Hello Friends ~ Here we are at the start of Thanksgiving week here in the U.S. May we be able to see past the negatives and see all that we have to be thankful for. 

This morning I read a thought-provoking post by Ann of  'Ann's Snap, Edit, Scrap' blog. So many times I have found myself thinking of the negatives instead of counting my blessings, especially this year with the world-wide pandemic situation. We have been wishing from the beginning that it would all be over soon, but here we are 8 months later, still dealing with the pandemic and all of the hurts, anxieties, frustrations, job losses, relationship problems, illnesses and deaths that this has caused. 

I think of my whining, mostly done in my head, my petty complaints, compared to what so many are dealing with and am ashamed. My heart aches from reading about and seeing what others are going through. The only thing I can do at this time is pray for the whole world. For healing, for peace, for restoration, for love, and for forgiveness.

Many of us are seeking ways to find joy once again in our lives. We are finding it in simple things, in the ordinariness of our every day lives. We are alive,  and there are things to be thankful for. There is still beauty in the world to enjoy. God is the giver of all good gifts and it is to him we owe our thanks.

I am re-reading Ann Voskamp's book '1,000 Gifts'. I bought this book the month after my dear husband left this planet to be with God. Right now I'm doing a short Bible study of this with Ann on Faith Gateway online Bible studies. I am being encouraged and blessed to keep growing in my thankfulness to God, in all situations. Ann has a beautiful way with words. I am made to stop and think about life, my life and relationship with God, more deeply. I've started a journal to list my 1,000 gifts and it is making me look around to see just how many gifts I am blessed with. Things I can take for granted.

Right now I want to say thank you to all who have visited here, for comments, gifts, emails, etc. since 2008 when I first started this blog. You have loved, encouraged, inspired and prayed for me. Those are precious gifts that money can't buy. You comforted me after the loss of my husband  and still do that even now.

I am thankful to God for his beautiful creation, for the flowers, etc. that I am able to grow in my tropical, cottage garden spaces. Below are recent photos of some of what is in bloom right now.

Bleeding hearts

 

 

'Carnation' Roses

 

 

Hamelia paten and plumbago

 

 

 Plumbago

 

 

 

 

 

 Thunbergia

 

 

Wild Petunia

 

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

 

 

I will close with another photo of  'Miss Tork'. We have been dealing with 'fleas'. I must have brought one or two in with me from outside, as she is an indoor cat. We are making forward progress and that's a GREAT thing.

 

 

Here in the U.S., I pray that you all will make your Thanksgiving holiday a happy and thankful one, whether you are alone or with others. I bought a small young turkey breast, and have all of the fixings to make my dinner. I am looking forward to it and the left-overs also. (That's my plan).

 

Love, hugs and prayers for all,

FlowerLady 

 

 

Winds and rain

Good Tuesday morning ~ well, in my last post on Sat. morning, I wrote that we were under a tropical storm warning until 6:15 p.m. because of Tropical Storm Eta. That changed as Eta had changed her mind about where she was headed. The worst of her for Plum Cottage was Sunday night, all through the night. I don't know what the strongest winds got up to, but I can tell you that this little place was buffeted. Living in a wooden house makes it sound louder than it is.

I prayed and watched some you-tube videos. I finally decided to go to bed, late, and the winds were louder in the bedroom so I gathered things to sleep on the love seat in living room. As I laid there scrunched up, realizing I was NOT going to be comfortable, I thought of the verse in Psalms 4:8.

"I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” 

So, I headed into the bedroom and did sleep. I was thankful when I woke up the next morning. I'd heard nothing scary during the night and the winds were calmer. Did not get the flooding rains here, but south of here did, one place got almost 16".

When I opened my front blinds, I was greeted with this: a Don Juan bloom standing tall. Amazing after a night of strong gusting wind and rain. It was such a blessing to see.

I then went out with my phone to take pics not knowing what I would find. Worrying thoughts about what might happen during the night, did NOT happen and I was oh so thankful to God for his tender care.

This was my first picture outside. I had just cleaned up all of the leaves in the driveway last week, and it's a good thing I did, but now it needs doing again. 

 As I walked north, I could see a palm frond and at first couldn't think of where this had come from.

The neighbor's palm tree is near the front of my property, closer to the street. The frond was, no doubt out of the middle of this tree.

The frond is 15 feet long,

 

This picture was taken near the back of my driveway.

 I am so thankful that this was all of the damage done here. It could have been worse. Another verse that came to mind going through all of the wind was this one found in Psalm 56:3

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."

What just popped up in my email was a very encouraging bit from John Piper. He brought up this very verse.

You can read or listen (3 minutes) to his short message in the link below.

Wipe Your Fears Away

Last evening I came across a you-tube video that is very soothing. I listened to a bit before going to bed.  It is 8 hours long to be played while you are sleeping.

Yesterday morning I spied this Don Juan bloom near my weeping woman statue. This was taken in normal mode.

This photo was taken in portrait mode which blurs out the background. Fantastic for taking pics of flowers.

It is a glorious new day after some really heavy rain earlier. After I took this pic below the sky got really dark and it started pouring and hitting the southern widows. Thankfully, there is now blue sky the sun is shining and I see butterflies flitting about.

 Last night I got out my book below. This book is an allegory about a young lady named 'Much-Afraid'. She eventually receives a new name of 'Grace and Glory'. A beautiful book in the story line and in the artwork. I highly recommend this. ( I got this book in 2017 for doing a book review of it.)

That's it for now. My stomach is telling me it's time to eat some breakfast.

I'll close this post with the photo taken a few minutes ago. 

 

Love, hugs and prayers,

FlowerLady

 

Being thankful

Hello Folks ~ Here it is Saturday morning and here in s.e. FL we are under a Tropical storm watch for Eta until 6:15 p.m. tonight. Rain, wind and possible flooding. Right now it is gray, breezy and have had a dash of rain so far.

Since this is the month we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday,  thought I'd post a pics of what I've been blessed with and am thankful for. It will be an overload of pics I think. The first 4 photos were taken with my old phone which died last Saturday morning. I had a mini panic attack as I had gotten rid of my landline awhile back to cut back on expenses. 

My dear BIL took me to the Verizon store on Sunday and I got a new phone with a fantastic camera. I had been googling phones for a few months, so that when this happened, I knew what I wanted. A few months back I couldn't afford this phone, but God supplied the funds last month. One day I will share that story.

Below is Lancepod.

Below is Miss Atwood.

Black Eastern Swallowtail

 

All of the rest of the photos are with new phone. I won't be labeling pics, just enjoy them.

 

 

 

What a wonderful surprise to see this when I went to select strawberries to cut up on my cereal this morning. 

Ok, that's it for now. I've got a dish I want to make up, recipe from a new friend, Erica, it was one of her Mom's recipes. Tuscan Garlic Chicken.

Remember to count all of your blessings.

FlowerLady