So my husband has been stir crazy and when I walk into a room now and he has something to tell me he say, “oh! ooh! Call on me!” sort of like this guy
The first photo is a wild geranium. I love the little bee in the center with pollen on it’s abdomen! Here he is close up in case you missed him.
We kept seeing this and telling each other that cannot be May Apple. They are smooth and these are heavily veined. I did not get a photo, but they are called umbrella leaf and a found a photo on the web.
The first time I saw Bluets we were in the Smoky Mountains. They were lovely, tiny and so baby blue. Now I know they also grow as Narrow-leaved Bluets and can have white-to-pink or lavender flowers!
Keep your eyes open! Never know when you will see a treasure in plain sight!
Mywildflowers.com says I was looking at: Golden Ragwort! Goodness that website is MUCH faster than looking through my flower books 🙂
Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower) Height: 1 to 2 ft.Blooms: April to July Leaf Type: toothed Bloom Size: 0.75 in. (typical)Flower Description: Flat or rounded clusters, Regular blooms, 10 or more parts
I want Canada Violets in my yard to grow with my purple Wild Violets which I DO NOT consider to be a broad leaf weed, thank you very much!
Yep, that flower is overexposed. Still learning!!
I must admit I did not know to look under the petals to see if there was green there. I believe this is called Star of Bethlehem. I like the One the star pointed to!
I think this was a tree swallow, though there was a barn nearby! (Giggle, do barn swallows need to live near or within a barn?!?)
I love the watch swallows fly! They seem so carefree.
from all the virus worries. I will share some of the treasures in plain sight from one recent hike.
I only saw one piece of leaf being carried!
Proverbs 6:6-11 (NIV2011) “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.”
So I guess I better keep walking and staying motivated during this time in my life. Look what we saw on the same walk at Long Branch Farm in Goshen, Ohio, part of the Cincinnati Nature Center. If you know me you know I love purple!
Our walk at the Edge of Appalachia took us to Creek’s Bend Overlook where I recorded this short 31 second video. With all the pandemic stress and arguing about re-opening and death spikes, I found this SO refreshing. The wind makes it a bit difficult to hear the water, but it was makes sound, too. Maybe turn up your volume as we glorify the Lord together.
Canticle 12
Glorify the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
Praise Him and highly exalt Him for ever.
In the firmament of His power, glorify the Lord,
Praise Him and highly exalt Him for ever.
Let the earth glorify the Lord,
Praise Him and highly exalt Him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O mountains and hills,
And all that grows upon the earth,
Praise Him and highly exalt Him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O springs of water, seas and streams,
O whales and all that move in the waters.
All birds of the air, glorify the Lord
Praise Him and highly exalt Him for ever.
Glorify the Lord, O beasts of the wild,
And all you flocks and herds.
O men and women everywhere, glorify the Lord,
Praise Him and highly exalt Him for ever.
If the mask causes a rash try a cotton mask instead. I will send you one if you do not have access to one as long as my elastic supply and fabric supply holds out! Of course, if you are reading this from overseas, I may not be able to afford the postage on that! If you are local to the US, comment and tell me how to contact you for mailing address, etc.
Masks protect others if you happen to be shedding the disease. Masks also help you NOT to touch your eyes, nose, mouth, face while you are out and about. This respiratory virus enters through those areas of your body. So in this respect, wearing a mask protects you as it hinders what is usually an unconscious behavior.
If Jesus was walking the earth in 2020 do you think He would wear a mask? I think He would. He always taught we are to consider others over ourselves. Hear is one point of view! Mike is brother to one of my best friends. He is also a Pastor in Clermont County, Ohio. Hope you enjoy his video.
It is a proven fact that social distancing and wearing a mask saves lives. The life you save may be someone you know!
I heard a radio program a while ago about prisoners and release and ankle monitoring. The comment that struck me was the decision about electronic monitoring is based upon the “readiness to change level” of the prisoner. I have no idea what the criteria is for that, but it struck a chord in me.
This pandemic has changed our lives. I think many aspects have been changed forever. What is YOUR readiness to change level?
There are so many things that we in America CAN live without. Are we ready to release those things? Think about it! If your gateway to peace and freedom was based on what you were ready to let go of, what would you be willing to do differently?
