Crimson Clover

Did you read the title of this post and start singing Crimson and Clover??? I have been hearing Joan Jett singing her version of that song off and on for weeks. 😂

While walking Tonto super early this morning, we came to this spot along the edge of the woods where he must have smelled some critter scent. He was all up in that. My assumption was deer. There was a trail worn there where they are coming and/or going. He had to smell every blade of grass…every leaf…every twig…every plant stem…every puffball on the plant stem…you get the drift. He was all about whatever had passed by. While he is wrapped up in his own little world of animal scent…I am freezing. The frost is seeping through my shoes, and I am getting kind of tired of standing there and letting him get his nose full of strange animal odors.

While lamenting to myself about the impending frostbite to my toes, I look to my right…there is this magnificent, picturesque scene. Remember frost is all over the ground. The sun is coming up in the sky. There is this house in the distance up on a hill. All around the property is a white picket fence that has this wavy pattern to it. It leads your eyes to follow the fence all the way around. The yard is just grass with frost all over it and the sun is shining down on the frost…magnificent. The home is an old one…very different…lots of character to it. NOT boring…ya know what I am saying?

Natural Beauty

While basking in this beauty…I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. It is a leaf falling from this really tall tree. This little dude was dancing in the sky. Twirling as he did his free fall. Absolutely breathtaking to watch him. I was enthralled. It is still and silent. Cold, yet beautiful surroundings.

I said to Father…WOW…that little leaf twirling and dancing was SO COOL…do it again.

I am like the little boy in The Incredibles movie. You know the one on the little trike with the bubble gum? He is waiting on Mr. Incredible to do something. What? I don’t know…SOMETHING AMAZING!!!!! Yep…that is me. 24/7. All the time…on the ready. Do something that thrills my heart.

So, I am pretty thrilled about this leaf.

I KNOW…takes SO LITTLE TO AMUSE and ENTERTAIN me. Been true my whole life. I think it is because I have suffered so much. When you are used to the worst…even the smallest acts of kindness…touch your heart. And the smallest of wonders… baffles me. 🤯 Nature is amazing. 🤗

Do it Again

I am standing there saying…DO IT AGAIN. I want to watch another leaf dance and twirl.

He did. The leaves just kept falling. One after another. Quite a show. Spectacular. Especially with that beautiful backdrop of the house on the hill and all the frost on the ground. The highlight of my day so far. I noticed that each leaf came down in a different way. They didn’t all follow the same pattern. It has to be scientific and mathematical in nature. Different weights, and shapes, along with the wind, and where they started. FASCINATING TO ME! 🤔

It was LOVELY. So very lovely.

Some came down really fast in a little whirlwind pattern while others just meandered along…taking their sweet time in almost a rocking fashion.

SO…I am having this really great, peaceful, tranquil, serene, private, beautiful moment here…right. Father so rudely interrupts my thoughts with Joan Jett blaring in my head…Crimson and Clover.

I said to Joan…ok…we will go home and write the post, I guess. 🤷‍♀️

I had to drag poor Tonto away…LITERALLY.

It would have been a perfect fit for him with his personality, giftings, and talents…at least some of them. BUT…that isn’t Father’s plan for him in life. Father has a different plan utilizing Donovan’s personality, preferences, OTHER giftings, and talents. We are complex human beings and just because we WANT to do something… and are good at it…doesn’t mean that is what Father’s call on your life is. He tends to PUSH YOU OUTSIDE of YOUR comfort zone and do things that He has to do through you. This way…He gets the glory not you.

Many people settle into a career, job, or life, that is comfortable for them and doesn’t push them. Doesn’t make them grow. Just makes them complacent, weak, and lazy from an emotional and spiritual perspective.

If you follow Him…He will make you SUPER uncomfortable…most of the time. No warm fuzzies there.

Can you say…STRETCHING? I have repeatedly said to Him…I am Mrs. Incredible…always being stretched in every way. Crazy.

Food Plot Talk

Donovan and I started talking about land management while watching this show. You know…in part…dealing with erosion, maintaining an environment for the native animals on the property, investing in the soil, etc.

Quite amazed by the smarticles Donovan has in that head of his. The boy was educating his momma. I was all about it too. So impressed. I was like…tell me more son. I learned more about nitrogen than I ever thought I would.

The topic turned to Crimson Clover because he was telling me about his future plans for different plants he was going to add to additional food plots on his property.

I got all excited…and said…I think I have a picture of that stuff. I pulled these pictures plus more up on my computer and he just smiled. Yep…there it is.

The Drive

I took these pictures one day while driving through Illinois. Driving by a field, I saw these red flowers smiling at me so beautifully. It was like they were screaming out at me to stop and enjoy their company. Waving at me while I was driving past.

I pulled my truck over and waded through a muddy ditch just to visit with them a bit. Got good and wet too. Worth it. Just glorious little flowers, aren’t they???

I have yet to regret carrying my camera with me. I have regretted NOT having my camera with me.

Mitchell’s Sass

It reminds me of my son Mitchell. When he was in high school, we attended a local homeschooling co-op where he took Public Speaking and Spanish. Every Friday, we would load up and head to see his buddies. I have always carried a backpack with me which has my planner in it with my legal pad for note-taking. I have thousands of pages of notes…from years past. The teachings come at all times of the day and night, so the legal pad used to move with me wherever I went. Room to room…kid you not. Had a legal pad by the bed, one in the truck, and one that traveled with me. I kept them everywhere for a time.

On occasion, I would tell myself I was going to be too busy to write. A couple of times before we left for the Co-op, I would get ready to pull out and Mitchell would stop me. He would always say the same thing. Mom…go in the house and get your backpack because if you don’t…you will need to write notes down and then you are going to be angry with yourself for not bringing the backpack. GO get the backpack. 🤣 😩 🤨 😉 🤷‍♀️

Crazy how well my kiddos know their mother. I raised my children to speak their minds…even with me. My son schooled me…and I finally got it through my thick skull to keep my backpack with me. That goes for my camera as well. My thanks and appreciation go to Mr. Mitchell Man for that tip.

Hope you enjoy the Crimson Clover shots. The red is spectacular in my opinion. I think now I can put Joan Jett to bed in my head. I have Rocket Man on repeat today though. Sara James version. WOW…that is my favorite version. Love the tempo and how she holds those notes out. Just incredible. Thrills all my senses!!!!!!