Beech Tree News Network

On Thanksgiving Day, I drove alongside bayous lined with shrimp boats, I followed trucks piled high with sugar cane, and I passed front yard trees loaded down with satsumas (a citrus fruit similar to a tangerine, but seedless and much sweeter).  Our daughter, Natalie, went north to Michigan with her new husband, Scott, so Garey and I went south to Louisiana to visit our daughter, Nikki.

Well, another Thanksgiving is upon us. I just can’t believe how time flies these days. This is exactly the reason we need to soak up the blessing of every single day! I’m so thankful for the life the lord has given me. My health and the health of my family, in itself, is worth praising Him for. I pray everyone has a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday. Don’t just praise him for your blessings on Thanksgiving day, praise him every day of your life.

I captured this photo on my way to work on Tuesday in Rockfield. The sky that morning was stunning!!!

Harrison County, KY had, as of 2014, a population of 18,592.  The county was founded in 1793. was named for Colonel Benjamin Harrison, an advocate for Kentucky statehood, framer of the Kentucky Constitution and Kentucky legislator.  The county seat is Cynthiana. 

With Thanksgiving this week, we’re moving into the winter holiday season. Many people experience stress and/or depression during this time. Sometimes we don’t want to admit the stress we feel because the holidays are so anticipated; as both a song and a movie proclaim, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.”

Moods, reflections; small things appreciated.
     I think about Moon Pies a lot. I haven’t tasted in a while-a good while. One of the small things I once took for granted. Now I can’t have sugar. Every now and then I sneak a graham cracker… the nearest thing to a Moon Pie I suppose.

The hustle and bustle of the winter holidays is well underway and the cool crispness of the autumn air is turning towards winter frost. Even as the weather changes and the holiday season comes upon us, we are still busy in Frankfort with interim joint committee meetings as well as planning for the 2017 Session of the General Assembly.

My granddaughter loves the whole dream catcher concept, and she insisted we have one for our bedpost in order to catch the bad dreams when she stays the night at our house.  She also wanted a big one to hang over her own bed at her house, so I contacted my friend, Kathy Dockery, who lived out west for a time where she learned the finer points of dream catchers, and asked her to make a pink one for Sabria. Kathy showed up at our shop with a beautiful dream catcher and a small beaded ring that Sabria loves. (Kathy makes all sorts of eye-catching jewelry from the small beads.)

    The subject of gluttony is misunderstood by many. Sometimes, after some big meal, someone will jokingly say, “I hope the preacher doesn’t preach on gluttony on Sunday.” When I have preached against such sins as smoking, drinking alcohol, and other things, some will try to justify their sins by asking, “People today are guilty of eating too much. Isn’t gluttony a sin, too?” Friends, gluttony is a sin. What we fail to recognize is that the sin of gluttony encompasses more than merely eating too much.

Well, I do believe the colors of fall have left. It was a very short “color” season this year and I hate that because the colors are what makes fall so beautiful. But, photos like this are always good to look back on. I captured this early on a fall morning at Shanty Hollow. The colors were so awesome against the fog.

It doesn’t take much at all to make me happy, this picture is proof. There is so much beauty surrounding us every day. Never let it just pass you by.