Glorious Critters and Such

Happy Monday, my friends!

I hope you all had a great and relaxing weekend.

~

You know, the world is just filled with fascinating and beautiful critters.

Does it ever just blow your mind how God came up with all of them?

Since I started my blog a couple of years ago, 

I have to admit that the things that I used to take for granted,

almost seem like new discoveries for me.

~

I believe this lovely dragonfly is a twelve-spotted skimmer...

...according to the description on Google.

If they stay still long enough to get a good photo you can certainly appreciate their beauty.

I found this one swarming around in a grown up area in front of our local Walmart.

Queen Anne's Lace was also growing there and on that particular morning

 the sun illuminated the outline of it, creating the most glorious effect.

 

And then there's that sensation you get when you reach down to pick a tomato...

...and what you feel isn't a tomato at all...

...but one of these "lovelies".

My first response was... EEEW!!

But you know, after I cut the part of the vine off where it had been eating the tomatoes,
(the worm was still on the vine because if you think I was actually going to touch it, you would be WRONG)
I stood there studying the intricacy of his design and I was actually in awe this tobacco hornworm...
...not to be confused with the tomato hornworm.
Imagine that...a tobacco worm was eating my tomatoes!



Who else but the God of the universe could (or would) create something like this?
I was making a joke about it having eyes all the way down it's body...they do look like eyes, huh?
They aren't eyes, but they actually breathe from them!
~
So I was getting ready to go shopping on Friday and this guy just would not get off my car.
I didn't take the time to google this one...



...but my, what BIG eyes you have!
~
But I have to say, my favorite encounter with critters this week was of these baby hummers.
At first I thought it was just one baby but after reviewing my photos,
 I noticed the different color variations in their feathers,
this one having red on top of it's head.



They were just learning to fly...and drink from the feeder.

You could almost see the uncertainty on their little faces,

this one looking quite puzzled as Mama was hovering near.

How adorable!



The drama came when this one landed on top of the feeder and didn't quite know what to do.
Once, he fell to the ground and just laid there for a moment.
I quickly ran out to try to rescue him and then he just as quickly flew away!

It wasn't five minute later, he was back again on top of the feeder...
...and after hanging on for dear life, let go and plunked into the window sill!

I was able to get really up close and personal with him...

...and then off he flew again.

What amazing little creatures they are...glorious, indeed!

The earth is most definitely filled with HIS glory!

Have a blessed week :)

After getting ready to link to Judith's Mosaic Monday,

I realized her title this week is "The Little Things"...

...how appropriate!

Also sharing at:

Amaze Me Monday

Sharing His Beauty

Roses of Inspiration

Mimosa Tree

If there's one thing I look forward to in the summer,
(and of course there are many)
it's when those trees with the pink "poofy things" 
(as I so lovingly refer to them)
start blooming just about everywhere I look.

It is the Albizia julibrissin (say that five times fast) or the Mimosa Tree. 



The Mimosa
~Jason Tomlinson

The only thing I know about trees is what I’m able to view
I don’t know much but I like to watch to find out what they do
and I’ve noticed my mimosa tree every single year
and how late in the spring its blossoms appear.



There are trees all over my neck of the woods
punctuating the landscape of all our neighborhoods
and it’s so nice when spring comes around
and the trees blossom all over town.



But it’s strange when I watch the mimosa tree
and why it waits so late is a mystery to me
but then I was encouraged by that one thing
the mimosa isn’t competing to bloom first in the spring,



it just does what it does slow and steady
and then it blooms when it is ready.

Do you enjoy mimosa trees in your corner of the world?

Fear not...

Sometimes things happen to us that become learning experiences.

Or at least they should be.

I hope I've learned my lesson.

This is my Facebook post from last night.

I was home alone, as I am so many nights...

...I am used to that and I am never afraid to stay by myself.

Once I realized I was locked out, all kinds of thoughts were running through my head.

Poor little Oscar was in the house too.

And because it was so dark, that added to the fear frustration...

...or...should I just go ahead and admit it?

Fear.

Yes, I was beginning to feel real fear.

And just let me tell you, I would have had to feel a whole lot more fear 

before I would go knocking on a neighbor's door in my ratty, almost see-through nightgown!

Oh, if only you could have felt (and seen) my desperation...

...I was literally calling out for Jesus to help me...louder...and louder.

And after beating that poor door handle (which still works, actually) with the hammer,

I can't remember when I felt such a relief...and so safe.

Not safe in the sense that I was actually fearing for my life,

but safe in the arms of a Savior that cared about me...

...in the midst of my uncomfortable and unfortunate circumstances.

You might think it was silly of me to post this on facebook.

But I felt compelled to share it, to use it as a testament to show how God looks out for his kids.

How He cares about our every need.

Each and every one.

So after I posted it, not even five minutes later, this post from came through my news feed.

A coincidence you think?

I think not.

And the story wouldn't be complete until you see my final post of the evening...

Oh and let me assure you that the key that used to be hidden outside on the deck,

was replaced this morning :)

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 

“Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 41:13

Sharing at:

Roses of Inspiration
Grace at Home
Spiritual Sundays

Four-wheelin', Shootin' and a Deep Fried Brownie

Well, the 4th of July is history...

...and Labor Day will be here before you know it!

Time is slipping away, folks!

I hope all of my friends in the USA had a great holiday weekend.

