Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Friday, August 14, 2015

It Was a Busy Week~


Above and beneath this entry is sunrise over Foxhollow Farm in Oldham County~

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slide show presentation after you have read the narratives~

I will be linking up with Judith for:

www.lavendercottagegardening.com

&

Stewart for:
   http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/



Just a wooden structure with a whole lot of memories...first built to rehab and release Birds of Prey from 1978 thru 1981, for the Louisville Zoo under the supervision of Dr. William Foster, until they began their own rehab service. It then became temporary home to many a small critters that I rehabbed and released, including 63 Gray Squirrels, 6 Red Fox Squirrels and a whole bunch of Opossums for Kentucky Wildlife Line, for 8 more years. Bill cleaned it all up and for a while it was a playhouse/clubhouse for our 3 daughters and their friends. I made it my potting shed for a season, or 2, but the spiders scared me out. Now it sits all covered with ivy, both inside and out, rust on the roof, with sweet memories, and growing old all on it's own.


Not to panic ... My friend Teressa had invited me over for lunch 2 weeks ago and the same kind of Gray Rat Snake pictured in the center of this mosaic bit me!  Well it did make a spot of blood anyway.  I was admiring the beautiful caterpillars on her parsley plants that would hopefully become Black Swallowtail Butterflies, when we suddenly saw a snake crawling up to her deck, and my friend is very frightened of them, but I am not and have handled at least a dozen before, and so I was going to save the day.  I went to pick this one up the same as I always do, and this one bit me.  It was not a bad bite, but a spot of blood was all that was required and the fact that I saw it's mouth open wide once again, and I knew I would be bitten again, and so I threw it out into the yard and it slithered off into the woods.  Hoping it keeps on going far from Teressa's door~
wink emotA Gray Rat Snake that was in my yard, surrounded by caterpillars that would become Black Swallowtail Butterflies, on parsley plants at Teressa's home a few days a

A gorgeous juvenile Red-Tailed Hawk was perched on a fence rail hunting last Sunday morning at Foxhollow Farm~





I just think she is beautiful and stopped to say hi to her on my way into town one morning~




A Pearl Crescent Butterfly~


My friends Matthew and Ranae are sister and brother.  Ranae, her husby Mike and their beautiful family lives in my neighborhood.  Matthew used to live in Iceland, when I first met him but now lives in Turkey with his darling wife and their lovely children~
For an interesting story, here is how I met these beautiful people from blog post 
December 30, 2012 ...

~ Small World, True Story ~
Reykjavik, Iceland & Oldham County, Kentucky...and 3111.9 miles in between.

I went to the market on Friday, along with everyone else in the county, anticipating snow showers.
A lovely woman, whom I did not know, was approaching me with 2 other adults and a young girl.
I took notice of the attractive, handmade hat that the woman was wearing and complimented her on it.
Pat said that her sister made it, and then gave me a phone number for making contact later on.
She also mentioned that her brother Matt and his wife Bea, who were shopping with her, were visiting from Iceland.
At first I bid them a good day and started to walk away, when I thought about one of the first blogging friends that I made on here, nearly 3  1/2 years ago.
I turned back around and announced that I have a blogging friend that lives in Reykjavik, Iceland...
and that his name was Chris and that he had a bird blog that I followed. 

http://chrisphotonature.com
That was when it happened...a one in a million chance meeting!
One of them asked if Chris happened to be French and I said yes.

A few more observations were made in conversation, and we all realized that this was one in the same Chris that we were speaking about...absolutely astonishing!
Chris, Matt, Bea, their families, all live in a French community together in Reykjavik.

It all began with a kind compliment and ended up with a huge surprise at how very small this world actually is. 

I am forever thankful for this chance meeting. 

Somehow, it was meant to be!



Matthew and Bea's 3 children visiting from Turkey, very sweet, Bea was not able to join the family vacation this visit and we missed her~




Loving cousins enjoying their time together down the lane from our home~


Ranae and Mike's children, so very kind~




Red-Tailed Hawk at L'Esprit Equestrian Community in Oldham County, KY~



My Chiroprator and friend shared with me his love for trees and especially the massive Oak tree that resides in his front yard.  This will be my first visit shares to this land and this tree.  I only had my 70/300 lens with me and I need to go back with my wide angle lens and also as the seasons change. What a majestic and magnificent tree it is too~















Above wildflowers on Tingsgrove and below I watched the twin grands on Thursday and they requested Nana's homemade French Toast for breakfast~


A young colt out at L'Esprit Equestrian Community 10 minutes from home~



A few wanted to see my horses in their original colours from the fun share I posted last week.
Tingsgrove Equestrian Creations~


Have a Happy and joy filled week,  be safe and be blessed~


27 comments:

  1. You have some lovely wildlife in this post, Mary! I was blessed to finally meet a blogging friend from New Zealand when she visited Australia at the end of last year.

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  2. Love that hawk on the fence. Thats a fine looking bunch of kids as well!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

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  3. Truly a busy week filled with nice memories and beautiful creatures. Your pictures are amazing!

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  4. A gorgeous blog post - what a lovely little wooden shed - so picturesque with the foliage growing over it and the 'shabby chic' look that is now has!! I love the images of the hawk - they are just stunning, and I also think the cow is beautiful - doesn't she have a gentle face. I hope you are ok after your snake bite - thank goodness it wasn't poisonous - I have to admit I'm pretty scared of them, so I was very impressed that you stepped forward and picked it up. Thank you once again for transporting me to your beautiful little corner of the world - I've really enjoyed it!

