Friday Fotos

📸 Welcome to Friday Fotos. Not too many this week. Just a few from around the yard because the weather has been so odd for January:  hot, humid, and rainy. The unusual warmth is causing the wildflowers to pop open and the buds to set. Not a good thing as when we do get another freeze, and we will, the bud's will be nipped off and there will be fewer flowers by the time we have a real Spring. Anyway, this week we've mostly only run errands for groceries, met with our financial advisor (it's not as impressive as that seems), attended Church, etc. Nothing earth shattering. 

📸 Enjoy the tour around our Estate. 

Heavy dew hanging off the Red Cedar branches.

I wish there was sound with this too as the birds are singing to beat the band. I'm wondering if they're already pairing up? Kinda early but it can happen.

Maggie.

My almost constant companion. Little darlin'.

Mill Creek Primitive Baptist Church & Cemetery

More rain approaching. This is where our bones will rest one day if the Rapture doesn't come by then or something else happen. Steve's Mom is already there.

Mushrooms are popping up from all the moisture.

Carolina Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)

A native to Southeast Georgia. They usually only bloom starting in late February. Their flowers will dot the roadsides and the sweet aroma wafts through the air. This lovely wildflower is one of our harbingers of Spring.

📸  I'm doing laundry, cleaning house, straightening the homestead today. After lunch we may go into the Big City. I still haven't gone to Hobby Lobby to buy felt to make the pillow covers for the new sofa slip covers. I need a project that doesn't involve work or errands. 

📸  May y'all have a gloriously wonderful day. Stay safe. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

Wednesday Hodpodge: Volume 535

 

For the life of me I can't figure out how to do that linky button thing that's available on the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Anyone have any suggestions how to use it? For now, here's the original post for anyone else that wants to participate.

1. Do you have a word for the year (WOTY)? Yes. If so, and you'd like to share, please share. How do you decide on a word? If you don't have a word are you still on the hunt for one for 2024? I pray, then let God show me His direction, or, at least I hope I do. So far I'm not being very bold. Nothing much has changed. 

2. January 23rd is National Pie Day. Will you celebrate? Do you like pie? What's your favorite?  No, I won't celebrate. I like pie but it's too deadly for my blood sugar. My favorite was Baked Apple. 

3. Tipping. What are your thoughts, expectations, as to who, when where? Do you appreciate a store/restaurant giving a 'suggested amount'? Have you ever left an extravagant tip?  I have given some waitresses a "nice" tip (more that 10%) but tipping has made eating out almost impossible for us now. It's come down to either eat the meal or tip. Time to eat at home 99.9% of the time because I don't like to be unkind to the server. Besides, it's cheaper and safer for my health to eat at home. It seems there's too many carbo laden meals in most restaurants, so, most of my meal gets left on the plate.

4. Share with us one household 'tip' that works for you.   I'm drawing a blank here.  😑

5. Influencers on social media are people who've built a reputation for their knowledge and expertise on a particular subject. Do you follow any influencers online? Have you made a purchase or tried something new because of that 'influence'? If there's one you particularly enjoy tell us who they are and why you enjoy them.   Until this question, I didn't know what an 'influencer' is, so, that is a no all the way around. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

The hydrocortisone shot yesterday went well. The shot burned like stink for an hour but I can already feel relief for the "Weaver's Butt". Now Steve's twisted a muscle in his back, bless his heart. 💓 He has a Chiropractor appointment today. Not to worry. The Doc always sets him right. Funny how if it's not one thing it's two others. 😜😅

Ride Safe,

Tuesday Tidbits

Drabble by Kevin Fagan

😇 It really is like that! Maggie the rescue dog follows me down the hallway to that room almost every time lately. I don't know what's up with that. It's like she doesn't want me out of her sight for one moment. Funny, really, but it is cute and very touching. Maggie is my almost constant companion. I'm OK with that. 

😇 The temperatures of the evening have been in the mid-20s with the wind howling here in Southeast Georgia. The heater never quits running at night. 🏂 That's cold for us but not all that unusual. The only draw back is the severe weather has put a cramp in my morning walks. I like to walk a circle around the whole 6 acres when possible concentrating on prayer. Gives me time to focus on God and His goodness. The news is so dark these days that I try to hold onto the hem of His garment as much as possible. He is my only comfort. 

