Monday's Peek-A-Boo Anole 10-31-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Monday.  Also, happy Halloween.  This little anole was playing a little peek-a-boo with me yesterday in the corner of my metal roof.   It looks like he's straining his eye to look down on me.  I'm going to say he's my treat for Halloween.  He's sugar free, too.  :)

I hope you have a marvelous Monday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hamlet, NC 10-30-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Sunday.  It was a beautiful day when we took a drive and found ourselves admiring this beauty.  This is St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Hamlet, North Carolina.  A search of the internet revealed that there are many St. Paul's Lutheran Churches around the county.  This one in Hamlet may be a little bit different than some of the others.  This church is considered ELCA or Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  In 1988, the American Lutheran Church, The Association of Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Lutheran Church in America bodies merged for form ELCA.  At this point they have well over 3 million baptized members.  The Lutherans are a Protestant group dating back to at least the 17th century.  If you'd like to read a little more about them, a good website is:  https://www.elca.org/en/About/Mission.

I hope you have a sensational Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Squirrel 10-29-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Saturday.  Say hello to my little friend.  He (or she) has been out in my yard quite a lot lately getting ready for the winter.  Sometimes he has a snack, other times he finds places to bury his treasure.  There are times when he's talking with his friends while up in the tree.  They sound as if they're arguing, but, since I don't speak squirrel, I just don't know.  Hopefully, they could be telling each other jokes.

I hope you had something to joke about on this beautiful day.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Flower Fun 10-28-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Friday.  I just wanted to have a little fun today with the last of this year's lantana.  I put my cute little photo in pencil and fiddled with that for a minute, then did a focal zoom on my one sharp flower, and then boosted the saturation.  Oh, and for a final bit of fun around the edges, I added a little vignetting, purely for my pleasure.  :)

I hope you had a little bit of pleasure today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Thursday's Little Purple Flower 10-27-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Thursday.  As I've heard it said, "Today's a great day to have a great day", and so I did.  Now I'm tired and I want to look at something lovely, and rest.  I found what I want to look at and now, I'm sharing that with you.  Looking at this little flower had me in a trance like state for a while.  Then again, I might just might be really tired and unable to move.  Haha

Anyway, I hope you found something beautiful to look at today.   Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's In The Middle 10-26-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Wednesday.  I found a poor, dead tree rising up through the middle of all the live trees.  This tree reminded me of Wednesday - a day sticking out of the middle - people usually are glad to see Wednesday - most of the time the Wednesday work day goes smoothly.  

I hope your Wednesday went smoothly today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Nest Building 10-25-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Tuesday.  Building a nest is hard work.  Building a nest takes time.  Building a nest takes teamwork.  I've heard of times when couples have almost divorced over arguments during the house (nest) building process.  I'm sure that won't happen to these two.  After all, Tuesdays are for twosomes.....or something like that.   :)

I hope you had a terrific Tuesday.   Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Change is Here 10-24-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Monday.  There aren't many of these dragonflies around since it's beginning to get cooler, but I still see them occasionally.  Dragonflies symbolize change, and really, change is something that happens everyday so we may as well embrace it and make the best of whatever comes our way.  Mondays always bring about a change - all of a sudden we have a new week to tackle.  We just need to declare that this is going to be a great week and help make it happen.

I hope you had a great Monday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Flat Creek Pentecostal Church 10-23-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Sunday.  Today I'm showing you Flat Creek Pentecostal Church on Society Hill Road in Darlington, South Carolina.  The sun is setting and putting a glow on the front of the Church, so it caught my eye on the way home from work the other day and I just had to stop.  If you are curious about the Pentecostal Faith, a good website to see is:  https://gotquestions.org/Pentecostals.html.

I hope you had a wonderful Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Little Joy 10-22-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Saturday.  I just want to you relax tonight and enjoy my little, teeny, tiny flower with water droplets on it, little, pepper looking yellow stamen and white, oh, so delicate petals.  These little plants with flowers are less than 4 inches tall and bring great big joy to me.  Sometimes it's the small things in life that mean so much.

