Welcome to November

It may be the beginning of November,but some summer flowers are always in order so, allow me to share a few flowers, captured earlier this summer.

All photos were taken at The English Gardens in Winnipeg,so I can't take credit for growing these.

I enjoy Dahlias,but they don't grow well on my yard,so I find them in other gardens.

The old-fashioned Zinnia is a sturdy flower and also well loved by the Hummingbirds and insects.

Each petal is held up proudly.I like the details beneath the flower as well.

Bee Balm or Monarda,is a favourite of the Hummingbirds.Late summer at the English Gardens is a  great time to watch the Hummers feeding at the flowers.They are getting ready to leave,so they need all the energy they can get.

One place that I must stop on each visit to these gardens, is the Water Lily pool.Each flower is distinctive and each one so beautiful.

Closing Thought:

Too blessed to be stressed,

Too grateful to be hateful,

Too anointed to be disappointed!

Giving God all the glory for waking me and for lifting my head!

Telling a Story With Photos

If I could tell the story in words I wouldn't need to lug around a camera.

I am so thankful that I have the privilege of capturing just a little of the beauty I see around me.

The following pictures were taken around the middle of September,but the time really doesn't matter, the beauty of nature is endless.

I am always amazed at how lovely, even the roadside weeds can look with the right lighting.

Not the best shot ever, of an American Kestral. This bird seems to avoid my camera like the plague.

This is about as good as I can get it, for that I am thankful.

The setting sun is much easier to photograph,therfeore,I have many more pictures of that event.

The scene changes moment by moment.

Finally as the sun is about to drop below the horizon, it looks extra large.

Closing Thought:

Find joy and beauty in every day.

The Souris Swinging Bridge

On the same day that I visited the International Peace Gardens,I also had a chance to see the Souris Swinging Bridge.It was about a 40 mile detour,but in the end was well worth it.
I wasn't sure that I really wanted to walk across this bridge so I went rather apprehensively.


This is the bridge which is for vehicle traffic.The river is fairly wide and at certain seasons of the year can be quite high.

Here is a short piece of the original bridge.Let me just go on record, saying that I would not have set foot on that bridge.

Before I walked across the bridge,I had to make sure it was safe.

After seeing those heavy duty bolts and cables,I felt very confident that it was safe, indeed.

The bridge is strong and also a beautiful structure.

I love the lines and patterns in this structure.

As the sun was setting, the lights along the bridge came on.Even though it was not fully dark, it just added to the beauty of the bridge.

It really is quite long at 604 feet.

This bridge has been rebuilt several times, because flood waters had damaged it.
The town of Souris Manitoba is relatively small,with a population somewhere around 2000 people.This bridge is a major attraction to this area.
The following is a quote from the Souris website.
Re-built in 2013, with a price tag of $4.5 million, the new bridge is reflective of the original design, but  with long term durability in mind, the Swinging Bridge remains our town’s most famous landmark.  Bridging  the river for 110 years, and still standing to do the same for the century ahead.


One final picture.I love the lines in this shot.

Closing Thought:
A problem is a chance for you to do your best.

Final Post from The International Peace Gardens

This will be the last post from these Gardens.

I do apologize for the number of photos,but I will keep my comments short so you don't have to spend all day on this post.

This is taken while standing on no-mans land.The little stream is on the border of the two countries,Canada and the United States.

One more shot of the dove of peace being released from these hands.

A turtle enjoying the surroundings.

This is at the display from 9/11

Looking at these beams and reflecting on that terrible day is very sobering.

Yes,these are beams pulled out of the rubble from the World Trade Center.Sad indeed.

These towers are known as the Peace towers.They have been a landmark at the Gardens for many years,but time has taken it's toll on them and they will be coming down. Apparently they will be replaced by another structure.

The next four photos show some of the beauty away from the garden area.You can see that I was there on a beautiful,calm day.I love the reflections.

Finally, another landmark of the Peace Gardens,the floral clock.Each year it is planted with different flowers,and each year it is beautiful.

Closing Thought:

Praise is the song of a soul set free.

Flowers at the International Peace Gardens

Well folks,it's time to step out of the cactus house and see some of the rest of these gardens.

I have two more posts from that day,one more from the Gardens and area and one from a side trip we took.

If my memory serves me right,this was actually taken in a part of the Cactus House.It is some sort of fern,I believe.I just liked the color and the detail in this picture.

The Autumn Joy Sedum was gorgoeus,even though it was only August when I was there.

I enjoy flower pictures and when I get an insect of any kind that wants to pose,that is a bonus.

The Honey Bee semed to enjoy these Asters as much as I did.

I have seen lots of Cone-flowers,but I don't think I had seen this color before.

Here are some more flowers in the same colors. I think they are so pretty.

I cannot do a post about flowers and not include at least one rose.

Thought for Toady:

My world is brighter,and more beautiful because of you. Thank you.

International Peace Gardens Continued

Are you still with me as we wander through the Peace Gardens? I certainly hope so.

We are still walking through the Cacti House and displays.

I thought this one was a pretty as rose.

This lovely flower was blooming on a prickly cactus.

I took this picture, not because of the beauty, but because of the uniqueness.

I really like the square shape of this particular plant.

 The delicate beauty of the cactus flowers was in stark contrast to those prickly plants.

No,this is not a Black and White photo.This plant was almost pure white and therefore caught my attention.

I don't think anyone will try to pick these flowers.

The last one for today. These flowers are just so pretty.

Thanks for joining me once again.I have three or four more posts from The International Peace Gardens.I hope you will come back to see the rest of the pictures.

More From The Peace Gardens and Happy Thanksgiving

On this Weekend where we in Canada celebrate Thanksgiving,I will continue to share pictures from The Peace Gardens.I have so much to be thankful for, that if I were to begin a list it would go on for a very long time.I will say that I am most thankful that I am a child of God and that He cares for me.Secondly,I am so thankful for my family and my friends.

I am sharing some verses that have been a blessing to me,I trust that they will do the same for you today.

Place your hope in God,He won’t let you down.

Happiness comes a lot easier when you stop complaining about your problems and start being thankful for the problems you don’t have.

Never let the things you WANT make you forget that things you HAVE.

Your friendship is a daily reminder that life is lovely and God is good.

Too blessed to be stressed,

Too grateful to be hateful,

Too anointed to be disappointed!

It’s up to us to see the beauty in everyday things.

God created you and thinks you’re beautiful just as you are

.

You’ll never regret going out of your way to brighten someone’s day.

Today I just want to thank God for the gift of life.

No requests,no complaints,just thankful to be alive.