😇 We took time to watch the Trump Rally in New Hampshire this weekend on YouTube. Anyone else watch it? I thought the speech was very encouraging, don't you? He's gonna hit the ground running when back in office. I make sure to pray for him, his family and his sponsors every day. Sometimes more than once a day. He's going to need it. 

😇 Today our brother-in-law (husband to Steve's sister) has an important appointment with the Veterans Administration concerning possible compensation for his long-term exposure to Agent Orange in Viet Nam. Please pray for him to be treated fairly? If he can receive proper compensation for all the health problems caused by his time in service, he and family should be able to move up here even faster! Wouldn't that be an extra special blessing?! We'll be on pins and needles until we receive word one way or another. It's appalling how terrible our Vet's are being treated. It's shameful. 

😇 Also today is my 6 week follow-up with the Orthopedics doctor concerning my "Weaver's Bottom" (Ischial Bursitis) situation. (Cute name for a pain in the butt.) 😉😂 That first super hydrocortisone shot worked for the right side but now I can feel it worsening on my left side. 😐 Guess I need another one. It is not a pleasant prospect. It is what it is. 

😇 After the doctor's, if I can walk after the shot, my plans are to stop at the Hobby Lobby. The new sofa slip covers look super! They're so light and cheerful. But now the original dark green plaid felt pillows I made ages ago look out of place. So, now I want to recover them. Again. 😁 Steve just laughed. Well, it keeps me off the streets. 😂

😇 Thanks for stopping by. I hope your day is blessed with lots of sunshine, happy thoughts and good memories. Keep looking up! 

Ride Safe,

Sunday Blessings

 

Ms. Terri in Florida mentioned she couldn't get into the Sunday Stealing this week either, so, here I am being a repeat parrot. 

I had to skip Sunday School and Church today due to an ongoing health issue (yeah, it's the IBS again because I'm a BIG DUMMY and can't leave the dairy alone). So, I pray everyone's Sunday is special and bright. Me and Mag's the rescue dog are gonna sit here and enjoy listening to the heater run.

Ride Safe,

Funny Friday

 

B.C. Comics

Thursday Thoughts

 ⛄ It's still colder than a witch's ... bra ... here for Southeast Georgia. It dropped down to 29*. Then the high was 45* which isn't too bad but still ... brrrr! Thankfully, none of the exposed pipes burst from the heavy freeze. Nothing urgent needed addressing at Red Bird Acres.  

⛄ So we little Country Mice decided to take a jaunt over to the Big City of Douglas to check out the new Publix. (Can you feel the excitement?!) 😁😅 It was really crowded at the store which forced us to park waaaaay out towards the road then walk to the building in the freezing wind. I'm happy for the store that it's already so popular. It's big, bright, and well stocked, like every other Publix I've ever been in. Very pretty but I was disappointed, because we couldn't find our special Keto Sola bread. Imagine our further disappointment after leaving when we learned that it was on Aisle 10 in the freezer section. Who knew?! Well, next time we'll know! It's hard for us to find Sola way out in the boonies and it is the only real Keto bread that doesn't spike my blood sugar. Many brands claim to be keto but don't deliver in that department. All the other brands I've tried still spike my sugar which defeats the whole purpose of eating this way. 

 ⛄ But first, since it was the lunch hour by the time we arrived in Douglas, we stopped at the Ellianos Coffee shop for a sugar-free Hazelnut Frozen Frappe before shopping. Since going full Keto I've been able to give up eating 6 times a day for low-blood sugar (take note dietitians: eating so frequently was actually working against me and causing all manner of health problems). I'm also able to fast now for the first time since forever. Today was a fasting day but I had the munchies by noon. Best to not shop when everything looks appetizing. 👀😅

⛄ After having fun at the Publix, we noticed that next door is a great big fancy schmancy PetSmart. I've been wanting to get a nicer bed for Jack because he's not been well. Jack is one of our 10 year old short-legged Jack Russell Terriers. His health has been wanting these days. Poor little guy. Our other JRT, his brother Sam, is in perfect health: lively, perky, lots of personality. But Jack always seems like he's zoned out or hurting. It's kinda worrying.