I hope you had joy in your life today.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Faith Reminder 10-21-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Friday.  As many of you know, a couple of weeks ago Hurricane Matthew came through our area, then went up to Lumberton, NC, blasted them with about 17 inches of rain, damaged the Lumber River's levies or dams and all that water flooded Lumberton and headed south, joined the Little Pee Dee River and caused our flooding.  The Little Pee Dee River crested on the 12th or 13th of October at over 17 feet which is more than 8 feet above flood stage.  This kind of flooding hasn't happened since 1928 when the Little Pee River crested at 16 feet.  I guess we made history.  

Today was the first time we were able to get back to our house to see the destruction caused by Matthew.  My house is about 4 feet off the ground, a good 50-75 feet from the shallow canal that is indirectly fed from the Little Pee Dee River.  We were evacuated by boat the week before last (October 10th) when the water reached our doorway.  At that time the Little Pee Dee River was as 14.5 feet and were previously told that was as high as the water would get.  But things changed and we took what little possessions we had to have and the dog and cat (I would not leave without them).  

I really can't explain what it felt like to go inside and see my brand new, glossy bamboo floors dulled, buckled, and molded; walking on them, sometimes tripping over the buckling; hearing the carpet in the bedrooms squish as I walked in and the bumps left by the swelling of the sub floor; the smell of mold and mildew and food from the refrigerator and freezer that had been closed and without power for two weeks.  Yes, we opened the windows and doors and wore knee high boots and gloves.  Tomorrow we will go back and also add masks to our attire.

As badly as it smelled inside, the stench outside was just as bad and, at times, worse.  We know that our neighbors lost their goats in the flood and many others lost pets and other livestock they were unable to save.  I grieve also for their loss.

We have a pond in our yard and we feed the fish.  With the flood we are sure the fish went on to a bigger world, but we tried to safe the food in a tightly closed metal container.  It didn't work.  I guess the water was standing in the room a little too long and it seeped into the container ruining the food; so we opened the container, took it out to the pond and poured it in. 

Now I'm getting to where today's photo came from.  As I was returning to the house from the pond I went through an area still slightly under water.  It was there that I noticed this page through the water.  It looked like music so I looked closer.  Now, it looked like a page out of a hymnal.  I looked around and there were no other pages, no book cover, just this one page.  I carefully plucked it from the water, and sure enough, it was a page from a hymnal.  As you can see, the first song is "Now Every Morning is the Love", and the second song is, "Lord in the Morning Thou Shalt Hear".   Now, I am not a very religious person - I think I may be a bit more spiritual, so I am going to take this as a sign that I should continue to have faith that everything will be alright; that everything will work out.  It's not going to be easy, but that's the way it goes sometimes.  You just have to keep on keeping on; keep working; keep smiling; keep singing!  Karaoke anyone?

I hope you had something to sing about today.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Thursday's Conversation 10-20-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Thursday.  This cattle egret seems to be saying, "What are you looking at?!"  "Well, I'm looking at you, pretty bird", is what I say.  Of course it could also be saying, "What do you mean, it's only Thursday?  I thought it was Friday."   "Well, pretty bird," I say, "when you wake tomorrow it will be Friday."  Yes, I am one of those people who make up conversations based on facial expressions - even on birds.  It's just something fun for me.  How about you?  Do you ever make up conversations?  Think about the expression on this cattle egret's face - what do you think he'd say?

I hope you had wonderful conversations today.  I thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's 'Fro Bird 10-19-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Wednesday.  I'd like you to see a young Cormorant today.  This young one looks like he's sporting an "afro", or "big hair".  I saw this cutie when I was near Boston a few weeks ago.  I don't know if he's a little angry because I spotted him or because the wind's blowing, but I like his style!

I hope you were "styling" today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Pointy Flower 10-18-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Tuesday.  I thought I'd show a fun looking little flower tonight.  It looks like it has a lot of points, but they're not sharp, so no pain if you touch it - haha.  Sometimes, like this flower, there's many points in a conversation, many points to be made in a day, or at work.  Sometimes people say, "you missed the point", or "the point is.....".  There are just many, many points all around us.  And now, there are many in the flower.  Sounds about right to me.