~

I thought I'd share a few moments from our visit to Tennessee from the week before.

Adam and his family live in a beautiful rural area just south of Nashville.

He wanted to give his ol' mom a ride around the property so off we went on the four-wheeler.

He promised to drive slow-ish.

He only scared me a couple of times :)

So we headed down the steep, half-mile long gravel driveway,

(we are actually going back up the drive in this pic)

stopping at this small farm just down the road a bit.

We got off the four-wheeler and these beauties walked right up to us.

This guy (or girl...I didn't notice) was very friendly...

...but most likely quite disappointed that we didn't have any food to share...

...although Adam did offer a handful of tall grass to him/her.

After our visit, we said our goodbyes and headed back down the road.

The contrasting late afternoon sun nearly ruined the photos of this field of  hay bales...

...but after a little "doctoring" with Picmonkey, they will have to do.

It was a fun day.

We girls went for pedicures while the boys practiced their shooting skills.

Each one of them tore the centers out of those targets!

The next day, we went into downtown Columbia and ate at Puckett's.

Anyone who is familiar with the Nashville area surely knows about Puckett's.

We have been making trips to Nashville since 2000 and had never eaten there...

...man...what we'd been missing!

The food was wonderful and we all shared this decadent treat...

...the amazing deep-fried brownie.

And yes, that is bacon on top!
Count the spoons...there are eight of them...

...more than enough gooey deliciousness to go around...a couple of times.

And when you're the photographer,

you get out of showing everyone how big of a pig you were! :)

We always have so much fun visiting our crazy son, Adam and his family.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree :)

Sharing at:

Mosaic Monday
Roses of Inspiration

...for amber waves of grain...

AMERICA, THE BEAUTIFUL

~by Katharine Lee Bates – 1913

O beautiful for spacious skies,

For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties

Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,

Whose stern impassion’d stress

A thoroughfare for freedom beat

Across the wilderness!

America! America! God mend thine ev’ry flaw,

Confirm thy soul in self-control,

Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved,

And mercy more than life!

America! America! May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness,

And ev’ry gain divine!

O Beautiful for patriot dream

That sees beyond the years

Thine alabaster cities gleam,

Undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood

From sea to shining sea!

~

Wishing all of my friends in the USA
a most blessed 
Independence Day!

Fried Green Tomatoes

I've been trying all week to get back in gear after our Nashville trip.

We had a great time at Adam's and thoroughly enjoyed all of the grands being together!

I have been slow getting caught up on my blog reading

and I haven't done much visiting this week...I guess you know how that goes :)

~

So...fried green tomatoes...do you like them or not?

My mom made these quite often when I was a kid.

I wanted nothing to do with them back then.

I really don't remember when I first tasted them.

But I do know that I was pretty much hooked by that first bite!

I'm sure it was because I really liked eating them that also sparked my interest in the movie.

Here is a synopsis of the movie from Wikipedia for those unfamiliar with it:

Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Mary-Louise Parker. It tells the story of a Depression-era friendship between two women, Ruth and Idgie, and a 1980s friendship between Evelyn, a middle-aged housewife, and Ninny, an elderly woman who knew Ruth and Idgie. The centerpiece and parallel story concerns the murder of Ruth's abusive husband and the accusations that follow.

 ~
My husband does not appreciate tomatoes much...be they green or red,
so when I make them, I make just enough for me...
...that is usually two or three, depending on their size.

I have tried making them a few different ways but here's how I make mine...

...that is, until I find another way I like better.

~ 

*cut tomatoes into 1/4-1/2" slices

*dab with paper towels to remove moisture

*prepare 3 pie pans (any shallow pan or bowl will do) with the following:

*3/4 cup flour

*1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp. milk

*1/2 cup flour mixed with 1/2 cup corn meal and seasonings of your choice

*heat oil in large frying pan

*coat tomatoes (a few at a time) in flour

*dredge in egg wash and then into flour/corn meal/seasoning mixture

*fry in hot oil until golden brown

*drain on paper towels



YUM! I like mine dipped in ranch dressing as you can see...

...and with a little watermelon on the side, even better!

I have seen so many other great ways to eat them lately...

...many times, on sandwiches and burgers or the like with maybe a spicy sauce...

...and with bacon too!

Everybody knows everything is better with bacon, right?

The possiblilities are endless!

~

And I came across this cute poem that I will end with...

Fried Green Tommy Toes

~Tamera Dobbins

It is my favorite food
fried up golden brown.
Salted to perfection
with pepper freshly ground.

Acidic, yes it is Sir,
but so what! It's crisply sour.
But it isn't always easy to get
them to the egg and flour.

For growers of the tomatoes,
hate us taking and eating green.
They want to wait for red ones,
and can get down right mean!

When one sneaks into the garden
to steal tomatoes not yet ripe.
You'd best be prepared to get many
in just one nightly raid to swipe.

For once they are aware your lurking
to make off with their fruit.
They are liable to catch you
and give you a muddy garden boot!

But the danger adds a spice to
my stolen green tomato plate.
They are my favorite food!
Top notch, delicious, and first rate.
~
I can't actually say that fried green tomatoes is my most favorite food like the poem says,
but they are certainly something that I look forward to every summer...
...and absolutely perfect on a July 4th weekend when the hubby is away at work.
I can eat whatever I want :)