We had a visitor drop in...

Yesterday evening as dusk was setting in JP and I both noticed a pair of large wings settle on our bird feeder.  This is unusual because our standard visitors are chickadees, finches and the like.  Maybe something as large as a woodpecker comes to visit the suet cake sometime.  This was bigger, much bigger, it was a hawk!

 We both went into the kitchen to get a better look at him (we're going to call it a him) and he turned his head and looked right at JP. So, JP turned the kitchen light off to gain us more time before he flew away.  I went for the camera and was only able to get a few pictures.  Oddly, the one from inside the house is the clearest.  My hands were shaking because I was hurrying while I was outside.  I even tried to calm my breathing but to no avail.  This is the best I could do.

Here he is just under our bird feeder.  His feathers are all ruffled out.  Until he moved I thought he had one of our usual visitors in his talons for his supper but he was just sitting there.

This picture is taken from our back porch and he is sitting by our fence.  I tried to zoom in but it just all happened so fast.  Isn't he beautiful though?

Oh, here I finally got the zoom to clear up some and my hands to stop shaking.  Then...

He flew off... and this is all I could capture.  Woosh.....my heart was beating out of my chest.

God certainly made some majestic creatures and we are so blessed to live here in the holler where we see some of them.  We got a special "up close" blessing yesterday and wanted to share.  Have a great week and watch for God's blessings around you too.  Blessings from the holler...

A few things from the holler...

My BFF's birthday was recently so I made the table runner above for her.  She was raised in Ohio, so I learned this patten called Buckeye Beauty.  I don't know why this picture shows the muslin with darker spots.  Really, I didn't have one hand full of chocolate and one hand on my sewing while I was doing this, although it looks like it!

Our burning bush is full of berries and really starting to sparkle.  The birds love this bush, as do I.

I know I show y'all this plant every year, but it amazes me!  Here's how it goes: after it blooms like it's doing now it will die back for the winter and I'll chunk it out of the container over the porch railing (thinking, "oh well, it was beautiful again this year).  Next spring I'll be in the area where I "chunked" it, and I'll see it coming back to life.  Knowing it's potential, I will put it in a pot for the porch and by fall here we'll be again.  I think I've done this for at least 4 years now.  I love a plant that's hardy, but this plant takes abuse like nothing I've ever seen.  I'm not sure what kind it is....maybe in the Wandering Jew family?

 Next is my little project that I did this week.  I made liquid soap!  I've seen this on Pinterest.com and wanted to do it, so I saved up my empty dispensers and went for it.  All you need is 1 1/2 bars of soap and 1 gallon of water.  I had a lovely lemon eucalyptus bar I'd bought in Amish country a while back, and some of JP's soap I found. I zipped it through the food processor.

The next step is to put it on the stove with a gallon of water and melt it.  This didn't take very long, about 20-30 min on low heat.  I'm guessing boiling would be bad because that would creat bubbles,,,oh my!  The next step is to let it cool.  Mine took about 2 hours.  It'll start to feel gelatenous when you stir it.



Then you fill your bottles and, voilá, hand soap for very little money!  Get me, being all frugal and stuff,,haha.
OH and clean-up is a breeze.  It's soap, so all you do is rinse!!!



Well, we are all blessed beyond measure.  Everyone in the pack is doing well.  Have a great week.  Blessings from the holler...

May I suggest a great read?...

You may have already read this book.  If so, like me, you might want a copy on your kindle.  A fellow blogger wrote the story of her life and times with her dog Max.  Now it's available on Kindle for only $2.99!!!  I have it in both formats and highly suggest her book.  If you love animals, you will love this book.  I have included the link below sweet Max's picture.

  Go by her blog and give her your feedback on the book she would love to hear from you.  Also, she now has Toby and Lexi, two wonderful Golden retreivers who are absolute loves.  She is still living life to the Max...

  Living Life To The Max Blog....

.Link to Amazon to buy MaxDog for $2.99!!

Blessings from the holler to you all...