smith, Arkansas to Amarillo, Texas

2 Nov

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

September 10, 2017 Day 4

September 10 marked our second day of loading and unloading the truck. Since we were carrying sandwich makings for our daily picnic and other items needing to be kept cold, we had to carry in our coolers too.  What is all that stuff?

 

 

Our route today on Interstate 40 would take us through the rather monotonous plains of Oklahoma. Fortunately, On a previous trip out west my husband had his heart set on seeing the landscapes that were settings in the cowboy western movies of his youth. Unfortunately, our RV broke down and we had to forego stops to get back on schedule for our camping reservations.  I had a surprise planned for my husband on this leg of the trip.  A picnic in a cowboy canyon!

The tiny town of Hinton, Oklahoma, population 3,220, and is the home of Red Rock Canyon State Park. According to their website:

Red Rock Canyon was once a stop on the famous California Trail. Now visitors can enjoy this beautiful western Oklahoma oasis without bringing the Conestoga wagon. Red Rock Canyon State Park is a great place to hike, climb, or explore. Bring the family or bring the whole wagon train!

The timing of our arrival was perfect. We were ready to get off the interstate for gas as well as lunch. Driving into the park we began a sharp descent into the canyon. I was amazed at the abrupt change in the landscape and my sweet husband was thrilled to finally experience cowboy rocks!

 

 

Our daughter noticed that I seem to snap pictures of my husband  while he is chewing. It wasn’t intentional….honest.

 

 

After our picnic, we returned to Interstate 40, excited for our first glimpse of Texas. I am not a fan of hot weather, so all of our previous trips west took a northern route. Not the greatest picture, taken by my phone through the windshield.

 

 

I was surprised at the number of wind mills in Texas! There were acres and acres of them. We ended our day in Amarillo, Texas and I was ready to try some authentic Texas barbecue. I asked at the front desk and they recommended Dyer’s. It was hard to find as it is located in one of those shopping areas where the businesses blend into to setting.

 

Photo credit Yelp Review

 

We enjoyed the atmosphere and ordered a three meat plate. It was all delicious and I particularly liked their brisket and onion rings.The servers were friendly and their sweet tea was as good as my mama’s, strong and sweet.

 

Not chewing this time!

 

After supper, I spoke with our daughter on the phone. She had decided to ride out the storm in her home….alone. Hurricane Irma would be passing over her home in the evening hours. I knew I would not be getting much sleep.

 

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America’s North Country Trip~Part 7

1 Nov

A Slice of Life

Bill Lites

 

 

 

Day 7 (Thursday)

 

As I continued west on I-90 next I visited the Crazy Mountain Museum located in Big Timber, MT. This was a small museum in a lovely wooded location, and included a main building which displayed a 1/16th scale model of the town of Big Timber as it looked in 1907. Outside there was a restored one-room schoolhouse, a replica of a Norwegian Stabbur (storage building), and a restored sheep herder’s wagon (these could have been the first RV’s back in the day).

 

 

Continuing west on I-90 next I visited the Livingston Railroad Depot located in Livingston, MT. This museum is in the restored 1902 Northern Pacific Railroad train station and contains a large assortment of local railroad memorabilia. The waiting platform has been converted into a very nice patio café for visitors and locals alike.

 

 

On the way to my next museum there in Livingston, I drove past a Custom Car Restoration garage and decided to pop in to see what was in the works. As it turned out the owner was very friendly and showed me around his shop and some of his projects. He had several classic cars and trucks that were in various stages of restoration.

 

 

While I was in Livingston I also visited the Federation of Fly Fishers Museum just to see what it was all about. This turned out to be a small two-story building where both floors were filled (floor to ceiling) with every conceivable type of fishing fly. The museum owner’s wife was very nice and showed me a lot more than I would ever have wanted to know about fly fishing, tackle and the making of flies. She also introduced me to their National Fly Fishing Hall of Fame gallery which included famous Fly Fishing inventers and celebrities from all over the country.

