My sister and I went on an outing to Garven Gardens in Hot Springs.  As always we took our cameras.  The weather was perfect so we really had a good time.  Some of the areas were blocked off because they were decorating for Christmas.  We have plans to go back next month and see the garden all lite up with Christmas lights.  Here are a few Pictures that I shot.

The leaves were so pretty on this tree and  I loved the lantern hanging from a limb.

Look what I found coming out of his hole.  On my first sighting he was rolling an acorn when he saw us he stopped and then headed into his hole.  Now he is waiting for us to leave.

There is always something blooming and this day was no exception.

Color among the green.  I like little surprises.

This picture shows a technique that my Sister showed me.  It is call Intentional Camera Motion.  I loved the technique and tried it several times that day.  This one was my best.

I founded another of God's creatures.   A spider that had snagged a leaf in his web.  Glad it was the leaf and not me.

 What beauty and what color.

I liked this shot of the leaf floating down the stream.  The water was so clear you could see down to the bottom.

I am taking my camera back for the Christmas lights and the hand bell choir that will be playing in the chapel.  I will post some of my shots then.

Thank you for stopping by blog.  I really enjoy it when you leave a comment.

As I walk through nature I see God's handiwork and I sometimes I even see a lesson to be learned.

Do you sometimes feel just like this leaf, hanging by a thread?  Our lives are hectic and  we can't seem to catch up.   God has the answer.  I am reminded of two scriptures that we need to claim.

Proverbs 3:5 "Trust in the Lord withal thine heart; and lean no unto thine own understanding,"

Proverbs 3:6 "In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

We just need direction in our life and God can provide it.  Seek his will and you will draw on his everlasting love.

Well it has been  almost three months since I posted.  A busy life is part of the reason and the heat is the other.  Last week my sister and her sister-in-law went to the Heifer International by the Clinton Library.  It was cool inside so that made this outing more appealing.

 I knew Heifer International was about cows but that was all.  Was I over whelmed when I learn about what this organization does.

Dan West -A man with and idea. In the 1930's West was an American relief worker.  He ladled out milk to a never ending line of refuges during the Spanish Civil War.  The experience was so profound. that West came to believe that only long term solution to the hungry was to give the hungry the means to take care of themselves.

NOT A CUP, BUT A COW. 

With local farmers and church members they raise the money to send the cows to the people that needed them  The name of "Seagoing Cowboys"  were given to the men and woman that went with the Heifers to make sure they man the journey safely and went to the needy.  From Not A Cup, But a Cow  today we have Heifer international organization that is here in Little Rock. Now the cows are purchased in the country that needs the help and that helps with the cost of the program.

We were given a quiz about the Heifer and I didn't do so good.  In fact I don't think I answered a question right. The guide ask us to give an "M" word that shows all the parts that were used when receiving a heifer.   I didn't have the picture at that time or I would have done better. 

Families all over the world and that includes the United States benefit from the Heifer program. Cows, chickens, goats and other animals are given to families and then taught how to care and feed them.  The Heifer is a pregnant female cow. (I didn't know that)  When the heifer delivers and it is a female then it is to be given to another family to raise and the gift just keeps giving.  Because of the first gift the family begins to improve their livelihood and  then education is then encourage to help the family even more.

I wanted to tell you a little about the building.  It is a Green building meaning it was built using refurbished materials. This building is in the top 10 of the Green Buildings in the United State and the only one in Arkansas. The shape of the building was designed to make the most of the light from the sun. The building does not even have main lighting  because of its shape and position of the building.  If they have a dark day  small can lights are used.  Thirty percent of the electricity comes from solar panels. All of the wires and pipes are in the floor so when repairs are needed they just lift up sections of the floor.

To get the land ready, all the soil had to be removed.  It was sent off to be cleaned up and then brought back. The vertical pictures you see is hiding a water catcher.  All the materials for the building were purchased within 500 miles.  The glass for the building was purchased from the company next door. The counter tops looks just like regular counter tops but they were made from repurposed coke bottles. The flooring is refurbished carpet squares.  I wish I could remember more because the building was so amazing.

