A Discourse on Anger

an old house, like old people, has a lot of memories

Perhaps you have seen that cartoon on Face Book of some gray-haired, wrinkle-faced people where one of them is saying, "We didn't get this old by being stupid."

Truth be told, those same people most likely did their share of unwise things along the road of life, but to reach their age, many of them probably learned from their experiences and did their best to avoid more missteps after that.

One lesson that's been hard for me to learn, but very beneficial, is to not hold onto anger. Scripture tells us to "be angry and sin not." (Ephesians 4:26) That tells me a couple of things:

1) it's not necessarily a sin to be angry. Anger is a feeling, an emotion that rises up when we experience injustice or pain or other unhappiness of some kind. It just comes, usually without us looking for it. It just does that. 

2) there is a tendency to sin when we are angry, but we don't have to. It's a choice we make, how we respond to anger.

3) since anger tends to bring out the worst in us, we have to work hard to not let it take control of us. Anger is very powerful.

Those are some conclusions I've made while turning that verse over in my mind. But then there's the practical application. Learning what to do with anger is a big deal. We are all too familiar with examples of those who have not handled their rage wisely. Unfortunately, we are seeing examples of that on an increasingly serious level nearly every day in the news.

I have had anger about some things in my life. In my more sane moments, I have prayed about it. I have asked the Lord what I am supposed to do with the burning emotions that churn in my midsection at the very thought of particular injustices in my personal life.

Some of those memories stem from decades ago, some more recent. All of them figure around scenarios when I was doing what I thought, in all honesty, was the right thing to do. Yet people and/or circumstances responded in ways that knocked all sense of peace out of my mind. 

How did I respond?

One time I was very hurt and felt helpless to stick up for myself, so I licked my wounds and retreated. The relationship was permanently damaged and we've been doing our best to just keep the peace ever since. That's one way to deal with anger.

In another time with another person, I was much older and although I stood up for myself, my response was not accepted. I spent many months in depression, and my physical health began to deteriorate. I was miserable with my anger and made those close to me uncomfortable as well. A misunderstanding of my motive caused a burning anger that pasted a scowl on my face, although I was not especially aware of it.

Resolution of that situation came when an innocent comment was made to me and I flew off the handle, letting loose a tirade of words to a completely innocent person. 

Thankfully, that same person was understanding of such behavior and was able to lead me to understand that my anger was not resolving the problem and was certainly not hurting the one who had offended me. 

Yet I was slowly destroying myself with my negative emotions. I learned to let the matter drop, to cease from replaying the event over in my mind and to walk away from the problem. The one who started it all was not going to come around to my way of seeing things, so to preserve myself, I would have to just let the matter go. I did that and surprisingly, immediate peace flooded through me. People told me the scowl was gone. It was a dramatic thing.

Sometimes repressed anger comes back to the surface many years later. I don't know why that is. I guess it just can't stay pushed out of the way indefinitely. It eventually has to be brought out in the open where we can examine it, perhaps now with the years of maturity.  

That happened to me a few years ago. Old emotional garbage surfaced and I realized I would have to do something about it. Repressing it again was not the answer, nor was continuing to be angry. 

In that case, I gave a lot of thought about the people who had brought me such pain. I considered in as an unbiased a way as I could muster why they would do what they did, why they said what they said. Admittedly, being a lot older helped me to see things better from their perspective 

I was able to conclude that although their actions and words were truly not the best, they were doing the best they could with the circumstances in which they found themselves and the information they had been given. The choices they made were not what I would have chosen had I been in charge, but that is the way it went and it affected me accordingly. 

What really brought sense to all of this for me was the realization that nothing, absolutely nothing, comes to me that is not first filtered through the hands of God -- and God loves me! 

Yes, I could say (and I have!) that He has a funny way of showing me His love when He allows certain things to affect me.  But the truth is, He does love me and His reasons for allowing the bad stuff are, right now, beyond my understanding, but nonetheless good.

For those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and allow Him to be the Lord of our lives, we have to believe that He is working out all things for our good. (Romans 8:28) The tough stuff makes us mature, wise, caring, compassionate, and so many other good things. 