 

 

Next on the list was the Yellowstone Gateway Museum, also there in Livingston. This museum consisted of a large 3-story building (plus a basement) filled with local memorabilia from the early western Montana area. The museum’s collection included restored wagons, buggies, fire wagons, a shepherd’s wagon, and of course, as with most museums in these Plaines States, a stuffed buffalo. Outside there was a one-room schoolhouse and lots of restored early farm equipment

 

 

Now I continued west on I-90 to visit the Museum of the Rockies, located in Bozeman, MT. This is a very large museum, and as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is known for its paleontological collections. It also claims to have the largest collection of dinosaur remains in the U.S. I was impressed with the number and size of their complete dinosaur displays.

 

 

It was getting late in the day, so I headed west to try to get to the Headwaters Heritage Museum located at the corner of Main & Cedar Streets in Three Forks, MT before they closed. This was a small museum, in a two-story downtown building (I think it was originally a bank), consisting mostly in local early American memorabilia. I was impressed with their display of over 750 different types of “bobbed wire” that has been used over the years. I didn’t spend much time in this museum as I was eager to get down the road to my ultimate destination for the day.

 

 

Now it was on west to visit the Jefferson Valley Museum located in Whitehall, MT. This was another frontier village type museum that depicts the early history and heritage of the local area, including Native American tribes, fur trappers, miners and homesteaders who raised horses, cattle and produce for the area’s mining camps and railroad workers. I opted not to walk through this museum village, and instead headed for my motel there in Whitehall.

 

 

On the way to the motel I spotted a KFC restaurant, and decided to have dinner with the Colonel again tonight. I really do like his chicken. I had their 3-piece chicken dinner again. This time I got cold slaw, mashed potatoes & gravy and I always get one of their homemade biscuits with butter and honey for dessert. What a great way to end a long day on the road.

 

 

—–To Be Continued—–

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Family

31 Oct

A Time to Live

Melody Hendrix

 

Cherish your family and friends
For they are your treasure,
A God given wealth
beyond measure.

 

 

 

I am retired and enjoying life. My hobbies are my 5 grandchildren, son and daughter, and my loving husband. I am a photographer and extreme nature lover. I love spending time in my garden or in the wilderness connected to God my Creator.
Melody

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Road Trip for Six

30 Oct

On the Porch

Onisha Ellis

 

For the first time in years, I went on vacation and didn’t take my laptop. I thought I might have computer withdrawals and was pleased to discover I could unplug. Of course, I wasn’t completely unplugged as I had my tablet and a mobile hotspot but I limited my online time to a quick daily check in on Facebook.

Our latest road trip began on a rainy morning, October 23, 2017 from our home in North Carolina. Husband and I along with two other couples loaded ourselves and our scant luggage into a rented Suburban. We were headed to The Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky.

It was a rainy drive and we were happy to see some sunshine.

 

Kentucky welcome station

 

Check in at our hotel was smooth and we were pleased with our rooms. Whew! That was a load off of my mind as I was the one who chose and booked the hotel.

 

 

Tuesday morning we were up early. Three in our party needed to rent  scooters and we had been advised to be on the first bus from the parking lot to the ark if we wanted to be certain of getting one.

 

First in line!

 

We decided that once the group made it into the ark that each couple would explore at their own pace. But first we had to make a lunch plan! Here is a tip, don’t wait until noon to head to the restaurant.

 

 

I found the structure of the ark fascinating. It was built with hand tools as it was in the days of Noah.

 

 

The beams inside are huge.

 

 

The ark carried supplies for one year. Notice how securely they are stored. It seems Noah was prepared for stormy weather.

 

There were a lot of bird cages!

 

 

 

I’m not sure which creatures were in these cages but based on the cart positioned with the cages, I would suspect chickens or small animals.

 

 

Larger animals were fed from above and had an interesting watering vessel that serviced two cages.

 

The ark has three decks and we didn’t complete the third deck before our lunch time, but I was ready for a sit down!   By the time we went through the buffet line and found a seat, the line was out the door. We were glad we chose an early lunch time!  The buffet food was delicious and the cost included a beverage and dessert. The price for seniors is $9.99 and $12.99 for younger adults. Sorry, I didn’t notice the child price.

