Serenity

Lately, I am blessed by His beauty

especially while out doing errands.

This serene scene is on the side of the motor vehicle office.

"Nature is

painting for us,

day after day,

pictures of infinite

beauty if only

we have the eyes

to see them.

..John Ruskin

For the first time, I am linking with Dayle at Simple Pleasures

http://alittleofthisandthat2.blogspot.com/

To see more Simple Pleasures please click above.

No matter how mundane the chore,

when your heart is open

beauty is to be found.

Lynn Kreizl

His beauty shines through my family.

Happy Monday!

Saturday morning my plan was some light grocery shopping.
However, we had a wonderful surprise visit from my daughter
and our princess granddaughter.

We were so delighted to see them both.

They do not live as close as my older daughter and son, so we do not see them

nearly as much as we would like.

This was a TREAT.

Because my grandson was home with dad that morning, I quickly put together a

"tea table" with candles for Kaylee.

Her 8th birthday is Wednesday, the 24th and we are not going to be able to be at her

party on Saturday.

As I have said before, I love to show His beauty in nature, in the flowers I love.

His beauty also shines in the smiles of family.

Below are the photos from our lovely day.

Oh yes!  Big surprise, even I did not know about......

Grampa's birthday is Sat, the 27th and Kellie and Kaylee bought a surprise

yummy chocolate pie for Grampa's birthday.

We said it was for both of them and sang to both of them.

Isn't my granddaughter just precious?

Please click to enlarge photos

I used my delicate etched glasses as candle holders around the dried flower arrangement.

Since Kellie and Kaylee were bringing our lunch all I had to do was set a table.

Also used candles on the side of the hutch.

Kaylee loved all the candles glowing when she walked in.

Our smiles say it all, don't they?

Oh yes, the pie was really as yummy as it looks.

Even had "Happy Birthday Grampa" written on top.

I did not think to take a picture of the top.

The greeting was actually written on a plastic square that we removed

and put in the fridge.

Sneaky isn't it? Now I just have to bake another cake on Saturday and place on top.

What do you think?

Do my daughter, granddaughter and I look alike or not?

Blessings on your week,



Showers of Blessing

Welcome to Spiritual Sundays

Since hubby's knee surgery, the Lord has impressed upon my heart to take my camera

with me in the car even for simple errands.

This week I captured the beautiful purple flowers hiding in a hedge surrounding the

parking lot of the bank.

The delightful yellow flowers were in the parking lot of a mall.

I was coming out of the store just after it rained and was able to capture

the blooms with droplets.

I so love the "refreshing" look of blooms with water droplets.

Such fun to photograph too!

While photographing them, one of my favorite hymns came to mind.

Please click each photo to enlarge

There shall be showers of blessing:

This is the promise of love;

There shall be seasons refreshing,

Sent from the Saviour above..

There shall be showers of blessing,

Precious reviving again;

Over the hills and the valleys,

Sound of abundance of rain.

There shall be showers of blessing;

Send them upon us, O Lord;

Grant to us now a refreshing,

Come, and now honor The Word.

There shall be showers of blessing:

Oh, that today they might fall,

Now as to God we're confessing,

Now as on Jesus we call.

There shall be showers of blessing,

If we but trust and obey.

There shall be seasons refreshing,

If we let God has His way.

written by Daniel W. Whittle  1883

I am linking with Spiritual Sunday

http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/

May all your showers this week be blessings.

Pink romance on the porch

I so LOVE my  porch!

Framed on the street side by two huge oak tress,

we are entertained for hours by our little squirrel friends.

The oaks also keep the porch "sun free" until later in the day.

So as summer is winding down toward Labor Day,

(and our 17th anniversary)

I created "romance on the porch" one early morning

for loving hubby and myself.

Just a simple, delicious fruit and iced tea meal.

But the setting was pure romance.

Please click photo to enlarge.

"Mark your days in ways

that bring

your heart joy".

.........author unknown

My blog is about capturing HIS beauty through the lens of my Nikon.

 I love to showcase HIS beauty in nature and on

road trips and around town.

I also believe that His beauty is in our homes.

It is not the home per se, but the love that goes into making a structure a home. 

Do you agree?

