Hey, everyone! It’s my favorite time of year! I love everything “Fall”….. The cooler temps, the crisp air, hot cocoa, yummy comfort foods and we can’t leave out… pumpkin spice ‘n everything nice! Lol 😉 … Not to mention, the beautiful colors of orange, yellow and brown…. It’s all so warm and cozy!
You all know I love art! And here are a couple of pieces I created with coloring pencils.
The first one is a cornucopia… *Fun fact* about the cornucopia… “The earliest reference to a cornucopia is found in Greek and Roman mythology, which dates back nearly 3,000 years ago. The name itself comes from Latin, cornu copiae, which translates to horn of abundance. The most likely source of the horn of plenty symbol is a story related to the Greek Zeus, king of all the gods.” ~ https://agamerica.com/blog/thankful-for-ag-the-history-of-cornucopia/
“Cornucopia” art by ~ Sheila Renee Parker
And this next one, obviously it’s a leaf.. lol… But as simple as a leaf is, it’s just like a snowflake… There are no two exactly alike. Each and every single one, beautiful in its own, unique way!
“Leaf” art by ~ Sheila Renee Parker
Remember, you are all loved! Thank you for all you do! Stay blessed!
Hi everyone! Hope you are all well. It has been a wonderful day so far. Transplanted this little beauty from a group of wild ferns that were growing outside our house.
Also, clipped pine straw from the yard to make mulch.
Doing things like this really make me feel more connected with Mother Nature. ❤️
The Earth is full of so many bountiful gifts!
Stay motivated and stay blessed! You all are amazing!!
“Saluda Hill Cemetery is a private historical cemetery established in 1824. Among the graves here is that of Zachariah Godbold, the only known Revolutionary War veteran buried in Baldwin County. Many Blakeley residents and Confederate soldiers also are buried in the cemetery. Erected 1997 by Alabama Historical Association.” ~ https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=81854
The location is a small one with headstones dating back a couple of centuries. As mentioned above, Revolutionary War veteran Zachariah Godbold is buried there as well. ~ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~alzgcdar/photos.htm
It’s a fascinating cemetery, aged, yet it also includes a few burials from recent years. My husband and I saw it across from the entrance of the Historic Blakeley State Park. Before heading back home, we decided to check it out and pay our respects to the graves.
Inside the cemetery were a couple of sectioned off places that looked like family plots. These two separate areas had low brick walls and wrought iron fences with a gate. One of the squared off plots had several old headstones dating back to the 1800s. One was of a young mother and her two young children. The headstone beside theirs was so weathered and worn that it was pieced together like a puzzle. It was obvious that someone went to great lengths to keep it together because it was being held up by some sort of makeshift metal brace.
The second sectioned off place didn’t have any visible markers or headstones that my husband or I could see. Perhaps it was due to the overgrowth of grass, or maybe the graves were unknown, or maybe the surviving family members couldn’t afford headstones (which was often the case back in the day.)
And at the back of this old cemetery was another gate with a pathway that lead to the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery. This cemetery was beautifully kept as well.
The following are some photos that we took of the historical Saluda Hill Cemetery.
This photo is of The Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
“Nestled within the scenic Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Historic Blakeley State Park is one of the largest and most diverse attractions within the Gulf Coast region.
Within these more than 2,000 acres of some of the most biodiverse habitat in North America, the park contains the sites of Alabama’s largest Civil War battle, the important early Alabama town of Blakeley, and Native American settlements dating back thousands of years. Nowhere else will you experience such a rare combination of rich cultural heritage and abundant natural beauty.” ~ https://www.blakeleypark.com/
Yesterday, my husband and I visited this beautiful place. The temperature was in the low 80s, and the sun shined high above with just a few clouds floating by. We had been there before, years back, but decided to visit again while out on a Sunday drive.
We were there for a couple of hours walking the historic trails that were used during the Civil War. The old roads had landmarks directing the way. There was so much to see! Old military redoubts (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redoubt), a couple of monuments, a site where Baldwin County’s first courthouse was, remnants of a small town, the Tensaw River, a hiding tree that had huge exposed roots where it was reported that soldiers literally could hide under.
Also, as macabre as it sounds, another massive tree that was known as “the hanging tree”! This tree was just a few feet away from where the original courthouse stood.
Aside from all of the above, there were miles of beautiful trails one could hike, ride bicycles through or even go horseback riding. Streams were also all over the place! I got super excited when we came to a little wooden bridge that crossed one of the streams. The water was so clear! And yes, I took my shoes off and had to step into the water. It was cold at first, but loved it so much! It reminded me of when I was a little girl, growing up in the country, and there was a little stream by the house where I grew up. (Childhood memories, gotta love ’em!) My husband laughed at me for stepping my feet into the stream. He even took some photos. Lol
Later, we walked on a wooden boardwalk that went along the side of the Tensaw River, which is also a part of the Blakeley Historical Site.
The day was absolutely perfect! And this time, a dragonfly was literally still long enough for me to take a photo. (Unlike in one of my previous posts when the dragonflies were being extremely active.) Such beautiful messengers!
Anywho…. The following are some more photos of our day out yesterday at the Historic Blakeley State Park. Hope you enjoy!
Last night was another beautiful sunset on the bay. It had rained earlier in the day yesterday, and like most days with many “after the rain” moments, the evening sky was full of breathtaking colors.
After dinner, my husband and I took a drive to a couple of different locations on the coast. Both places were just a few miles apart from each other, and for some strange reason, there were so many dragonflies out! More so than usual, it seemed. My husband and I loved it! Dragonflies are very special creatures to us. Their totem meaning ….
I tried to take photos of the dragonflies, but was unable to because they were so fast with their flight. But in one of my videos, a dragonfly did fly across my screen. I felt blessed!
Here are some photos from last night’s magical sunset. Had to share with you all. Hope you enjoy!
Just a couple of photos of yesterday’s glorious morning sky above Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama.
Look at those beautiful cotton candy colors….. *sigh*…. breathtaking! Even saw a rainbow as I was out. Actually, saw two rainbows… One in Mobile yesterday morning and the other one when I arrived a few hours later in Tennessee.
Life is full of blessings! Enjoy and feel those amazing positive vibes, everyone!
Good morning, everyone! Waking up to another rainy day here on the Gulf Coast while sipping on some coffee. Hope you’re all off to a great start!
Last night we went out for an evening drive, windows down and jammin’ to some tunes. *Sometimes ya just gotta feel the beat!*
We ended up at a local peir as the sun was setting. The vibrant colors changing from day to night… Intense yellows to the deep oranges… Finally blending in with the rising blues. One word…. “Gorgeous!”
It’s so important to randomly take moments to stop and “breathe in the beauty”. Really makes one appreciate life all the more, don’t ya think? 😉
Here are some photos of the radiant sunset we were blessed to experience. Hope you enjoy!
SHEILA RENEE PARKER 