But if we allow ourselves to replay in our thoughts the hurts over and again, we harm ourselves greatly. We turn out to be our worst enemy.

Then there is the matter of forgiveness. We have to forgive those who have offended us. Do they deserve forgiveness? 

Of course not! But we have been forgiven by God and we didn't deserve it, either. We need to not hold the offenses against them because God is not holding our bad stuff against us. 

We need to let them go and let God deal with them. We may not be able to see how He is dealing with them, but since He is faithful to deal with me when I'm in the wrong, I am sure He is dealing with them as well. Just let them go and move on. 

Old houses and old people. Both have seen a lot in their lifetimes. Both have many stories to tell. But the best stories are the ones that end with letting go of the hurts, turning them over to God, and getting on with our lives. 

Pondering Eldercare

my mother's cedar chest now rests in my home

I will sing the Lord's praise

for He has been good to me. 

Psalm 13:6

The Cook on Fifth Street* is enjoying her new apartment. She shows up promptly for breakfast, lunch, and dinner because not only is she spared the task of meal preparations, but she has a favorite place to sit and wants to claim it before others arrive.

As Beloved and I traveled back to Florida on this most recent trip, I brought with me several Bibles from my parent's bookshelves, my mother's wedding dress, and a sweater that both Sister and I wore when we were very little. Sister was given the cutest little bitty red swimsuit from her toddler days.

My mother gave me my handprint, presumably made in Kindergarten or maybe Vacation Bible School.  Once upon a time my hands were young with straight fingers and no arthritis in the joints.

Speaking of hands, here is a pair of "idiot mittens" (as one comedian described them), so named because of the string that is run through the sleeves of a child's coat allowing the mittens to dangle from the sleeves and not get lost. I sort of remember wearing them when we lived in the wintery cold of upstate New York.

These special treasures came to me at a good time. It is hard to watch parents age. Many questions occupy my thoughts as to what God's purpose can possibly be in all of it. 

I am reminded with these moments that God gave me good parents who took very good care of Sister and me, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. Cheerful aspects of my growing up years are coming to the surface of my memories, causing gratitude to swell up within me. 

Just as parents care for their helpless, ignorant babies, adult children care for aging parents who need our compassionate assistance. Parents have to overlook, forebear, and at times curb the immaturity of their offspring. 

Adult children must repay the favor with wise care for the parents. In both cases, the calling is not always easy nor enjoyable, but it is nonetheless an assignment given by God for His purposes and our good.

And, we are promised blessing for honoring our parents:

Honor your father and your mother,

that your days may be long

in the land that the LORD your God

is giving you.

Exodus 20:12

* "The Cook on Fifth Street" is the pseudonym my mother chose for herself during my early days of blogging when I had a fun name for everybody and would superimpose sunglasses or funny hats on their photographs for security reasons.

Shared Thoughts in the Aftermath of Tragedy

traveling life's roads

This was written by pastor Brad Strait at Cherry Creek Presbyterian Church in Aurora, Colorado. I share it with you because I cannot say it any better and I most certainly believe it.

Grieving, and asking questions: Are churches safe from violence? Most often. But not always. 

Are shopping centers safe? Movie theaters? Schools? Most often, yes. But not perfectly. 

Are our homes safe from violent people? Yes, almost always. 

But, no matter the locks or walls—humans remain vulnerable to evil sometimes.

Beyond our desires, dreams, or hopes, I believe there is but one truly safe place—in the center of God’s hand. Not a painless place, or an easy one at all times, but an eternally secure one. Unshakable.

Everything else is fleeting, or pretending. Lord, watch over us, and protect those we love from evil men. We put our trust in you. Amen.

In Search of Peace

beneath the Jacksonville pier a couple of days ago

The daily news is so troubling that I find it hard to consistently write as though I am unaware of what is really going on. 

I love to share recipes, funny stories, and some of my better cell phone camera photos with my readers. It's a form of creativity and relaxation for me. 

But my primary purpose for blogging is not entertainment but edification. I want to give my readers words to encourage and strengthen as they face the harsh realities of life. The fun blog posts serve that purpose to a degree but they don't necessarily lead to soul contentment.

