Remembering Sam

After a nice romp through the woods!

Stored in my memory bank are many vivid images of fun times spent on the trails in West Virginia and in Tennessee with Sam and then Carly too. By my calculations we walked thousands of miles together.  Sam was our first Golden Retriever, our buddy and we are thankful that God sent him to us.  He was a great and loyal companion, a friend to all, a "snuggler", protector, jokester and "cheerer-upper". You could read his eyes.  He showed his emotions loud and clear. It was one of those odd connections between man and beast.  And no one will ever convince me that he didn't love us as much as we loved him!  I'm pretty sure he and my horse, Montana Moon, are hanging out, out there in the wild yonder; somewhere beautiful, more beautiful than words can describe.  Maybe heaven has golden trails! (BIG grin) I think...surely God didn't just put them (all of our loving pets) here on earth for such a short visit with us then forever gone…surely not?  I would like to think/hope that he/they will meet me at heaven's gates someday with a big ole' sloppy kiss and I'll jump on Montana's back and we’ll take off, full throttle!   And we will find the nearest field, stream or patch of woods to meander and poke around in! Until then I'll keep meandering about, hold those sweet memories close, and continue to enjoy each and every precious moment that I am gifted to have and enjoy every beautiful sight I see. 




Sam was always right by my side while tending to the flowers and gardening.

Overlooking the 13 thousand acre woods.

Many a day they spent looking out the window.

Jerry and our buddy Sam.

Checking out the back forty...a watchful eye.

Going for a little dip in the Lake.

Making sure that Jackson didn't fall.

Making sure that Jackson didn't loose control.

It's okay Carly....

 

I find comfort in many verses in the bible…a few of my favorites on animals and living creatures:

Genesis 9:14-17

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁴ When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, ¹⁵ and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. ¹⁶ When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” ¹⁷ Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.”

Job 12:7-10

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁷ “Just ask the animals, and they will teach you.
    Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.
⁸ Speak to the earth, and it will instruct you.
    Let the fish in the sea speak to you.
⁹ For they all know
    that my disaster has come from the hand of the Lord.
¹⁰ For the life of every living thing is in his hand,
    and the breath of every human being.

Isaiah 11:6-9

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁶ In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together;
    the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.
The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion,
    and a little child will lead them all.
⁷ The cow will graze near the bear.
    The cub and the calf will lie down together.
    The lion will eat hay like a cow.
⁸ The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra.
    Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.
⁹ Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,
    for as the waters fill the sea,
    so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.

Proverbs 12:10

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁰ The godly care for their animals,
    but the wicked are always cruel.

Ecclesiastes 3:19-21

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁹ For people and animals share the same fate—both breathe and both must die. So people have no real advantage over the animals. How meaningless! ²⁰ Both go to the same place—they came from dust and they return to dust. ²¹ For who can prove that the human spirit goes up and the spirit of animals goes down into the earth?

So…I believe that there is hope! An older blog post:  http://gaylesgardengate.blogspot.com/2012/02/heaven-sent.html

 

August 28,2013

Dew ladened white morning glory.

The Color Of Passion On A Warm August Day

The allure was striking! With great anticipation she stood next to the color of passion. Dressed in lime green, she was still and poised. He ascended quickly with immediate attraction, not quite the kiss he was expecting. Paralyzing it was; not the beginning to the warm, sweet and new August day that he had most certainly hoped for. Instead, a quick end to a beautiful descent. Her bite drew a limp denouement!
Gayle Forster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lagoon fun... Melbourne, Florida

Several golden colored damselfly were a fun attraction.  This one perched several times  on a floating clump of decaying grass clippings.



This mating pair of damselflies caught the attention of our 4 year old grandson, who alerted me of their approach.  I was happy to grab my glasses for a look.  I'm not good at identifying the different species but they were very small.  I wish that I could have gotten a clearer photo.  I felt sorry for the poor female.  She was being held under water for quite sometime, pinched at the base of her head by the male.  The female deposits her eggs in the water so the next generation of damselflies will emerge.  That's what we have going on here....a little reproduction in progress.

Sporting some amazing pink plumage this Roseate Spoonbill seemed both beautiful yet bizarre.  It was intensely on a mission.  I was enamored with it's brilliant pink feathers.  It scoured the edges of the water for a tasty morsel. Thanks to the wardens employed by the Audubon Society at least 8 decades or more ago these birds are more likely to be seen today.  Years ago they fell prey to the plume-hunters and bird-shooting tourist.  Today the species has recovered significantly since then due to conservation efforts.  I happened to see several this year and was happy to snap a departing shot of this one!

Our grandson having that urge like most boys...to jump right in!

My Morning In Melbourne And Drive To Sanford, Florida

My morning began with a chuckle as I peered out the back porch to see a duck resting on the back of a goose decoy that is tied up in the middle of the lagoon behind the house.  It happens often and always gets me tickled. 

The lizards were all about and grabbing a bit of early morning sunshine.  I wished that our grandsons had already arrived as I watched them scurry about, knowing that they will enjoy checking them out in the days to come.  And of course, I will too!



Along for the ride or a rest....

Oops I startled the duck and caught her departure from her friendly perch.

I stopped along the way to Sanford, FL to meet my daughter and two grandsons.   Ispotted this spider dangling in the distance.  Distance is a good thing for me when it comes to spiders.  I'm not a big fan, though I appreciate their work.  I find it fascinating.

 

The use of my zoom lens came in handy here.  I never could get a real clear photo but I wasn't willing to leave the car and get any closer! EEK!!!

August 16, 2013 All about the Eastern Swallowtail

Eastern Swallowtail on Joe-pye weed

 

 

Hey piggy, piggy

 Sewanee, the University of the South has pigs in a small pinned in area not far from our home.  I decided to take our two grandson (ages two and four) to see them this afternoon and it was funny to see their expressions as they interacted with the two pigs that, by the way, have grown rapidly since they moved in.  The two year old kept bending down, eye to eye, with this one pictured and giggling, “hey piggy, piggy”!  Then the four year old announced, "pew wee" they are stinky!  As he began to turn and head the other direction.   I'm unsure of the pigs use or fate and I prefer not to think about it!

 

Night Dragonfly Catch

http://youtu.be/mNwReTE95c8 

This guy was knocking at the kitchen window when I arrived home late from a Chattanooga shopping spree.  I'm not sure what was wrong but possibly he had encountered a spider web.  After a bit of thrashing around inside, I managed to get him calm and removed the webs and released him outside again where he clung to the bricks beside our back door.    He was gone by morning.  I hope that he made it to his destination!  

August 10,2013

 

 

 

Look who lurks underneath...