Fireworks!

The local fireworks stand

Good selection of fireworks

We bought two frogs, who knows what they are?

Grenades!!

Chickens spit sparks out their butts!

Turtles, who knows what they would do?

Crickets???

Me reflected in...

The Bullet!

Time to make our yearly trip to the fireworks stand, where every year you will hear the same thing:
Me- "We need just a few more"
Phil-"We have ENOUGH!"
The fireworks seem to be getting more violent or gross every year, as you can see here. There are not too many that suit little girls. Our family has many fireworks stories. When our son was little, we took him to a deserted parking lot one fourth to set off fireworks. This necessitated a visit from the local police. No ticket, but a stern speech, and a demand for I.D. In his haste to leave the scene of the crime, Phil dropped his wallet on the ground and ran over it with the car, leaving permanent tire tread marks on it. A warning for future shenanigans. Last year we set the front yard on fire, as you can see HERE. Do you have any firework stories? Here's one fire we need to keep burning.


"Do not put out the spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
1 Thess. 5:19,22

Relax, You're Home

In my last post, I promised to show you the house with the life saver and basket bird feeders, and here it is. It is a big corner house a few blocks from us, and quite lovely. It's all in the little details, and here are some of the things in the yard and porch. It looks like a huge, loving family lives here, doesn't it? But this house has an access door on each side, and has been divided up into apartments. I found this rather sad, and I don't know why. But the yard and porch are so cohesive, one would never know that more than one family lives here. I love the sign by the door; "Relax, you're home". I could go for that. Lemonade, anyone?


"I will rescue the lame and gather those who have been scattered. I will give the praise and honor in every land where they were put to shame. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home."
Zephaniah 3:19,20

Those Who Cling

"Faith is putting all your eggs in God's basket, then counting your blessings before they hatch."
Ramona C. Carroll


As I promised, here is the answer to what these cute little hanging baskets are. They are bird feeders, though I have never seen any like them. Many of you suggested candle holders, which would be beautiful!! Anyway, these have lids which makes it hard for the squirrels to get into, and they are meant for clinging birds, not perching birds. The clinging birds will cling onto the wire as they pull the seeds out. Neat, huh? These were in the same yard as the beautiful crackled glass bird life savers, and bought at the same place. The yard of this house is quite something else, and tomorrow I will finally show you the whole house and yard!! Right now, I am clinging to wakefulness, so I'm off to bed, nighty-night!


"Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me."

Psalm 63:7,8

A Tisket, A Tasket

A tisket. A tasket.
A green and yellow basket.
I bought a basket for my mom
And on the way I dropped it.


I dropped it. I dropped it.
Yes, on the way I dropped it.
A little girlie picked it up and took it to the market.


A tisket. A tasket.
She took my yellow basket.
And if she doesn't bring it back
I think that I shall die.


A tisket. A tasket.
See these cute little baskets?
We passed them in a yard nearby.
I snapped and wondered what and why.


Up to the door goes Phil to ask.
Do these tiny baskets perform a task?
Now put your guessing caps on tight.
Do these do more than just delight?

Oh Yes I DID!

 
Lots of you wanted to know what the pretty hanging rings were in yesterday's post. In fact, some wanted to know so much that you even suggested that Phil or I go and knock on the door to ask. As if I would do such a thing! Of course not, I would ask Phil to instead!!! In fact, I am always asking Phil to knock on the doors of strange houses, but that is for another upcoming post...Anyway, here is Phil at the door, and here is your answer. These are bird feeders! I have never seen anything like them! They are made of very heavy crackle glass that sparkles in the sun. The birds perch on the rim to eat. But when it is wet and windy, they can hop inside to eat. The food stays dry, and the rings have drainage holes. They each hold two cups of seed. Did you know there was a time when birds brought food to man instead of the other way around?


"Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: "Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have ordered the ravens to feed you there." So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook."
1 Kings 17:2,6

Life Preservers

So what do you think, life preservers for birds?


"Then Jesus said to his disciples,"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."
Matthew 16:24,25

Blue Ridge Mountains Thru The Seasons

 

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-

where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord,

The Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-

He who watches over you will not slumber..."

Psalm 121:1,3

Courting A Poisonous Notion

Some of my long time followers may remember these pictures. I posted them quite awhile ago, but now I have an update! These leaves are beautiful, with red veins running through them. My header is the center of a leaf with the sun directly behind it. Even the branches are deep red. And red is appropriate, because this plant is deadly poison. It is the Castor Bean plant, from which the poison Ricin is made. In 2007 it was ranked as the most poisonous plant in the world. It is one of the most feared weapons of mass destruction, because it is common and only takes a little to kill. Only one milligram is fatal to an adult, and one bean will kill a child. Those pretty red spiky pods are the seed capsules, and when they dry, they split apart with great force, you can both hear and see the seeds flying around everywhere. The beans are very pretty, I can see why a child might pick one up and eat it. In some places, these plants are illegal. And so this is where I found this plant last year: in front of the courthouse. It was huge, way taller than either Phil or me. The courthouse employees knew that it was a Castor Bean Plant, but when I informed them about the poison, they had no idea and were rather shocked.  So this spring, it is gone. They took the whole plant out and replaced it with some pretty little flowers. I like to think I had something to do with it.

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts...the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body...it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

James 3

Really Angry

"For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning."
Psalm 30:5



A couple weeks ago, we were driving around town when I saw this sign. Angry Whopper. I thought it was quite funny, ha ha! Someone didn't know how to spell, or perhaps some hooligans rearranged the letters under cover of night as a prank. Anyway, I took a picture for you and soon almost forgot it. Till a few days later when we were in a different city, and I saw the same sign again! This had to be more than coincidence, so we pulled in and asked an employee. Turns out there really is an Angry Whopper! It has jalapenos, onion rings, and spicy sauce. The employee had no idea why it has the name, maybe because it is so spicy. So would you order a burger with a name like this? As we pulled back out onto the highway, the sun was going down. So I have to admit that I really did let the sun go down on my anger!!


"Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."
Ephesians 4:26

Nothing Is Hidden From It's Heat

S

 

Sunset June 10, 2011


"In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,
which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavillion,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes it's circuit to the other;
nothing is hidden from it's heat."
Psalm 19:5,6