Just For The Birds

I am very fortunate to have plenty of wildlife here in my garden in heavenly Devon, and I try to capture photos whenever I can. The woodpecker is the most difficult one to capture with the camera, because he is off at the slightest movement or noise. I shall have to sit myself on a chair and learn to be patient - and very quiet! I did manage to take this one shot, although the quality isn't really very good. 

There is a quotation that says "you are nearer to God in a garden, than anywhere else on earth".

I'm also over on Pinterest, where I have a Board entitled Bird Houses. I have picked out a few of the prettiest ones to show here, and I do hope you will enjoy looking at them. 

See you again next time round.

This next one would look delightful hanging beside my little caravan!

"We Will Remember Them"

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them."

In the United Kingdom today, the Queen will lead the Country in honouring the fallen, after a two minute silence at the Cenotaph in London. 

This is a day for the Nation to remember and honour all those men and women who have sacrificed themselves to secure and protect our freedom. 

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below. (Excerpt from In Flanders Fields by John McCrae). 

November? More Like Summer!

Well my friends, Halloween is over for another year. I know some people are against it, but surely it is only a bit of fun?  I realize that folks in the U.S. Now have Thanksgiving to look forward to, but I'm now really looking forward to Christmas already, and decorating the house!  Here are a couple of photos of my youngest grandchildren. The first one taken last night, and the second one in 2014. 

Well, it might be the 1st November, but here in heavenly Devon, it really is like a Summer's day. Really warm and sunny with clear blue skies. I'm actually up in my little caravan writing this. 

We have had some wonderful days this week, and one morning I was out in my jammies trying to capture the beautiful sunrise. Photos taken with the camera on my iPhone. I loved the sheep walking towards me as they emerged from the mist. 

Well, on that note, I will leave you once again. I hope you enjoyed the photos today. Take care little bloggies. 

Blessings To Online Friends

I received this little Prayer via e-mail recently, and thought it worth sharing with you here. I'm sure all my bloggy friends can relate to this, as we receive so much support and encouragement from each other. 

Every single evening, as I'm lying here in bed, this tiny little Prayer keeps running through my head. 

God bless all my family, wherever they may be, keep them warm and safe from harm, for they're very close to me. 

And God, there is one more thing that I wish that you would do. Hope you don't mind me asking, but bless my computer too. 

Now I know that it's unusual to bless a motherboard, but listen just a second, while I explain it to you, Lord. 

You see, that little metal box holds more than odds and ends. Inside  those small compartments rest so many of my friends. 

I know so much about them, by the kindness that they give, and this little scrap of metal takes me in to where they live. 

By faith is how I know them, much the same as You. We share in what life brings us, and from that our friendships grew. 

Please take an extra minute, from your duties up above, to bless those in my Address Book, that's filled with so much love. 

Wherever else this prayer might reach, to each and every friend, please bless each e-mail inbox, and each person who hits 'Send'. 

Changing of the Seasons

I spoke in my last Post of how I loved Autumn, if the days were dry and bright. I love crunching along on crisp, fallen leaves and admiring the changing colours everywhere. 

However next weekend, here in the U.K., the clocks go back and the darker mornings and evenings will be with us once again. Many enjoy the closing of the curtains,  and perhaps enjoying the crackling of an open log fire or woodburner. The feeling of being cosy and warm. 

I like to light scented candles as well, to make it even more snug and cosy. I'm fine with this at the beginning, as, the weekend after Thanksgiving, which we don't celebrate here, I decorate the house for Christmas, and there are twinkling fairy lights everywhere!  I do love Christmas! 

But it's after Christmas is over and all the pretty ornaments are packed away once again in their boxes, and the lights dismantled from every nook and cranny, that I start to feel rather gloomy. 

However, I know that many people really do suffer at the onset of the darker evenings.  It can lead to feeling rather low, feelings of apathy, and general loss of energy. 

Sometimes it is rather difficult to remain positive at times like this and those negative thoughts can become difficult to dismiss. 