I hope all your points were heard today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Monday's Lazy Chimp 10-17-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Monday.  This chimp says make that a "Lazy" Monday.  Well, now that I've finished working for the day, I'm going to act just like this chimp and be lazy for the rest of the night.  I think I'll nap on something a little softer than a tree.  

I hope you had a little time to be lazy today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Mullins Presbyterian Church 10-16-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Sunday.  Today I am showing you Mullins Presbyterian Church in Mullins, SC.  I've read that this Church was incorporated in 1899.  It's a great looking Church.  I'll bet it had a service today even though Hurricane Matthew went through last week and since then there has been much flooding throughout this area and in Nichols, SC from the Little Pee Dee River.  Many, many people have lost their homes; some were evacuated from their homes by boat.  Some people are still living in shelters; others are with friends or family.  The electricity still hasn't been restored everywhere.  In some homes the electricity will never be restored because they are a total loss.  Many people did not have or could not afford flood insurance and have lost everything.  Every possession except what little they could take when they evacuated.  And yet, I was there yesterday and I can attest that the people of Mullins are just as nice as they were before the Hurricane.  Yes, they have more problems than they had the week before, but it hasn't broken them.  They know that they will get through this and neighbors help neighbors, no matter what.  We can go to different churches, have different opinions and different political views, but when it comes to getting help and giving help, all those differences are set aside.  We are all in this together and we will help each other.  We will be kind, helpful, caring, protective and loving toward each other.  Everything will be okay - - - eventually.  It is a wonderful feeling to be part of such a community.  I hope you are part of such a community.

I hope you had a sensational Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Lion 10-15-16

Copyright 2015 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Saturday.  Today might be a day to get up, get out and get going - to roar!!  Oh wait - this guy is yawning.  Oh well, I guess that means today might be a day to get up, get something to eat, wander around, maybe watch a little tv and then - yawn - go back to sleep.  Well, some days not even the mighty lion feels like roaring.  So maybe, after a long week with lots of hard work, it's fine to take a day to relax and do nothing if that's what you want.  I think I'll take a cue from this mighty lion and relax today.  

I hope you had a wonderfully relaxing Saturday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Majestic Elephant 10-14-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton    

Hello and happy Friday.  Today I have for you a portrait of the majestic elephant.  I wasn't aware of this until today but the elephant is on the endangered list.  Elephants are being killed for their ivory by unethical, unlawful, greedy individuals who have no regard for life.  And, it seems, also for sport by wealthy individuals.  But this beautiful creature was found at the Asheboro, where his or her life is protected.  It feels nice to be protected sometimes.  I thank the elephant for being so close so as to allow me a chance at photographs.  

I hope you felt grateful and protected today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Thursday's Loch Ness Monster 10-13-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Thursday.  Today I want to share with you the Loch Ness Monster.   I know this one's not real.  It's made out of a tire and some pipes.  It's also in the United States.  The real Loch Ness Monster lives in Loch Ness, Scotland.  A Loch is a lake or a sea inlet in the Scottish Highlands.  There is an entire website located devoted to the real Loch Ness Monster and you can read all about it at:  http://www.nessie.co.uk/htm/about_loch_ness/cavern.html.  Sometimes knowing something about a real creature and, at another time, seeing the resemblance of that creature made out of something unexpected, can bring a smile to your face.  I know this did for me.  I love it when people get creative and especially when they put it on the side of the road for me to find!

I hope you had something unexpected to smile about today.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Beautiful Change 10-12-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Wednesday.  Given the last few days, I am ready for some beauty.  We know that a beautiful butterfly comes from the metamorphosis of a caterpillar.  The recent ugliness of Hurricane Matthew pretty much requires that something beautiful happen.   I'll accept this butterfly for now.  I will take it as a sign that the future is bright, colorful and full of possibilities and I intend to take full advantage.  There are times in life that you make a change and there are other times when change comes by surprise.  It's the surprises that take a little time to sink in, so to speak, reorganize and embrace.  I'm ready to work with the change that has presented itself and make it into a beautiful future.