 

 

Emzara’s Kitchen

 

After lunch we returned to the ark to finish the third deck which contained the family living quarters as well as a garden area. It seems Noah was the original small space gardener! The roof of the upper deck could be opened enough to allow sunlight for growing food in containers and hanging pots.  As I stood in the family quarters, I felt the oddest sensation of being on a cruise ship. In the same way that a cruise ship is fully self-contained, so was the ark. One big difference is the ark had a crew of eight people versus the thousand or so on most ships.

The ark was built with three decks filled with scores of world-class exhibit bays. These stunning exhibits allow you to experience what Noah’s life may have been like and answers many questions.

 

 

 

One of my favorites was the door where the animals loaded.

 

 

If you are thinking of visiting The Ark Encounter, I would suggest an early arrival. It can become pretty crowded by the afternoon. There is a generous amount of benches for rest breaks and a snack bar on two levels. If you think you might want a souvenir, shop before lunch! The gift shop becomes very crowded late in the day and it is the one space that does not have a lot of benches. I ended up waiting outside for my party to finish and it was a cold and windy day. Our entire party loved visiting the ark. I think it would be an interesting destination for people of all ages.

Our last morning we faced the challenge of getting our luggage for six to fit back in the Suburban. Somehow we managed to tuck our purchases into nooks and crannies.

 

 

 

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Circuitous Travel~Part 10

29 Oct

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

 

 

 

This day’s trip into London was a bit of a busy one. According to my notes, we made our way to a Christian bookstore to purchase a copy of the book The Flying Scotsman, the story of Eric Liddell. If you remember, and according to Wikipedia:

  “Eric Liddell was a Scottish athlete, rugby union international player, and missionary, who chose his religious beliefs over competing in an Olympic race held on a Sunday.

 At the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, Liddell refused to run in the heats for his favoured 100 metres because they were held on a Sunday. Instead he competed in the 400 metres held on a weekday, a race that he won [in record time. His record held for 20 years]. He returned to China in 1925 to serve as a missionary teacher. Aside from two furloughs in Scotland, he remained in China until his death in a Japanese civilian internment camp in 1945 [of an inoperable brain tumor].

 Liddell’s Olympic training and racing, and the religious convictions that influenced him, are depicted in the Oscar-winning 1981 film Chariots of Fire…”

We had been most impressed with the movie about Eric Liddell, and wanted the full story about him, hence the purchase of the book. This is a picture from Google and Park Baptist Church that tells of his running philosophy. Amazing.

 

 

After that stop, we went to a china rejects shop to look for some replacement china pieces we had broken. Really exciting, huh?

After that, we found a Scottish House that sold Scotland garments, cloth (tartans) and other items from Scotland. We were looking specifically for Fred’s clan’s tartan (Gunn Clan),

 

The Gunn Tartan

 

and a Gunn pin.

 

The Gunn Crest. Credit Google search

 

 

I had intended to make some kind of tartan garments for our daughters. I’ve since made a shawl for each of them. The pin has been lost, unfortunately.

Our next stop took a bit of time, and we thoroughly enjoyed it all. We went to Madame Tussauds wax museum, and the Planetarium . That was such fun to wander through and see all the wax figures there. We were most impressed with the figures of the Royal Family. Here are some pictures we took.

 

 

Our final stop of the day was to head out to Wimbledon to see a Wimbledon tennis match, if possible. At first, we were only allowed admittance to the “nose-bleed” section, which is also the “standing-room-only” section. Later, as the day wore on, and people began to leave, we were permitted to go down to some of the seats and finish out the match. Much better!! What we saw that day, was a doubles match, between John Newcombe and Tony Roche vs. Casal and Hocevar (sorry, I can’t seem to find the first names of Casal or Hocevar).

 

 

It was such fun to be able to see it in person! Much as we enjoy watching tennis on TV, there’s just something about being “in the stands” to see it live that makes it more enjoyable.

It was a good day, but we were eager to get back to the B&B and rest.

~~~~~~~~~~To Be Continued~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

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