The parking lot where the cars sit has a grate and gravel on it with a system that catches the rain. water and funnels it where it is needed. Nothing goes to waste and that is what is amazing.

There is a mote all the way around the building.  See the little turtle in the middle of the picture.  Parts of the grounds look like marsh land, such as reeds and Cyprus knees are growing.  The grounds were just beautiful.  They just looked so natural, even the weeds.

As you know I collect salt wells so I will so excited to find one in the gift shop.  I wanted one of everything but I just purchase two children's books as Christmas gifts.

This outing was very enjoyable.  Can't wait until the next one.

I say to my self after every post that I am going to post at least once a week.  It never happens.  I get busy and just don't take the time.  I go on photo shots all the time but don't take time to share them on my blog. Here goes my next post.

I am amazed at God's nature. You know that God could have made everything black and white and we would still be amazed at God's Creation.

BLACK AND WHITE

All of God's Colors

But God made it all in color.  I was out this morning after the rain with my camera looking at God's creation.  The color is all around. A slow stroll around my house found some beautiful shades. 

My sister and I will be taking a photography class in June  We will meet six Thursday afternoons and then have homework until the next week.  Our instructor is Taylor Ballott.  Taylor has a gallery in Bryant if you would like to check him out.  He has a Facebook page also.  I have a lot to learn. A couple of weeks ago I posted on Facebook and I misspelled macro, I spelled it micro.   This will be a challenge for me.  My sister already knows some of the things that we will have in class but she just wants to learn her new camera and this will be a good use of her time.

My sister  was looking at Garven Gardens Facebook page and read about a free Micro Lens class for seniors.  Didn't take long for us to decide we want in. Our first afternoon we met at the Seniors Citizen complex.  Three photographers gave us a lot of tips and for me a lot of knowledge. The second day we meet at the Gardens and we were divided into three groups.   Each group had a professional photographer.  We spent time learning how to get the perfect shot.  There were times when we were laying on the ground with our cameras looking up to the sky.  Even though I am getting to old to crawl around on the ground I made it just fine. Here are just a few pictures that I took.

I took several, probably ten shots right here. Looking for the perfect shot. Macro lens let  you see so much more than the naked eye.  I am always amazed  that God created such beauty and most of the time we never see it. Only when we slow down and really look at God's Creation do we get to see all the details.

The picture below is the results of having the flowers in focus and the background blurred.  I could tell you that I  was a quick learn but really my camera did the work.

This flower has the background and the foreground blurred and the middle sharp.  This one I will try again because I am not sure how I got this shot.

This was just a fun shot that the instructor shows us how to do.  I had a good time doing this one.

This was so neat.  The sun was shinning bright but when you point the camera to a shaded area you get this results.  I love.  It was great trying to do this.

This was another shot.  I put the flower to the left so I could have the right side blurred.

This one I just took because I loved the color.

 I liked this shot because I could see inside the tulip.  Such a vibrant color.

One of the instructors has a Gallery in Bryant.  When we left the outing at Garven Gardens we decided to stop by and see his work.  He had mentioned earlier that he taught classes so we asked for the details.  Leaving his gallery my sister and I had decided to take the course.  I am so excited because I know I will learn a lot about my camera.  My sister and I both like getting the macro shots.  Before we had just used our point and shot but now we are learning about  our camera.  We are also learning to use our tripod.

Our instructor's name is  Taylor Ballott  has a Facebook page.  Check his work out.

MOON'S MUSINGS

I was so glad that I got to go to the Flag and Banner Store after we made our tour connected with Sandwiching in History.  this is the  Waldo E. Tiller House                

This house was a single level so it went on for ever and ever It had a servants quarters when it was originally built.