The bad news is hitting us more frequently and getting more personal.  It's not so much 'out there', away from us, as it used to be. Our personal safety is at greater risk in this country as a whole than probably ever before.

I find myself seeking mental and emotional sanctuary more often, a place where I feel safe, where the unsettling noise of the world is shut out (or at the least, dimmed considerably). 

Just sitting quietly in a small room is a help, but then the disturbing thoughts seek to take over. Our most frightening battlefield is the mind; that is where the enemy of our soul works the hardest to bring us down. I will be honest and tell you that at times he has had success with me, as he has with all of us.

But that is not what God wants for His children. He is peace and He created us to be at peace. How do we get that peace?

First of all, we have to be at peace with God Himself. There is no lasting peace without a relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. What does that mean?

It means that at some point in our life we admit to God that we are a sinner and in our own strength we can never make up for the ways we have fallen short. 

It means that after this admission, we thank God for sending His son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price (to take on the punishment we deserve) for our sin. That's what Jesus did on the cross when He was crucified.

We accept that Jesus took care of our debt for us, humbling as it is. We ask Him to come live in our heart and teach us to live from this time forth for His glory. 

Just that in itself is HUGE. When this transaction with God is done in complete sincerity, peace will come. The Holy Spirit will come to live inside of you with a resulting joy and peace such as you've never known before. The Holy Spirit is God in you and God is peace.

That's it. You don't have to do any good works to appease God. His salvation is by grace, it's a free gift that we accept with humility.

As we begin this new relationship with God, great comfort will increase with Bible reading. Here are some verses I read and quote to myself when my peace is threatened:

Peace I leave with you;

my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled

and do not be afraid.

John 14:27

You will keep in perfect peace those

whose minds are steadfast,

because they trust in you.

Isaiah 26:3

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in every situation,

by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God,

which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds

in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

As we look at the troubled events all around us, I keep in mind something else Jesus told His disciples. It's instruction and encouragement about the last days before He calls His people to be with Him in heaven:

Learn the parable from the fig tree:

when its branch has already become tender 

and puts forth its leaves,

you know that summer is near. Even so, too, 

when you see these things happening, 

recognize that He is near, 

right at the door.

Mark 13:28-29

Today is the right time to seek real and lasting peace with God. Then no matter what happens, we will have the assurance that He will bring us through to the other side where all will be well.

Sea Oats, sand, Jacksonville Pier

A Homily from the Beach

Thoughts inspired by today's trip to watch the full moon rise over the Atlantic Ocean ...

Atlantic Beach, Florida about 90 minutes before high tide, 25 minutes before moon rise

Life ebbs and flows, ebbs and flows.

sand dunes keep the waves from surging into the hotels and homes

Some of our days are more pretty than others.

rough seas and dangerous conditions for swimmers and surfers

What is a great challenge and fun to some 

is terrifying to others.

dirty seam foam blows in the wind

One person's dream-come-true can be messy 

for their companions.

helpful information

We do well to not throw caution to the wind

but to heed the wisdom of experience.

beached palm tree from Hurricane Irma

Some pay dearly for careless choices.

Beloved's photo of the full moon rising over the Atlantic

When times grow dark

discipline, self-control, and heeding wise instruction

provide comforting protection.

the full moon reflecting on the ocean water

The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
Deuteronomy 33:27

A Smile for You

This past summer as we were moving to Florida, we spent a night in a Hampton Inn along I-80 in Nebraska. These were the paper cups provided in the bathroom. I wanted to share them with my readers but forgot until now. Cute, huh?!

This is the day which the Lord hath made;

we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

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Comments are closed for the weekend.

A Safe Place to Be

Garcia's at the Fort Worth Stockyards
2016

It's been my privilege to be in so many beautiful locations throughout the years, places with an abundance of both natural and manmade appeal. 

Most beautiful places give me a feeling of peace inside, but we know lovely scenes are no guarantee of safety. This summer we have seen destruction on a huge scale of areas ordinarily prized for their grandeur and impressiveness.

Where do we go when our protection crumbles or is overcome with flood, fire, wind, or man's evil inclinations? 