Reading a good book can help us lose ourselves, and I find that playing my favourite music rather loudly can all help to lift my mood. Luckily, I have no neighbours!  

So, to you all, I hope that you can find some pleasures in these soon to become shorter days, so that we can all head towards Christmas in good spirits. 

Here are a few positive quotes to help you on your way ....

 

Home Once More From Across The Pond....

Hi everyone. Yes, I returned from across the pond a couple of days ago, having spent a wonderful three weeks staying with friends in Green Bay, Wisconsin - Go Pack Go! Sorry, that was for any Green Bay Packers' fans that might be reading this.  Anyway, onto pumpkins....

I love how they are everywhere in America at the moment. They just look so cheerful and colourful. Don't you think?

I love how the Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, and I really wish it was a holiday that we celebrated over here in England. After all, we all have many things to be thankful for.  Perhaps I'll start a new tradition!

I just love this Season of Autumn, especially on days when we have bright blue skies. It is such a colourful time of the year, as all the trees put on such a show of colour for us.  The Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness....here is a photo of the beautiful Ephraim in Door County, Wisconsin - a place that holds very special memories for me. 

Here is a sunset over Lake Michigan, at Egg Harbour, again in Door County. 

Most of the cute little towns are decorated like this....

I will share some more photos in my next Post. Bye for now my bloggy friends...

Is It An Aries Trait, Or Just Me??

Hi there everyone. Hope your week is going well.

I was sitting, just ruminating about life yesterday, contemplating my navel, and I asked myself that very question....is it an Aries trait, or just me?  Let me explain - I was looking back over the years of my life (and there are a lot of years for me to look over, let me tell you!), and I was thinking of all the things I had started, but yet never quite finished. 

I had never achieved that hole in one, never painted a masterpiece, never written that best selling novel, to name but a few of the hobbies I have tried over the years. 

I played golf (badly) for a while, but the trouble is, I was always thinking that I had to get back to pick up the girls from school, or what to get for the evening meal.  Not quite the concentration you need when trying to get a hole in one. Also, I used to get transfixed standing over the ball - get the grip right, address the ball, wiggle the bum, until my playing partner used to be shouting, "hit the b....y ball!

When starting a hobby, I think half the pleasure for me is getting all the accessories!  I had a very pretty golf bag, with fluffy covers for all the clubs. I had my golf shoes and visor cap. Oh yes, I looked quite the Pro, until I tried to hit the ball...

I was lucky enough to be given a very expensive digital SLR camera a couple of years ago, but never quite got the hang of shutter speeds, or how much light to let in, and, besides, my iPhone takes very good photos, although the bigger camera is much better for zoom shots, obviously.

I've lost count of the number of gym memberships I've started, or exercise equipment I've bought for home use. I guess I was never meant to have the body beautiful!

I had ALWAYS wanted to try water colour painting. How wonderful to just sit on a cliff overlooking the ocean and be able to capture the beauty of my surroundings.  Again, I had all the equipment, even an easel and a very nice travelling painting set. I was ready to go!  I actually took a few lessons with a friend. Trouble is, the tutor was obsessed with trees, and I just wanted to paint boats and the beach. So! Another one bit the dust. 

I tried learning German, but that didn't work either. There were so many things that I've tried, but I'm still looking for that special talent that we all have within us. (We do, don't we?!). I guess I just have no staying power, which I'm certainly not proud of. 

Please tell me I'm not the only one! Come to think of it, I've never tried Amateur Dramatics. Perhaps that's where my star will shine. Lights! Camera! Action! I'm ready for my close up!

See you later peeps. 

Quotations For A Tuesday...

Hi again my little bloggies.  I am actually in the U.S.A. at the moment, enjoying a three week holiday.

Most of my bloggy friends know how much I like quotations, so I thought I would share a few here with you today, all of which are courtesy of Pinterest.com

I hope to see you all again soon.  Until then, look after yourselves.