I am linking with Pink Saturday

http://howsweetthesound.typepad.com/my_weblog/pink-saturday/

Please stop by and see all the other pinkies and their wonderful blogs.

May you find His beauty in your life this week.

 

Olde Tyme Soda Fountain, Foley AL

Last March  hubby ad   took the neatest trip 10 days before

Initially, we were going only to New Orleans, the French Quarter, for the
jazz we so love and the decorations of Mardi Gras.
However, once on the road, we also decided to spend time in Biloxi, Gulfport,
Bay St. Louis, MS, Fairhope and Foley, AL, as well as Tallahassee, FL.

We had found that Foley has a wonderful miniature train museum, on of our "love", so

traveled from Fairhope to Foley, to take in the museum.

After doing the museum, we found another favorite:

Olde fashioned soda fountains and ice cream sundaes.

Please click to enlarge all photos

We had just walked in and I noticed quite a few people coming in the door,

so I quickly snapped the pictures.

So glad I did, as would not have had another chance while we were there.

Love, love, love menus on chalkboards.





Here comes our ice cream!

I cut the picture off too soon. Can you read "Fizzscian" over the

The old fashioned drug stores have such charm.

With all the glass cabinets and wood moldings.

This cute bench and teddy made me smile.

Love the beautiful lighting above.

If you live in an area, no matter where in the USA, that still has an old fashioned

soda fountain, please leave a comment or send me an email.

Does not have to be a "drug store" per se like this.

Right now our travel plans are still on hold with Terry recovering.

However, I keep files of all my "dream trips" for future reference.

One file is labeled, "side trips".

Anything regarding, trains, amateur radio, covered bridges, soda fountains, tea rooms,

unique lodging, unique photo opportunities etc go into this file.

Then I simply give the file to the Lord........and let Him decide if a trip is in our future.

May all your side trips in life be blessed.

More about Tarpon Springs

Good morning,

Here we are again on the Dodecanese Blvd, Tarpon Springs, FL.

Home of the sponge docks along the Anclote River.

Dodecanese runs between the docks and the shops and restaurants on the other side.

I have a passion for authentic Greek food, gyros to be exact.

At one end of the dock there is a fantastic take out Greek restaurant.

I apologize, I don't have a picture with the name.

You can see Terry sitting on the patio along the river with the sponge boats docked

behind him.

We had some "wild" buddies visit us at lunch.

The food.......beyond awesome if you love Greek food.

There are several other sit down restaurants on Dodecanese and other parts of Tarpon Springs

with equally delicious choices.

We love to sit on the patio as the river is usually busy during the day.

Please click to enlarge

It was the 1890's when Greek divers arrived to harvest the rich sponge beds

in the Gulf of Mexico.

During the 1930's  there was an average of 1,000 divers and 200 boats.

Sponge beds cover 10,000 square miles between Key West and the Panhandle.

There is about 5,000 species of sponges, 5 found in the Gulf of Mexico.

Sponges are animals without brains or central nervous system.

Sponges in Tarpon Springs are harvested by hand, insuring the base or root remains

intact. This allow the sponge to regenerate itself. Therefore harvesting will not

deplete the sponge beds.

The sponges when dried feel and look like loofahs, at least to me.

Natural sponges are beneficial to both body and soul and do not hold bacteria as do

synthetic sponges.

In the past, I have had natural sponges. Due to the cost of the natural ones,

we have not purchased any in Tarpon Springs on the last few trips.

Truthfully, we go for the atmosphere and the food.

Sitting on the patio of the restaurants eating gyros is like being in a Greek fishing village

or so, I would think.

If you are ever visiting Tampa Bay area, plan to spend a day in Tarpon Springs.

Another unique and beautiful area of our Gulf Coast.

Have a beautiful August day!

Sponge Docks

Good Morning.

Tarpon Springs, FL is noted for the finest sponges in the world.

No matter how often we visit, I am always fascinated by the haul of sponges

off the boats.

Please click to enlarge

Simplicity

is the glory of expression.

....Walt Whitman 

Make it a wonderful day!

Daytona Summer

Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way

things are.

When you realize there is nothing lacking,

the whole world belongs to you.

