It was just after seven a few nights ago when I went for a walk down the road with my daughter. On the way back home, we saw some interesting berries up on the bank so I went into the house to get the camera. As usual, with the camera in my hands, I found more and more things to photograph.
I always intend on purchasing a wild berry identification book. The ones we found were bright red, in clusters of six, arranged in the middle of an oval leaf. I would like to know their name.
Our house looked calm and beautiful in the end of day light. Laundry hanging, the lawn mowed so nicely by my hard working sons.
I'm always followed loyally by my small sons and daughter, with bright eyed curiosity.
More berries ('tis the season), these were on single stems. I picked wild blackberries for Sarah today and offered them to her. I wondered if she would find them too seedy, but she ate them up and asked for more.
Today I searched the wildflower book for this blossom. It is currently growing down at the stream and the butterflies love it. I thought I had identified it as a Spotted Joe-Pye Weed, but the leaves did NOT smell of vanilla when crushed.
I am so grateful to live with ponds. They offer endless discovery and beauty for the entire family.
Another view of the homeplace.
Charming cattail, growing by the pond. The one in the middle is wearing a flowing scarf.
Gathered a light green chicken egg, from my flock which is down to 10 hens.
And eight darkly shining little bugs.
"The God who fashioned flow'rs and trees,
Delights to give us things that please,
And all His handiwork so fair
His glory and His love declare." Margaret K. Frazer, from A Treasury of Poems
Lovely!! It does look so serene, tranquil, and pretty. :)
ReplyDeleteyour home is like out of a country magazine!! beautiful yet down to earth and relaxed:) sarah is getting tall!!! You must be so busy with summer...same here!!! it was 33 celcius here today...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, Shanda, of your house, the berries, and especially of the three munchkins.
ReplyDeleteI love to hang laundry outside. Your pictures are so sweet! Thank you for sharing them.
ReplyDeletejust ducking in to say hi and i miss you and hope to be around more regularly soon!! :))
ReplyDeleteWonderful to find you again on the web! Right now I'm busy with the Sawdust Art Festival and don't have time to set up a blog yet.
ReplyDeleteGod bless and keep you and your family
You have such a beautiful home!!! Great photos of great adventures :)
ReplyDeleteHello again,
ReplyDeleteI so loved your quotes by cs lewis and your comments about self honesty and giving up self, in a different post. I'm catching up on your blog.
But I wanted to comment on this one because I think your "joe-pie-weed" might be swamp milkweed, if it grows by you. We studied that in our homeschool co-op this past year. The indians dried the stalks and hammered out the pith and made ropes and such out of the left over stringy parts. I'm hoping to teach it as a handicraft this fall. Interesting stuff! I coule be wrong on the id though. :)
You have such lovely nature photos. especially those dragon flies!
Bobby Jo
www.wheretheblacktopends.weebly.com
I really like that poem. I have thought those words so many times in the past three weeks, though not so eloquently.
ReplyDeletePeaceful is a good word for your house. I love the laundry on the front porch in the dusky light, and I really love those chairs on the lawn. My grandfather use to have chairs like that and I keep telling Bud that I want some chairs like that to go out in our lawn by our spring and stream. I remember them as being so comfortable and relaxing.
I also loved the picture of your three youngest. So sweet. :)