This is the news we have been waiting 9 months for! Our precious Danika has safely arrived, and we couldn't be more thrilled to announce! She came into the world on October 6 at 4:33 p.m. weighing 8 pounds and 4 ounces. She has a dark head of hair, bright blue eyes with chubby little legs and neck rolls! She couldn't be more adorable and has wiggled her way into our hearts! Baby was able to nurse right away and has continued to feed well, and while Momma, our daughter, had an infection, and had to be on antibiotics, she has since recovered and is doing great.  The new little family went home yesterday, and spent the first night recuperating from all the excitement! 

Hello dear friends! In this beautiful month of October, so many exciting things are happening that it is hard to keep up with them all! I appreciate each of you sharing in our excitement about our grandbaby! As I write this post - our little one is still hanging out in its "4.5-star" hotel. Danielle and her husband shared with us that they think the baby is enjoying its stay with all the needs provided, but they took .5 stars off because things have gotten a little cramped, lol! Danielle is more than ready for the hotel's "guest" to make its grand appearance - but we have yet to see that happen... soon though, very soon I hope to make that announcement! 

The garden in its Fall glory with my Burning Bush really giving a shout-out for Fall!

It is inevitable, I know that! But there is a mourning when it does happen. Every Fall season, when the frost warnings sound, I gather the harvest as much as possible and pray for the best. But at some point, the plants succumb to Frost's onslaught, and harvest season has come to a time of rest - that is, after the harvest has been gathered and put up for winter's enjoyment. Thankfully... my sunflowers survived the freeze - hardy souls that they are, and are still blooming away! 

I'm on the 50's ladder and climbed another rung this week! Yes, I celebrated another birthday this past week, and it was such a special time for me. I'm grateful for the community of precious family, friends, and neighbors that we have, and it feels wonderful to bask in the love shared. The day started with an incredible sunrise, just for me! Thank you, Lord! 

September - that month of rich beauty, cooler temperatures, brilliant skies, bright sunshine, and golden landscapes. What does September mean to you?  It is a time of harvest! Local gardens are bursting with bounty, as sunflowers make their final stretches towards the sun.  The rich days of September have arrived and they are a glorious time of year. 

Our neighbor was out of town and asked fellow neighbors to come and harvest the garden while she was gone. It was a beautiful place to wander around and enjoy!

UPDATE! I would like to congratulate VALENTINE for her winning entry in this book giveaway! I have your email Valentine and if you'll send me your mailing address, I will get this book in the mail to you! Thank you to all who entered, and I pray many blessings on each of you! 

Dear friends, 

I want to introduce you to a special new friend of mine! She is a fellow blogger, musician, and author, who has penned many books through the years. Her writing style speaks to your heart, and ministers as you read.  Nancy was a musician for many years, since retiring and beginning to write.  She writes inspirational stories, blogs, and devotionals.  

Nancy and I met in an online Christian writing community, and have discovered that we share many similar passions, one of which is early-morning walking! All of you know I love to walk in the mornings; that is where the Lord ministers to my heart daily. I draw my strength in those early morning hours! Nancy also is a walker, and shares on her blog https://nancykuykendall.com/ many stories and thoughts that come to her as she walks. 

Nancy's newest book is titled, "INTHE DARK", which is the hardest story she has ever written, because it is her own very personal story of her son's addiction to drugs, and how he became an overcomer. It is a story of redemption and hope! 

Nancy shares the synopsis of her book:

My oldest son was an addict for twenty years. Cigarettes, meth, and alcohol ruled his life. The title, IN THE DARK, describes both his life and mine. He walked the dark path of addiction. I lived in the dark because of my naivety. I knew nothing about drugs or addiction. I was at a loss to recognize or understand the signs and knew little of what was going on in his life. The stories shared in this book are my reflections on the journey I traveled as I dealt with my son’s addiction and then recovery. He found his way out of the dark. He survived. These reflections are meant to offer hope to mothers struggling with their child’s addiction. There is hope.

Nancy has created a short video you can watch to hear more of the story behind her book. 

I would give this book a 5 stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From beginning to end, it was a book I could not put down. Every mother reading this book would understand the heartbreak at discovering the news your child had become addicted to a substance. Nancy shares how she walked the difficult journey - praying without ceasing - until redemption and victory took place. 