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  5. A beautiful post Mary and that meeting will probably remembered for many years... ;-) It was an incredible story and yes a one chance out of a million story... Once again, you posted a wonderful message and I should take more time to visit my old friends blogs...
    With all my love,
    Cheers, Chris.

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  6. Hello Mary, gorgeous sunrise images. And the hawk shots are awesome! It is a small world we live in! Love the cute kiddie shots. Happy Monday, enjoy your week!

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  7. Mary, Those caterpillars are really gorgeous and I hope they become as lovely butterflies. Sylvia D.

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  8. Mary, as always, fantastic photos! and your story about Chris and Reykjavik_ got chills_ such wonderful synchronicity. So happy to know all is well.

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  9. Splendid Post, Mary! Your photos and collages are so nicely done. Love seeing all your images!

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  10. Such an adventure in this post from a snake bite to meeting a blogging friend. The old oak is a beauty, hope you were able to give it a hug Mary. :-)
    Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.

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  11. HI Mary Once again a wonderful and full post with everything but the kitchen sink in it. However, I think he one tthing that struck me most was the meeting of Chris. That was astonishing. Love all your photos of people and critters alike. Thanks

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  12. Wonderful photos!
    I hope you'll come link up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/08/double-play-on-way.html

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  13. What a great collection of beautiful photos. That snakebite would have me worried, but then again I don't know much about snakes (or care to.) Handsome children!! :) Wonder how old that oak is.... the stories it could tell!

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  14. The photos of the Hawk are amazingly crisp and beautiful.
    I liked all the photos in this post, especially the tree and the sunset.
    Glad the bite wasn't anything bad - I have seen a big Black Snake near our garden in the back, but he/she runs away, when we walk by.
    Have a Happy Week!
    Peace :)

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  15. Amazing pictures of the Hawk. So very sharp.

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  16. How extraordinary that you had a chance meeting with someone at a market who had visitors who live in the same village as a blogging friend...in Iceland! Wow! That was wonderful! It truly is a small world. I LOVE the red-tailed hawk on the fence! Wow! Impressive shots! Love the tree, the horses, and all your wonderful photos. Sorry you were bitten by the snake...hope it healed quickly.

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  17. An amazing story of connection across the world. And your photos are amazing too… I especially love the one of the red tailed hawk. And the children too, of course, but not the snake--I don't even like pictures of snakes. I hope your house repairs are going along well.

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  18. Hello Dear Mary,

    Why is it that I am not at all surprised that, you, being a very kind and intuitive individual, should have such a whimsically enchanting encounter, an adventure that began all because you were so sweet as to compliment a lady on her hat, and end with the discovery that you two strangers in a supermarket are actually connected via your love of birds and blogs!

    Your potting shed/clubhouse/critter sanctuary has hosted many guests, those spiders overstaying their welcome, I bet, but what cherished memories, while it was a little oasis!

    Mary, you are so brave to have battled with that snake! I would have panicked. Kudos for your courage, and I hope that bite is better!

    Gorgeous pics, as always, my friend. I'm not around much these days, but I've missed your beautifully illustrated observations on life!

    Wishing you a restful weekend!

    xx
    Poppy

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  19. Hello Dear Mary,

    Why is it that I am not at all surprised that, you, being a very kind and intuitive individual, should have such a whimsically enchanting encounter, an adventure that began all because you were so sweet as to compliment a lady on her hat, and end with the discovery that you two strangers in a supermarket are actually connected via your love of birds and blogs!

    Your potting shed/clubhouse/critter sanctuary has hosted many guests, those spiders overstaying their welcome, I bet, but what cherished memories, while it was a little oasis!

    Mary, you are so brave to have battled with that snake! I would have panicked. Kudos for your courage, and I hope that bite is better!

    Gorgeous pics, as always, my friend. I'm not around much these days, but I've missed your beautifully illustrated observations on life!

    Wishing you a restful weekend!

    xx
    Poppy

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  20. Beautiful kids...pretty wildlife...and if a snake bit me, I'd surely die on the spot...even if it wasn't a mean one. :)

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  21. Fantastic post (as usual!). Of course, I'm partial to the hawk images, but loved everything else, too! I'm just imagining the snake telling the story to his friends about how he bravely defended his territory by devouring the two-legged giant!

    Serendipity is neat when you read about it and breath-taking when you experience it!

    Have a blessed weekend!

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  22. Sublime pictures Mary, my favourites are numbers 4 to 7, absolutely stunning.

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  23. So much beauty in this post! Your photos are excellent, as always. I'm partial to old oaks and pretty flowers, but everything is lovely here, well, not the snakes perhaps. :)
    Have a great weekend!

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  24. Hope you have a wonderful week, Mary. You share so much beauty. I love the little rehab house, and the children are especially beautiful!

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  25. Hello Mary. And I finally caught up with you after a day of rain. Yes the downpours and storm arrived but not the tornado.

    The old shed (can I call it a shed? It is not always a derogatory term here in England) must hold lovely memories for you after 8 years of devotion. I do wonder why you did not continue such valuable work?

    Those pictures of the hawk are truly wonderful. The bird looks so composed and untroubled by your presence.

    You have a special treat for your grandchildren of French Toast? Olivia and Isabella just love my spaghetti bolognese and would eat it every Tuesday when they come should we let them, but we have to vary a little as they are such poor eaters with a preference for sugary things.

    Take it easy with those snakes!

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