Nod
Give a nod to Autumn 🍂
Love our 4 Seasons!
JanBeek
Archive for the ‘trees’ Category
Change
“Change is a powerful, sacred force… The transitioning landscape is a testament to the Creator’s steady hand in a chaotic world.” (A quote from today’s devotional in These Days)
“The psalmists frequently personify the natural world, giving mountains, forests and seas anthropomorphic attributes…”
The hills were singing 🎵
The Lord reminds us we are new every morning! Embrace change!
Happy Autumn to you, my friends. Embrace the day. May the majesty of the natural world remind us all that God is in control. Breathe deeply in the holy refuge of creation.
Love, JanBeek
Rescued
In my devotional, “When God Thinks of You, He Smiles,” the message fit perfectly for us today. I was invited to “Think of a time when God rescued you.” Yesterday I mourned the loss of one of our beautiful big evergreen trees. It blew over in a 50 mph wind storm. God heard my unspoken pleas. Obviously Bob & I needed help cutting up and removing that fallen spruce. We didn’t have time to think about that task before three different friends reached out and offered to come and help us. It was certainly something they (and for sure God) knew we could not do ourselves. Our bodies just lack that capability at the ripe age of 87!
So, that tree that once stood at least 20 feet tall snapped off right at its base… and lay there Sunday pathetically waiting to be removed… and dear friends came Monday to cut it up. A big job for two men with chain saws, a pick up and a borrowed trailer. Took three trips to the dump to get most of it removed. Tomorrow the rest will go and the trailer will be returned to the generous owner. We are so blessed to have such caring, capable friends!
The devotional this morning began with, “God’s love leads Him to do more for us than we can envision.” Certainly the Godly servants of the Lord that He sent our way did more than I could envision.
The message went on to say, “No matter how often you need Him, He will always be there. Trust in Him, for He is faithful and true.”
Thank You, God, for rescuing us. I do trust in You. Thank You for sending Your beloved followers to help us. We delight in You.
My devotional says, “When God thinks of you, He smiles.” Well, guess what, when I think of God, I smile.
Do you?
Love,
JanBeek
Help!
We live in a beautiful place with a beautiful view and wonderful neighbors.
Our property has about 4 acres and in the center of those is where our house sits surrounded by 13 evergreen trees.
The lawn and trees require a lot of care to keep the trees healthy year round and the sprinkler system working in the spring, summer and fall.
This is the time of year when turning the sprinklers back on and repairing broken ones and adjusting the direction of the water’s flow has to happen.
We couldn’t possibly do all this by ourselves.
Thank God for the helpful guys in our “hood” who volunteer their services annually because without their help, I’m sure we would find it very difficult to live here!
Beautiful Springtime
This is National Poetry Month according to BlueMountain e-cards. So, let’s get started:
They are first to hail the season
The slightest bit of sunshine
Gives us hope … and they’re the reason
Popping out of barren ground
They’re ready to add cheer
Wherever they are found
Their faces bring lots of smiles
Whenever I look at them
Joy radiates for miles
Add cheer whoever they are
No matter where those flowers bloom
Whether near to us or far
And send photos to your friends
They’ll gratefully receive them
From now to when spring ends.
God bless you!
Have a happy springtime day!
Love, JanBeek
Awesome Autumn
Autumn is awesome
With spectacular colors
Breathtaking beauty
Bob’s former student, Victor Salazar, treats us every week with his “Friday Fotos.”
This “Pond in Maine” was in his last batch of pictures. It’s so spectacular, I just had to share it.
Thank you, Victor.
Our brilliant bushes
Greet friends who come to visit
Soon color is gone
Winter comes too soon
When everything turns to white
Meantime dance in leaves
Love,
JanBeek
I Can Embrace Whimsey
In his book, Catching Whimsey, Bob Goff told about the time he and his wife, “Sweet Maria,” bought his father-in-law’s decrepit old wooden wagon. They bought it so they could restore it to mint condition. I related to Bob Goff’s story because I have friends who have an old wooden wagon in their yard. It has been a part of their family for two or three generations. They treasure it and have restored it to mint condition.
But, in the case of Bob & Maria Goff, after buying sandpaper and paint and nuts and bolts and the tools needed to get started on their immense reconstruction project, there was a huge storm. A hundred-foot tree fell on the wagon. Bob Goff wrote, “We had plenty of firewood that winter, about a hundred feet of tree and one priceless wagon’s worth.”
So what does this have to do with WHIMSEY? Well, ya gotta know Bob Goff! Whimsey is his favorite word!! And in his “Faith Step” at the bottom of the page, he cautions us, “Don’t let today’s challenges break you, and don’t live in fear that a tree might fall on you. Live a life so full of love and whimsey people will think you are made of the stuff.”