Lao Tzu

Please click to enlarge

"For I have learned in whatever state I am in, therefore to be content".

Philippians 4:11

All photos Daytona Beach Shores, FL

Blessings as you enjoy your summer.

Florida Sunsets

Peace......is seeing a sunset and knowing who to thank.

unknown author

Please click to enlarge

"Be still, and know that I am God".

Psalms 46:10

Stray gifts of His beauty

Beauty for your Sunday.

Pictures taken early July and last weekend in our beautiful park.

"Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts

to be claimed by whoever shall find".

..........William Wordsworth

How Great Thou Art Every Day

Please click to enlarge

I am so like the country roads I love.

Simple

Open

 Embracing Him in the beauty. 

He allowed deafness.

 Then He blessed the deafness........

With eyes to see.

My photography is my "heart wide open".

My favorite trip is a road trip.

Spontaneous, heartfelt, not knowing where the road

will take us,

but knowing WHO is leading us.

Along with my precious hubby who is

such a gift from the Lord.

We have traveled some wonderful back roads together.

A man who understands when, totally off key...

but from heart, I start singing,

How Great Thou Art.

I am joining Spiritual Sundays

 http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/2011/08/miracle-makeover-weekend.html

Please take a moment to visit the above site, watch the video of Charlie's miracle makeover and

then simply leave a comment on the blogs noted. Your comment is worth $1 toward the

next Miracle Makeover.

What an wonderful, generous way to support this charity.

May the Lord richly bless each of you this week.

Capturing His Beauty

Sunday, I was given a precious gift of 45 minutes

with my camera.

It was not planned.

The first time in a month I have had "free time" with my camera.

I was in such need of "refreshing".

The "miracle" of this precious time was simply........

in the middle of a sweltering coastal Florida summer morning,

I forgot the heat....

the humidity....

the blazing sun.....

As a captured HIS beauty through my lens......

I was refreshed.

Blessings,

Spiritual Sunday and Thank You

Life is fascinating!

Especially upon learning that a phrase I have used for the last 25 years to describe the only sound

I heard after loosing my hearing at 39 was technically WRONG.

I always said, "sonic blip type noise".  

No one ever questioned what a "sonic blip" was.

What I wanted to describe  was a "sonar blip" on a submarine.

I was just reading about bird's mating calls in the Spring sounding like "sonar blips" on a submarine.......

I looked at that, blinked, read it again and the LIGHT BULB went on in my head.

  25 years!! Using the wrong word.

Yikes....

So I asked loving hubby why he never asked me what a "sonic blip" was.

He said that I was describing a sound only I could hear..........

True enough.

But...............

Par for me, I had to research this further and came across this:

 A story in which one women was comparing her body clock ticking down

the childbearing years to another women's.

The other women's clock sounded like a "sonic boom".

Hers sound like a "sonic blip".

Ironically, the comparison of a body clocks ticking could also be used in my

case.

Normal hearing was the "boom". I only heard the "blip".

But to set the record straight once and for all, lol

I only heard "sonar blip" type noises.

There was a definite "ping" to the noise I heard.

I just find life so fascinating in that all these 25 years I have written, and spoke of my

hearing loss never once did I realize I wanted to describe "sonar".

Until today!

Weird.......

Yes, you can file this post under "frivolous" and "entertaining".

It is meant to be lighthearted and a tad funny.

On the other hand........

Isn't this just what HE does in one of the ways HE speaks to us...

a word, a phrase, a verse of scripture

 will just jump out and get your attention.

In that respect I wish you all  wonderful blessings on

hearing the Lord in your everyday life.

Loving hubby doing physical therapy with his therapist on Thursday.

We both thank you so much for your continued prayer.

The rehab is ongoing and still grueling most of the time.

Our days are mixtures of his therapy, resting, sharing meals and watching our

beloved Tampa Bay Ray baseball games on tv.

Both of us are so blessed to have the Lord's strength through this

and wonderful family and friends who have kept us in their prayers.

God bless you all!

Pictures are from our March 2011 trip to LA, MS, AL.

All taken in beautiful Fairhope, AL

just wanted to add a touch of beauty to the post.

I am linking with Spiritual Sundays  at

http://www.bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/