I hope you embraced a beautiful day.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Hurricane Matthew 2016 10-11-16

post Hurricane Matthew copyright AJ Horton 10-10-16 2016

Pre Hurricane Matthew Copyright October 29, 2015

Hello and happy Tuesday.  For the first time in more than a year and a half I missed posting my blog yesterday.  I may have a good reason for you.  We were being evacuated from our home in Mullins, SC, due to the effects of Hurricane Matthew.  We live in a small community, which has at least 3 entrances and now all entrances are under water - enough water that you can drive your motorboat through.   The bottom picture is from last year when we bought the house.  The top picture is as we were evacuating our house yesterday.  The boat you see is the tow boat carrying our little bit of possessions we were able to save.  The good people rescuing us (Marion Fire and Rescue) allowed us to also bring with us our cat and dog and we are so very grateful.  They were great to us, they are volunteers, and worked very hard to rescue everyone and worked very long hours to do so.  They made sure we made it to a shelter in Mullins and from there our grand daughter and her boyfriend drove three hours to pick us up from the shelter.  We were lucky because you can't take pets into the shelter, but it took so long to evacuate us and others, that we all made it to the shelter at about the same time. Once we got on the road, Chelsy and Erick drove us all the way to Charlotte, NC (another 3 or so hours) where Roxanne's daughter and family invited us to spend the night and get spoiled with no worries.  Jennie and Dan met us when we arrived with smiles and hugs and a nice bed for the night.  When we woke this morning, Jennie had made us a wonderful breakfast of eggs, pancakes and orange slices, along with coffee.  Later in the day, Dan took us to rent our cars.  We are in Candor, NC now and are very fortunate to have another home.  Many people do not, and we feel very sad for them and will do what we can as we rebuild to help them as well.

I must say that we received so much kindness and love through all of this - from our neighbors, the rescue team, the shelter, our family and friends that it has made me able to continue functioning and helped me realize that everything will be fine.  We'll be ok.  We'll carry on.  We'll be stronger.  We'll have more empathy for others.  We'll love more and we'll show more love to others.  

I hope you were able to feel love from others and show love for others today.  It is a great feeling and with love, nothing can keep us down.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's First Methodist Church in Marion, SC 10-09-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Sunday.  Welcome to the massive First Methodist Church in Marion, SC.  This Church is awe inspiring to look at and I love the dome.  Once upon a time, back in the 1700s, Marion was known as Liberty Precinct.  It was during that time period, in 1786, that this community became part of a large ministry unit called The Pee Dee Circuit.  At that time, meetings of the nearly 600 Methodists in this area were held in 22 different meeting houses.  One of those houses, The Flowers Meeting House, was visited by Bishop Francis Asbury in 1789.  In 1771 Francis Asbury, then a Methodist traveling preacher appointed by John Wesley, came to America from England in 1771 to preach.  The beginning of the Methodist Episcopal Church began in 1784 and Francis Asbury became  a Bishop charged with leading all Methodists in America.  His leadership continued for the following 32 years and Bishop Asbury visited Marion two other times during that tenure.

A school house once stood where the current building stands.  That school became the church on Sundays for a while until a separate building was built beside the school.  After only 20 years, the congregation outgrew that church and made a deal with the school to buy the property.  It turns out some of the students were vandalizing the cemetery located behind the school and it was best that the church have all the property.  A frame church was built on this site in 1853, and the cornerstone for the church that you see was laid in 1912.  The bell that you see in the far left corner of this photo is from the former, frame church of 1853 when the Church was called Marion Methodist Episcopal church.  It was renamed the First Methodist Church in 1912.  

You can read more about this church at:  http://www.sciway.net/sc-photos/marion-county/first-methodist-church.html and more about Bishop Francis Asbury at:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Asbury if you'd like.  Those are the two sites where I gained most of my information for today's blog but there are other sites as well.

I hope you have a sensational Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Beauty 10-08-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Saturday.  While running errands yesterday, we came across a group of flowers that brightened our day in an otherwise dreary weather situation.   They were a welcome change and, although the main flower is about to lose its petals as others have, there are buds in the background giving promise of the future.  These flowers reminded me that, even though it's dreary outside, there is beauty to be viewed and enjoyed, and there is more beauty, enjoyment and continued life on the way.