Hah!
Are you made of the stuff??
I can embrace whimsey.
Can you?
Love ya,
JanBeek
Happy October
Happy October, my friends.
The month has begun wonderfully.
Cool cool mornings and warm afternoons.
Colors changing – and autumn in the air.
The grass still is green
And the aspen leaves still quake,
But the green shrub outside our entry
Has turned a brilliant magenta.
Antelope are out grazing
Finding green nibbles in the browning fields
And trees are turning a brilliant yellow
Autumn is my favorite color
The gold and orange cheer me
From head to toe!
I scolded my daughter
When she thought my shirt was pj’s!
No, it’s comfy and ushers in fall colors.
Our local newspaper published
An article I submitted this week
Inviting writers to come and join us.
Madison Valley Writers are meeting
Every first and third Friday at 10:30 am
At the Madison Valley Bank fireside room.
If you are near, I hope you’ll come.
If you’re too far to join us,
How about submitting something?
I will share your poem or short story
With those who come next week.
Here’s the one I wrote last week.
It was published in today’s “Madisonian.”
Winter comes too early
And it lasts too long.
When God created seasons,
He got it all so wrong.
The seasons should be equal –
Spring Summer Winter Fall.
Each has its own beauty
And I love them all.
But here in our Montana,
Winter comes way too soon.
We barely get a summer
When we see the autumn moon.
The leaves turn gorgeous golden.
The wild flowers die on the vine.
The frost kills the mosquitoes.
But what joy is left is mine.
I take joy in getting ready
For winter’s cold but glorious snow.
Begging neighbors to be willing
To plow us out, you know?
Winter boots and jackets
Come forward in the space
Where sandals and sundresses
Once occupied that place.
So enjoy what little autumn
We are fortunate to see
Because before you are read
Winter’s here for you and me.
Sleigh bells ring and children gather
Near the fireplace to hear
Reindeer bells and Ho-ho-ho’s.
Are you ready? Winter’s near!
Bundle Up!!
Enjoy Autumn!
Enjoy all the color changes.
Write about your favorite season.
Let me hear from you.
Love,
JanBeek
Ready to Go Trail Riding?
Are you ready to go trail riding?
I have a deal for you!
We are selling “Lucille”
And her sturdy trailer, too.
Beautiful “Lucille”
“Lucille??” you question.
That’s what you named her?
Yup, like Lucille Ball…
A redhead -and no one tamed her!
On her, we’ve had a ball!
We’ve enjoyed her a lot.
But, for health reasons now,
We need something else in her spot.
So, if you or a friend
Is interested and can come,
We’d love for you to take them
Though it makes us mighty glum.
Check out our listing at
bozeman.craigslist.org/tro/d/ennis-bigtex-trailer/7669210550.html
Spread the word for us, OK?
Come to Ennis, Montana and meet us –
You’ll never regret the day!
TazE (our Boston Terrier) with Bob & me
Meet “Charlie!”
Our TazE already said her good-byes
And now Lucille will make way for “Charlie.”
He’s our new blue addition –
And no, he’s not a Harley!
We may be crazy sportsmen,
Loving to get outside and play,
But our “Lucille” trail riding days are over.
Are you interested in taking her out someday?
Oh, and Happy Autumn to you, my friend!
It’s a gorgeous day with blue sky & puffy clouds.
I love seeing all the changing colors.
Go up in the mountains to view them… avoid the crowds!
Hugs to you,
Thanks for visiting
JanBeek
Travel to Uganda
I probably never will travel to Uganda, but my friend, Lisa Glines, just returned from a trip there. I was privileged to travel with her – vicariously, of course.
Lisa’s daughter-in-law, Aneesa, was Lisa’s travel partner. Aneesa celebrated her birthday with their wonderful Ugandan travel guides and travel partners. This photo is their friend, Sam, celebrating with them. Happy Birthday, Aneesa!
This is the Crested Crane, Royal Uganda’s national bird
Other guides were animal experts
who knew just how to find
where these exotic animals
lived,
swam,
and dined.
Doesn’t Aneesa look like a fun-filled travel partner?
Luke 3:11
And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
I may not have had a tunic to share… nor food to share with you today, but I had travel photos that were graciously shared with me… so time to pass them on with gratitude for Lisa’s big heart! I hope you enjoyed the virtual Uganda trip, too.
Sharing colors my world. I hope it colored yours today, too.
Have a Happy Presidents’ Day here in the USA,
and a Marvelous Monday, my friends.
Lotsa Love,
JanBeek