Rachel Silva is our tour guide each month.  She does a wonderful job researching were ever we go to visit.  We learn about the area and the house or building.  This day the crowd was so large we had to move out side for the lecture part of the tour. There were a lot of people and I am sure some of them were neighbors wanting to see inside the house.  I will show you a few pictures that I took.

This is my shadow in the gold fish pond.  I like to take my picture to have proof that I really did take this pictures and that I was really there.

The grounds were really nice.  In ground pool and fish pond and the back yard was sloped so we had steps to walk down.  Flowers where already in bloom.  I want this one in my garden.  Well when I have a garden.

After looking through the house I found this that I might could have afforded.  It is just a large branch but is sure looked good on that wall.

How would like to relax in a bird cage.  It sure looked comfortable.

Can you find the desk in this room?

I really liked this painting.  It had a lot of texture and it just looked like the painting was a live.

I hope to blog the Flag and Banner store tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by.  Please scroll down to the bottom and leave a comment if you have a google account.  I like to know that you took the time to visit my blog.  Have a great Friday.

My Sunday School class has finished studying I Thessalonians and we are starting on II Thessalonians.  In my class Bro. Steve challenges us, so we study more.  That is always a blessings because we are growing daily in God's Word.

I learned something this week  that I had never really thought about.  Paul's greeting in both of these books begins the same.  "Grace unto you and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ".

This greeting meant something to Paul and today I found out the meaning.

I came across a 2004 Adult Lesson Commentary and I found the following and I  was so excited.  Paul did not leave out anyone - Grace is a form of a Greek word, and Peace is the Hebrew form of greeting.  The writer of this commentary  said that maybe Paul used both terms  Greeks (Gentiles) and Jews; that are in Christ.  God never leaves us out.

 

Grace is Beauty and Charm

To me I find beauty in God's Creation.  The Grace he has offered us through salvation.

Peace means "freedom from war and conflict, or quietness."

Please take a good look at both pictures below.  Do you see the limbs that are broken off and just dangling and hanging on, waiting for a good wind to take them down?  I have been watching these two limbs for several days and now I know why.

It helps me share about the freedom in Christ that I have.  I don't have to hang on for dear life hoping I will get to go to Heaven.  I can know.

No matter what you face you can have the peace that God offers you.  All you have to do is admit that you are a sinner and accept Him as your Saviour.

We are cradled in God's hands and we will never be left dangling. We can trust in what he did on the cross for us, knowing that through believing we can have Peace in the storm and Eternal Life in Heaven with him.

In Thessalonians Paul is writing to saved people.   Another quote from the Commentary.  "The terms Grace and Peace concisely summarize all that believers enjoy through God, Grace is the cause or source, and Peace is the effect or outcome.

Our Promise

John 16:33

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

When you seek Jesus then you will never be alone and you will have Grace and Peace.

You know you live in Arkansas when you have 71 degrees temperatures one day and forty the next.  I am just glad we got a measurable amount of snow.  I got six inches in my yard and I had a good time with my camera.  I thought about a snowman but decided that would be a big undertaking.  When I got out and about I saw a little snowman.  Next time I am going to be ready to build a small one.  Maybe on my deck. 
Cathy and I started out to “Old Mill” in Little Rock.  We got to play with our glass globes.  It was a lot of fun.  I can’t wait to do more.  There was not a lot of snow on the Mill but we walked on a lot of ice to get our shots.

After leaving there Cathy asked if I wanted to go home or go on another adventure.  Didn’t hesitate a second.  I wanted another adventure.  We went to Pinnacle mountain to walk up the observation deck to  take some pictures and then we headed out on a trail.  We were the first humans to walk on the trail after the snow it was like we are exploring the unknown.  It was a wonderful day to be out hiking, the temperature was great.  Our only problem was that we hadn’t intended to go on a hike so we  didn’t take any water.  Cathy’s idea was great we scooped up the snow and enjoyed cool ice water.