I’ve shared this great site in previous blog posts, but as with all my “Phavorites,” it is definitely worth sharing again.
I check into this site at least once a day to read the Rapture Ready News. This section is filled with articles gathered from all over the the world. I don’t always agree with everything on the site, but it helps me keep watch, as Jesus instructs in Matthew 24:42.
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.” Matthew 24:42
October 4th – WordPress Photo Challenge – Signs
This week, publish an image of a sign — from the signs you encounter on the street to more personal, less obvious signs that hold meaning for you.
This is my first attempt at taking part in the WordPress Photo Challenge. I chose to take photographs of Alcyon Park. I have visited Betty Park (another name for the site) since I was about seven years old. Once an amusement park, the same land now hosts a gentle playground on one side of the lake, ball fields and walking trails on the other. I loved this place as a child. I watched many a July Fourth firework show from its grassy banks. When I was a young mother I played with my sons in the park, now I bring my grandchildren for outdoor fun. Thank you Alcyon Park in Pitman, NJ for many years of happiness.
Park Signs
In Transit
“Train stations, airport terminals, subway stops: soulless spaces full of distracted, stressed zombies, or magical sets for fleeting, interlocking human stories?”
Ah, an easy “Daily Post” for me, for the situation is a recent experience. In Jamaica, we stay at the Royal Decameron in Runaway Bay. What a pleasure for both my husband and me. The staff bestows an aura of goodwill upon you from the very start as they treat you with “courtly” behavior. When the time comes to depart, you hate to leave this perfect paradise and the wonderful people. On top of the letdown of vacation coming to an end, you find yourself forced to waste time, as is the rule for all on-time passengers, in the airport terminal waiting area. Oh my! After being called “milady” and “mommy” by the perfect-mannered Decameron staff, I immediately dealt with typical “Philly” (Philadelphia) behavior. I sat down, and placed my bag on the seat beside me, a seat that was empty. A big, sweaty guy, threw his head back and side-stared me, “My wife is sitting there,” he said in a abrupt bark. That was fine, I didn’t want to take a seat from someone, but instead of rude behavior we both would have benefitted from a bit more of Jamaican “courtliness” in his manner. Everything in me sagged as I realized I was indeed cut-off from the magic of Jamaica before the plane even left the runway.
Let’s try to be a little more courteous, and remember we are representing our country and the area we live in.
Don’t throw away onion skins, wash them, place in a baggie or container, and freeze. Onion skins are terrific additions to chicken broth stock. The skins add a lovely sparkle of yellow color. Onion skins can also be used to create natural dyes.
Drilling a hole in the ceiling or wall?
Drill through a clear plastic glass first. After drilling do not remove glass from drill bit.
Place plastic glass flat against wall or ceiling, drill your hole with the glass held in place.
My husband looked puzzled when I asked for a photograph of him drilling. “Why?” he asked.
“To use as a tip on my blog,” I answered.
“Everyone knows this tip already.” he teased.
For those of you like me who didn’t know, and never would have thought of this…WOW! What a great way to keep dust and debris off your furniture and floor.
The final tip…at your next gathering or party capture a little bit of whimsy. Welcome your guests with a greeting written in chalk on your sidewalk or drive. Guaranteed to start a party off with everyone smiling. 🙂
Has a number ever gotten into your head? For some unknown reason the number 10,000 has been swirling around in mine. Are you aware that a “Myriad of Angels” is considered to be 10,000 angels?
I can imagine you shaking your head wondering where this post is going.
“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.”
Revelation 5:11
Myriad – 10,000 (from greek ‘murioi’)
Another of my 10,000’s is a decades old remembrance of people in my grandparent’s generation saying when they arrived in heaven they would spend 10,000 years at Jesus’ feet. Well, let me tell you, I loved Jesus, but my pre-teen brain immediately reared up in a contrary attitude when I heard that remark. There was no way I could ever do anything for so long. Now, at 56, imagining myself in the presence of Jesus, sitting at his feet eon after eon, fills me with rapturous joy.