I hope you have a beautiful Saturday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Friday's Bluebird Refuge 10-07-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Friday.   Talk about a tree house!!  One lucky Bluebird family has a great set-up.  It almost looks as if the vine are holding up the tree house.  It appears to be a perfect place for them to raise a family.  From what I've read, Bluebirds need our help to shelter them and provide a safe place.  Even when we think we've provided a nice home, they still have challenges such as house sparrows preying on the baby bluebirds and trying to steal their house.  Just goes to show you, challenges and dangers occur throughout the ecosystem.  Maybe we need to think more about what we can give back to our ecosystem than what we're taking.

I hope you had a wonderful and giving Friday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Thursday's Calm Before The Storm 10-06-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Thursday.  I'm calling this photo, The Calm Before the Storm.  Although it was taken last week when I was in Plymouth, Massachusetts,  I think it fits today before Hurricane Matthew comes ashore in Florida.  For the most part, today was somewhat sunny.  I put another photo below in pencil and black and white which may show what tomorrow may look like.  Here in South Carolina, the storm may come tomorrow and may resemble below.  And, you never know, we may have a boat land on the rooftop as in the pictures.  

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

So, if you're in Matthews' path, please take great care to be safe so you don't land on the rooftop, or in a tree, or worse.

I hope you had a wonderful Thursday.  Thank you for looking.  Stay safe.  See you tomorrow.

Wednesday's Feast 10-05-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Wednesday.  I thought you might enjoy a feast tonight.  This zipper spider was spinning his web for a while and then he stopped, went back to where he had a snack stashed and began to feast.  It's the circle of life.  It's like the song that Mary Chaplin Carpenter sings about "Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug".  Today, the spider seems to be the windshield.  The bug, well, he's the bug.  The thing about the spider is, he doesn't even have to hunt - the bugs come to him.  What he does is find some property, make a home, then wait.  I hate to wait, but, I'm told patience is a virtue.  Anyway, the point is, all life matters.  Everything/everyone has a purpose.

I hope you had a purposeful Wednesday.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Tuesday's Bee-ing 10-04-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Tuesday.  My wish for you today is that you get what you want just like these bees.  These two are surely enjoying themselves on these pretty, pretty flowers.  

I hope you enjoyed yourself this Tuesday because I want you to "BEE Happy".  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.  Smile

Monday's Peek-a-Boo Tree Frog 10-03-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Monday.  The frog says Peek-a-Boo this evening from my front porch.  I noticed him as I was going back inside from photo shopping and getting a frog on the Lantana.  The bad thing was, the frog jumped from the Lantana just as I was pressing the shutter button.  I was sad, but then I turned around, walked along the deck, looked up a bit, and BAM, I see another tree frog peeping out at me from the post corner.  Now, I was happy and feeling blessed.  It was a good thing I still had my camera with me because this time, this one didn't jump as I pressed the shutter button.  It's true sometimes that what you really want is just around the corner!  It worked for me.

I hope you found what you were looking for today.  Thanks for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Sunday's Immaculate Conception Church 10-02-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Sunday.  Welcome to the Immaculate Conception Church in Salem, Massachusetts.  The church,  originally named St. Mary's, was established in 1826 in a wooden structure.   The name was changed to Immaculate Conception Church in 1850 when it moved to a new brick and stone building.  The church  that you see now was built in 1857.  It is a beautiful structure inside and out.  I'm sure if I were catholic and lived in Salem, Massachusetts I would enjoy attending once in a while.  :)

I hope you had a wonderful Sunday.  Thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.

Saturday's Sunset 10-01-16

Copyright 2016 AJ Horton

Hello and happy Saturday.  It's always a good day when it's Saturday and when the daytime ends with a beautiful sunset, that is just the proverbial "icing on the cake"!  It's even hard for me to think of something to tell you when I'm looking at this photo because I just feel so relaxed and back in the  moment of being there that I'm just lost in the feeling.  To me, this feeling is what I think of whenever someone describes the art of meditation.

I hope your Saturday was sensational and came with a beautiful sunset.  I thank you for looking.  See you tomorrow.