A Winter Walk and Mountain Tea

Wild Mountain Tea

   Today was such a beautiful December day, we took a walk down to the lake behind our house.  The smell of the woods and the trickle of the creek that ran along side the old wagon road took our thoughts back to childhood days.  We walked, talked, reminisced, and smiled.
   The photo on the right is 'Wild Mountain Tea' one of our favorite things to look for in the woods when we were kids, it tastes like Teaberry chewing gum.

Cliff on the Ridgetop by the Old Wagon Road

 



  We meandored around this cliff and
down to what people around here call the  'Stick-ups' where, when the lake was built 35 years ago, the water backed up over the standing timber.
   There had been a lot of Beaver down there, that had cut several large trees trying unsuccessfully to dam up the back waters of the lake.
 


    Pine needles had fallen from tall Pines alongside the old road and draped the branches of Ivy Bushes.  I told my husband." Look, it looks like they are decorated for Christmas.  It looked like they had been hung on the branches like the silver icicles once used on Christmas trees.  We had a wonderful day.

Hope you have had a beautiful and Blessed day, wherever you are, Trisha

Red Crawdad Chimney

Red Crawdad Chimney

   The lower end of our yard is home to a family of red crawdad.  Though they build these chimneys often, this is the biggest one we've came across, being about 7 or 8 inches across, and about 4 inches high.
   These type of crawdad have been in our yard for years, our hunting dogs used to bay them.  We have had a wetter summer than usual and the crawdad are flourishing.  What little creatures are lurking in your backyard?

Have a Blessed day, wherever you are, Trisha

Somewhere a Bird

   While swinging in our backyard park today, I  listened to chirping songbirds above my head. 

Such a beautiful late Summer day, with high clouds and a light breeze. 

Finch

   Birds flitted through the drying leaves and sang sweet melodies. 

 Many went on their way, soon after they came,

 but, this one stayed for a little while,

     and I was able to take it's picture.   

If not for the chirping and singing, I might never have seen the birds, at all,

it seems they were almost hidden, among the drying leaves on the tree. 

Turkey Vulture

   Here in Kentucky we just call these birds, 'Buzzards.' 

 This one landed on a gate post near our home the other day. 

 Two of them landed at the same time, one on each gate post, 

and sat at a stance, by the time I got my camera,

one of them had flown away. 

 I thought that it may have been a mating ritual,

but, I read that was how they warm their bodies after a rain. 

 I read something else, too, that I didn't know. 

They don't have vocal cords like other birds. 

They can't sing or call, they can only hiss or grunt. 

No beautiful songs like that of the Finch,  

yet, they play such a large part in our eco-system,

keeping down disease; feeding mainly on carrion.

When God made our world, He designed it just right.  Praise His Name.

Blessings to you, wherever you are. 

Trisha

Unattended and Forgotten



Forgotten Gourds

   Often we get so busy, that some things are left unattended, and forgotten.      That is what happened with some miniature gourd seed that I planted over month ago.  I cut a hole in the plastic, loosened the ground, and planted my seed at the back side of the our out building.  I placed a large cage around them, for them to climb, and forgot all about them. 
   This morning, while canning beets from the garden, I remembered the gourds and went out to see if they had come up.  They had come up, and had flourished, with no attention from me.  The cage had fallen over, and the gourds had grown to a height of about 4 feet.  This could have just as easily been a pesky weed growing unattended for a month, or so.
   It made me think about other things we leave unattended, or undone.  I am the world's worse for calling to check on friends, and family.  I have good intentions and always say, maybe I'll do that tomorrow, because I'm just too busy today.  Sometimes tomorrow never comes, until I go see them in the hospital.  God help us to do today, what should have been done yesterday.  Have a Blessed day, Trisha