 

*Not Jack*

This is the new bed but Maggie claimed it. Little stinker.

This is Jack. He sleeps and throws up a lot these days. 

The Vet has pondered it but he is mystified as to the cause. 

⛄ Of the evenings Jack likes to lay between our two recliners. Jumping up on the sofa or our recliners has become difficult for his little legs. I think it must comfort him to be close to one of us so I had put an old grubby bed I found in the attic (I save everything) there to ease his aching bones. The new bed is super cushy with soft fur. Jack hesitated thus Maggie climbed right in and claimed it. Maybe Maggie will "let him" sleep there later on. 

⛄ Heading South we took the scenic route down GA Hwy 158 (East Baker Highway) to Waycross. The drive reminded me how pretty our area is. There are very few homes. It's mostly planted piney woods with old Water Oaks, tall Black Cherry and boggy bowls of standing water with stately Cypress. The South Georgia woods are full of Whitetails, possums, raccoons, snakes, birds and all manner of wildlife. These lovely sights make me sigh and sing in my heart to the Lord for letting us live here. When Steve's sister and family move up they might want to consider this route as a homesite. I'll have to check and see if internet is available yet. (There are still a lot of our areas that do not have fiber-to-the-curb yet. Those zones are dial-up or slow DSL.) By the time we arrived in Waycross we were both getting really hungry. It was time for the evening repast of fried shrimp at Captain Joe's Seafood. I'd been looking forward to that all day. After the meal I was so sleepy from the heavy bread coating that I felt like someone had put dope in the food. Steve said he felt it too. Just imagine, I used to slam my poor body with that garbage all the time! I think that is the last meal I will order fried shrimp. From now on it will be grilled. We had to hurry home to walk it off. 😕 Ugh! Exercising and drinking lots of water is a good way to get that mess out of one's body quickly. 

⛄ So that was our day. Today we're working around here. Might also head over to the butcher's later to stock up on meat. It's wonderful eating carnivore. It's cheaper than loading up on crap food and certainly healthier. 

⛄ Have a fantastic day my friends. Ride safe. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Questions

 

Original Hodgepodge questions here.

1. On January 18th we commemorate A.A. Milne's birthday. Milne is the author of the beloved classic Winnie the Pooh. In many ways Pooh represents innocence and simplicity. His optimism reminds us to appreciate the little things. What are three little things you're appreciating in mid-January?  There are so many blessings, but in no particular order: we're both well (enough) to get around, we have plenty of food, and live in a comfortable house. God is good. 

2. Piglet teaches us even the smallest of individuals can achieve big things with the proper amount of determination. How do your current responsibilities make you feel?  I'm good. Have just enough responsibilities to stay busy and out of trouble.

3. Tigger is known for his enthusiasm and energy, his boundless joy and love of life. What's something you're interested in learning more about in this new year? The Prophet Isaiah. I had no idea how filled with the Spirit he was. "Here am I!" [Isaiah 6:8] His wife was courageous for God too. 

4. Eeyore, while a melancholy character, teaches us the importance of resilience and perseverance. How do you stay motivated and persevere in difficult circumstances?  Prayer. Nothing like knee mail to set my worried heart right. 

5. What's the last thing you ate that was made with honey?  That was over 5 years ago. I can't remember. 

6. Insert your own random thought here.  

This goes under the heading of "You know you're boring when" ... there's a new Publix (grocery store) in neighboring Douglas and we can't wait to check it out. 👀😅 Yippee!  The plan is to drive over to check it out. Then maybe swing back through Waycross around suppertime to enjoy a plate of fried shrimp at Captain Joe's Seafood. That's the plan, anyway. Hopefully none of our pipes busted last night from the hard freeze or anything else happened that needs immediate attention. 

On that note, I pray everyone has a lovely day. Warm winter hugs from two Old Boring Folks. 😅 And remember to keep looking up because Jesus will be calling us to His Throne soon! "Oh glorious day!"