Yes, I miss wandering through a grocery store and hitting the mark down bins for deals. I miss going into a grocery store period. But could I live without that experience? Yes, perhaps not happily, but yes. Not even mentioning other shopping.
Then the hot topics of social distancing and wearing masks. I heard about a woman who threw a sheet over her daughter so she could hug her safely. Yes, I am about ready to do that, especially with those Grandgirls!
April 3, 2020; Blue Ash, OH, USA; Cheryl Norton, of Blue Ash, hugs her daughter, who is an ICU nurse working the front lines during the new coronavirus pandemic, Friday, April 3, 2020. Norton so much wanted to hug her, so she put a covering over her so she could hold her tight, just for a moment. After this hug, Cheryl dropped the covering in the garage. It will lie there for three days before she washes it in hot soapy water. And she, of course, washed her hands. An involved process for a hug. Mandatory Credit: Liz Dufour/The Enquirer via USA TODAY Network
“An involved process for a hug.” Not too hard for me! I get it. Yes, I am thinking I need to wash the sheets I used to cover the plants when killer frost came through and keep them folded on the porch for when I CANNOT stand it any longer and need to hug!! Are you with me?
I miss our church family. When I recently heard one of our Pastors on our church YouTube Sunday broadcast pray, “Dear Gracious and Heavenly Father,” I nearly burst into tears. Just miss our family so much. My husband and I are both older and both have health risk factors. We may very well be the LAST ones to attend church when it reopens. I do know, I will spend eternity with these folks. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV2011) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Stay calm as we all discover just how very much we need to change!
Someone should bottle the fragrance of Lily of The Valley! Oh my goodness. Sure wish they would bloom all summer long! No wonder Christ is compared to this fragrance.
He’s the Lily of the Valley (start at about 47 seconds)
Well last week was a tiring week. Wednesday (20/5/6)I began having pain between my shoulder blades and noticed some shortness of breath. Thursday both continued. Friday (20/5/8) morning coming up the stairs from sewing I was really short of breath. Also had a cough that was unusual. Finally called doctor in the afternoon. After long phone interview with nurse was told to go to ER. That was about 5 PM. Not Covid, no fever and was not even tested as I did not meet the criteria.
Blood work, chest x-ray, etc. kept coming back with good results. And then, “Oh by the way, we need to admit you.” WHAT!?!?!? Evidently there is a coronary score and I scored 4. If it had been 3 I could have gone home. Waited hour upon hour in the ER to be moved to the floor. Evidently they had to call in more nurses. Many had been furloughed due to lower hospital population because Covid criteria had cancelled elective surgeries, etc.
So by the time testing in ER was done, cafeteria was closed. I had missed dinner. They brought me a turkey sandwich, applesauce, cottage cheese and pudding. When you are hungry, it all tastes okay.
Finally got to bed at 2 AM on the floor. Scheduled Saturday morning for nuclear stress test. And yep, you got it! NPO – nothing by mouth because of testing. At nuclear medicine they had me drink a Sierra Mist sugar free and I got 4 peanut butter crackers. Tasty! Evidently that helps the nuclear medication move through your heart. Back up to my room and nope. Nothing to eat. Missed breakfast. When floor doctor came in she said, “Feed her!” While waiting for cafeteria to deliver lunch I was given strawberry yogurt. Yummy! Lunch was chicken pot pie (albeit, salt free because I was on cardiac floor) peach cobbler, iced tea. Mom would be proud. I was a member of the Clean Plate Club!!
The Nuclear Stress Test results were negative (I DO have a heart!!) and I was released at 1:30 PM Saturday. Bronchitis, steroids, inhaler. No antibiotic as no fever. Cough is better after steroids. Just. So. Tired. Now. after that lousy night with little sleep and short of breath. So all is well! And I will be also!
Am writing this Monday morning (20/5/11) and still short of breath. But so much better than Friday! And SO grateful to be home in our house, our own bed, my own shower and the glory in our garden and yard!!
One of the biggest fears during hospital stay was lousy weather forecast with below freezing temperatures for many hours into Saturday morning. I insisted we cover most blooms with sheets before going to the ER. We have white iris with 30 some blooms and orange poppies in bloom. Not counting purple iris, columbine, bachelor buttons, etc. around the yard. The good news is we only lost one poppy bloom. That was all. Bad forecast tonight too as far as frost. Hoping for the best!
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 