You will want to read her story, even if you've never had a child with addiction issues. This book brings hope to all who read. It is a story of hope in the Lord who hears and answers a mother's heartbroken cries. 

Because this book touched me so deeply, I want to offer it to my readers today.  If you are interested in opting in for the drawing please let me know by comment below.  The drawing will be open for two weeks and will close on Sunday, September 8th. Winners of the giveaway will be announced on this post and by email. 

If you are an anonymous commenter, please leave an email where you can be reached! 

Because of Amazon's limited shipping options, this giveaway is only open to US readers. The Kindle version is available for readers in other countries. 

You can also visit Nancy's blog found here: https://nancykuykendall.com/ 

These words of David, the psalmist who wrote this passage spoke to my heart today - I hope they will speak to yours! 

Psalm 22:25-28

My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: 

I will pay my vows before them that fear him.

The meek shall eat and be satisfied: 

they shall praise the LORD that seek him: 

your heart shall live for ever.

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: 

and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

For the kingdom is the LORD'S: 

and he is the governor among the nations.

Remember this world belongs to the Lord, and no matter how things seem, He is the Governor among the nations. Our hope is steadfast in Him! 

May each of you be blessed on this last beautiful Monday of August! 

 Yes, it's true. It really is. Peeks of Fall/Autumn are showing up here, in August. This is not unusual for our area, but it still feels early! Some of our trees are already starting to turn, as you can see in this picture. My crabapple tree, lilacs, and maple trees have all started to turn colors. Our daylight hours are shortened from what they were a month ago. We are losing 1 minute of daylight a day as the sun inches back towards the equator away from us. My garden is still happy and doing well! But, I am soaking up every hour and minute of the last days of summer as we await the brilliantly beautiful season of fall. 

I was in a hurry when I made this bread. I made it this week, and it turned out wonderful! My sourdough starter was fed and then circumstances changed, and I wasn't able to be home for the 24-hour process of making the bread. So, I made this Hurry Up Sourdough Bread instead. (My own creation!)  This is how I did it :)  Hurry Up Sourdough Bread 2 cups sourdough starter 2-3 cups flour 1/2 cup water 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp baking powder 1 tsp salt 1 Tbsp Everything Bagel seasoning Stir starter, 1 cup flour, water, olive oil, and honey together. When dough starts to take form, stir in baking powder and salt. Continue to add flour 1/2 cup at a time until the dough is soft and pliable, about 10 minutes or so.  Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let it sit for 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450, and place your Dutch oven pan in the oven to preheat also. When ready to bake, sprinkle Everything Bagel (or other seasoning of choice) on top of the dough.  Place dough on a piece of parchment paper then place into the heated Dutch oven. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake until the bread is browned or the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees.  Remove from the oven carefully and let cool. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

The August super moon was so bright and beautiful!

It was bright and very orange-looking, so incredible to see!

August blooms are thrilling show-stoppers!

August skies over the garden

We've spent as much time at the river as we can, as summer is a fleeting season here!

An evening walk through our acreage shows that Fall indeed is here, in the middle of August! I love the season of fall, and I'm not sad that it is arriving - but I do love the last bits of summer too!

Sunflower blooms are late summer's greatest joy!

My hollyhock has finally bloomed! I wasn't sure it would, as it started from seed this spring. It is a show-stopper too!

Another joy of summertime! Watermelon was enjoyed outside on our front porch on a beautiful summer evening.

Our neighbor found a baby kitten perhaps 1-day-old crying in their shed. Evidently, a stray cat gave birth and left this kitten behind. They've been bottle-feeding her for the past month, and I've helped to care for her on days they couldn't be home. Isn't she precious!  But I can tell you who was not happy to meet the newcomer! Mr. Bandit. He didn't like his position of love and attention being stolen, not one bit! And Riley was just worried about the whole situation in general. Our animals keep us entertained, don't they?

Mr. Bandit is growing by leaps and bounds, and we realized it especially after caring for the little kitten!

August skies never fail to delight, especially as Autumn colors deepen!

Morning walks are brisk now - and I am wearing a flannel jacket in the mornings!  Here are some short videos to enjoy :)