Greetings! We hope you had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend. The beginning of last week brought mixed emotions with all the disturbing and chaotic news we continue to hear.
Crying, you say?
It’s OK to cry. It’s shedding of tears, a behavioral response to something or someone.
We hope love will abide so the world can be better. I was thinking of writing a special opinion piece but could not get my thoughts together for an orderly outline.
Our prayer, as always, is that families will pray together and give thanks for God’s continued love and righteousness over every member, and unity will abide as a loving family.
Pray for your family and loved ones each day, lest we forget those who experience tragedy, bereavement and other challenging moments. Let’s keep each other encouraged and be grateful for daily blessings. We pray God will grant us peace for our community,
Some residents in the community endured telephone interference. Over the weekend, at the most inconvenient time, several families experienced an inoperable water system.
The crops and gardens were looking good from a distance, before the flooding rains. The fields and yards were flooded also.
We welcome in the month of June. Take a minute as you turn the calendar and get a thought from the month of June. Even the picture or drawing on the calendar says something!
I admire watching the magnolia trees blooming this time of year. It’s a beautiful sight with the large leaves and white petal blooms.
Mississippi’s nickname is the “Magnolia State” and the magnolia is also the state flower of Mississippi, adopted in 1900. Mississippi horticulturists describe the magnolia tree as having a creamy white blossom. The petals are thick, feel waxy and have a lemony fragrance. When the pods ripen, the large red seeds are pushed out and add to the beauty of the tree.
Magnolia leaves are 5-8 inches long and feel leathery. The bottom of the leaves are covered with a rusty brown fuzz that is variable between plants. These trees can grow as wide as 40 feet, taking up a lot of landscape and making quite a statement.
I was trying to remember what I knew about my home state of Tennessee, and decided I would research to confirm what I learned years ago. Tennessee’s state tree is the tulip tree, which was designated in 1947. However, today Tennessee officially has two state trees — one deciduous, the tulip, and one evergreen, the red cedar — made official in 2012.
Tennessee’s nickname is the “Volunteer State.” Tennessee has two state birds, the mockingbird (1933), and the bobwhite quail (1987). Tennessee has two flowers, one cultivated (the iris) and two wildflowers, the passion flower, known as Maypop, and the Tennessee cone flower. The reason for the two state trees, two flowers and two birds is a question I can’t find the answer to. It may be because Tennessee stretches wide from east to west. The section between is middle Tennessee, my home.
Tennessee has one flag with three stars representing the east, middle and west divisions of Tennessee. The stars are bound together in indissoluble unity by an unending white band. And, the state of Tennessee has two salutes to the one Tennessee state flag!
Have a great week. Enjoy life today. Be blessed.