I like Thomas Edison’s attitude of perseverance as he worked toward making our lives better.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
~Thomas A. Edison
Another great 10,000 is the study that concluded 10,000 hours of practice often means excellence in your chosen field.
A 10,000 I love is the song, “He Could Have Called 10,000 Angels.” Searching for a sample of the tune to embed in this blog post I found this lovely Bluegrass rendition on Youtube.
This terrific song, along with others can be found at Jill Mason and Heartland
Autumn has arrived, winter approaches, I have been purchasing potted herbs to grow on my windowsill through the colder months. I will still take cuttings for rooting from my outdoor herbs, but they will not reach harvest size until Spring of 2015. In the meantime, when I need fresh herbs through the winter, I will “pinch” them from my lovely windowsill garden. Another plus in growing herbs indoors is the scent they “whisper” into the air when you run your hands over them…heavenly!
Photo collage courtesy of Picmonkey.com
Our area of the country experienced a very cool summer, but my herbs didn’t seem to mind and have thrived. I don’t want to waste the bounty of my gardens so over the next few days I will be harvesting everything I have room to store. I will hang aromatic herbs such as lavender, catnip, and a portion of my mints, in dark closets to dry. Those I use in cooking I will freeze in ice cube trays.
Step 1
Soak herbs in a bowl of water for a few minutes. Remove the herbs from the water, check for debris, refill and repeat process at least three times. There is no need for scrubbing or agitation, the water floats the dirt away leaving the essential oils intact. (Organic potted herbs grown inside do not need to be washed.)
Step 2
There is no need to dry sprigs when they are finished soaking. Break leaves away from the stem, place inside empty ice cube trays, add water and freeze.
Step 3
Remove frozen cubes from tray.
Step 4
Place inside a labeled zip-lock freezer bag and store in the freezer. Your “fresh” herbs are now available anytime you are ready to cook a good meal. The cubes are terrific for making soups and stocks. I also freeze onion, scallions, peppers and other produce for quick stocks.
The Summer of 2014 was not very hot, but that fact was an advantage for my wildflower garden; the closely packed flowers thrived without the wilting heat. I spied a sweet bumblebee visiting a bachelor button and managed to snap a photograph at just the right moment. I have chosen this as my reference photo for this month’s WetCanvas Plant Parade Challenge.
WetCanvas is free for anyone to join – Welcome New Visitors Page
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Joanne N is the host for the WetCanvas Plant Parade October.
The October 2014 Plant Parade
“Welcome to October!
Fall is just beginning in the Northern Hemisphere, while Spring has just arrived in the Southern Hemisphere.
But I’m not ready to let Summer or my garden go quite yet (even though we had a huge dump of snow in early September). So if you’ll bear with me, I’d like to share some photos from my garden with you to use as reference photos this month. Feel free to paint your own garden reference if you wish.
Use any media you like, we love them all! If you have time, do more than one!Keep the banter going, share your adventures and misadventures while you’re creating.
All we ask is that you do not post your work until October 25th!.”
Joanne N posted an amazing array of reference photographs to use. I’ve chosen three of my favorites for this post.
After I chose one of my own photographs as my reference for the October Plant Parade I broke down some of the colors in my Paint application.
When I create a color chart I have an easy time choosing watercolors to use.
I also enjoy using color lab palette generator sites for viewing the color charts they create. I’ve included three for you to take a look at:
Color Palette FX
Color Palette Generator
Big Huge Labs
Today’s Daily Prompt: Verbal Confirmation – To be, to have, to think, to move — which of these verbs is the one you feel most connected to? Or is there another verb that characterizes you better?
My choice is another verb: “To Create.”
I create a home.
I create gardens.
I create meals.
I create a haven for my family.
I create friendships.
I create projects and crafts.
I create Art.
I create blog posts.
I create…create…create…I love to create.
Most of all I worship my CREATOR, The Lord God, creator of the heavens and earth.
I love the Golda Meir quote I used to create a poster for this daily post.
“Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” Golda Meir
I love old photographs. My father is the sweet little boy on the left. He is pictured here with his two cousins. Happy Birthday Dad! I love you.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalm 19:1
Sunrise this morning…Hallelujah!
The beaches might be empty, but the Ocean City Boardwalk was bustling with people, surreys and bicyclists this weekend. I was one of those pedaling a bicycle. What a joyful Autumn day!
Summer never arrived this year, at least not in its usual “HOT” attire. Most people in this area were thrilled with the cooler temperatures. Those of us who love the swelter of beach heat considered the lack of it a letdown. The Autumn season in a beach town does have its pleasures though, and bicycling the boardwalk ranks high on the list.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
I love our flag. I love this country. I love the people of the USA. A terrific reminder of our heritage by one of my all-time favorites, Johnny Cash.
My message is to the unknown scientist/researcher who is feverishly searching for a cure for Ebola and other terrible pandemics waiting to happen. My message is one word, “Godspeed!”
I love botanical watercolors, but I don’t have enough minutes in the day to attempt painting one. If truth be told, even if I had the time, I’m not sure I would have the inclination; botanical watercolors are painstaking and precise. I like having a bit more freedom and fun when I paint. Instead of following the traditional route I paint “faux” botanicals, or maybe a better term would be a floral portrait. At first glance my watercolors appear to be botanicals, but on closer inspection a professional would see there are many flower details left out.
Step by Step Slideshow
Watercolor Tip – To remove a finished painting from a watercolor block, use a piece of an old credit card and slide between sheets. Gently work the card around until the paper completely lifts away from the block.
Thanks for looking! 😀
Of course, I had to include the inchworm.
I’m pleased with the new addition to my “faux” botanicals in the hallway.
My son and I were cleaning up the yard after a birthday party for my husband when we noticed this strange object on the ground beside the oak tree.
Have you ever seen or come upon one of these? YIKES! You are correct if you guessed the object is a snakeskin. I don’t know if you can ascertain the length or not, but I know the size after stretching it out alongside of myself, almost five feet long, just about four inches shorter than I stand.
We stared at the skin in fascination and noticed it was very fresh, it hadn’t even collapsed upon itself yet. Uh-Oh! We looked around and sure enough, just a few feet away we saw this guy or gal in the grass. Double YIKES!
A black racer…he didn’t like us anymore than we liked him. Racers can be mean. They have been known to charge those who get too close, hissing and trying to bite. The bite might hurt, could become infected, but racers are not poisonous.
I said to my son, “Don’t let it get away until I get a photo,” and ran into the house to grab my camera.
When I came back my son had a strange look on his face and asked, “What did you expect me to do if it started to get away?”
We both laughed, the strange, strangled laugh that quells up inside when you find yourself in a situation you don’t want to be in. I took a couple of quick photos, but the racer took offense at my proximity and slithered away into the ivy.
I had recently noticed the chipmunk problem in my yard had diminished. Now the mystery of their disappearance is solved. Snakes might be scary, but the harmless kind are beneficial in keeping the rodent population under control. Even though I don’t want to find this guy under my feet, he is welcome in my garden.
Today’s WordPress Daily Prompt: Flash Talk – You’re about to enter a room full of strangers, where you will have exactly four minutes to tell a story that would convey who you really are. What’s your story?
If I had only four minutes to explain myself I would use these pictures of my roses. In yesterday’s blog post I posted a photograph of utter simplicity, vased roses on a tabletop.
Today’s Photograph of Roses in Morning Light
Today
Today, the morning sun slanted through my window and threw stunning light upon the arrangement. “Voila!'” As if by magic the illumination exposed shadows and brightness. The different nuances and aspects of the roses are so indicative of the different depths within me. Not so simple at all, for hidden within the grand design of the petals and stem is strength and fragility, softness and prickliness.
My sister once said I am like “Velvet Steel.” Wow! That wouldn’t even take four minutes to say…and it is exactly what I am.
Image application courtesy of Photocat.