The first course of action is survival, of course. We do what comes most naturally to escape danger for ourselves and those nearby, and to protect our possessions.

But when all of that is done to the best of our ability and we wait to see what happens next, where do we go in our thoughts? 

During Hurricane Irma the time came when our power went out and the weather radio went off, telling us to go immediately to our 'safe place' because tornadoes were nearby. We did that. We grabbed our glasses and shoes and took refuge in the center of our house, away from windows, closing the door behind us.

Not a comfortable room, we sat on the hard tile floor, each in a corner both for the sake of space and for back support, padded with pillows and cushions and blankets tossed over our legs. 

There in my corner I knew I had done all I knew to do, all I sensibly could do to prepare myself for disaster and, well, whatever would come. What next?

Of course I prayed. When we come to the very end of ourselves and all that we can possibly do, we call out to the One who is in control of it all. We ask for His mercy and protection. We quote scripture to ourselves, using those very words of our Lord Himself as we speak to Him out of our fear. We tell Him of our trust and dependence on Him, reminding ourselves He has us in His hands and all will be well because we belong to Him. Whether we live or die, He's got hold of us.

All of this was happening while the weather radio continued to repeat the warnings to take cover. How did God respond to us? 

We fell asleep! Beloved dozed off first. The power had gone out and it was the middle of the night, so I could not see him at all, but I could hear his gentle snoring. He was asleep! Then sleep overcame me as well. 

That was answered prayer! That was God's mercies on us. He enveloped us with such peace that we fell into slumber on the laundry room floor while relying on Him to care for us. We stayed that way for the better part of four hours, until the radio had quieted down from the frantic reports and we sensed daylight was outside the door. 

The LORD is my shepherd...

He makes me to lie down...

He leads me beside quiet ...

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death ...

I fear no evil;

for Thou art with me...

Surely goodness and lovingkindness

will follow me all the days of my life.

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

(phrases from the Twenty-third Psalm)

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comments closed for the weekend

Food for the Soul

Jacksonville Beach Pier during Hurricane Matthew 2016
Photo by Action News JAX

With this weekend post I thank and praise God for sparing many of us serious harm during Hurricane Irma these last several days. He answered the prayers of many by sparing lives and property. 

We dare not take His mercies for granted. The Lord appointed some of us for protection.

At the same time, I am so mindful of the many, many people who lost much, and some even their lives, as this history-making storm made its way across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc through many tropical islands and then up the peninsula of Florida. We grieve with them over their losses and help them rebuild their lives.

Genuine gratitude to God is an acknowledgement

He is good at all times.

We trust our Lord during the hard times that what He is doing has a purpose which will someday be clear. At the very least, those who stand in the rubble of what once was can declare they still have life. Houses, land, and material things can be replaced. Our lives cannot. 

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,

and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Psalm 107:21-22

Just some of the hurricane debris awaiting pickup in my neighborhood

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Comments are closed for the weekend.

Re-living and Restoration

Stranded Manatee after waters receded from Tampa Bay, Florida
as Hurricane Irma approached. (Internet photo)
He/she was successfully rescued.

Some of the glam associated with our move to Florida was clouded over with Hurricane Irma. She’s gone now. Today I can once again wear my cute flip flops to coordinate fashionably with my denim Bermuda shorts and eat lunch on the peaceful screened-in back porch with my Beloved.

However, as much as I’d love to be writing a whimsical post right now about my tropical life and the fun things we do around here from day to day, it is good mental therapy for me to share some of our experience over the past week. 

It’s one thing to watch a real-life storm story played out before us like a disaster movie on the home television screen (i.e. Hurricane Harvey). All of that changed dramatically when the forecast for yet another hurricane, this one the biggest one ever known to be spawned in the Atlantic, was heading straight for us!

Here is a list of just some of the thoughts and questions that went through our minds before and during the storm:

Hurricanes don’t normally hit Jacksonville because of the shape of the coastline. We'll be okay.

Hurricane Matthew in 2016 was a notable exception, and it was an exception. We'll be okay.

The storm will stay out in the Atlantic. We’ll be okay.

The storm is heading into the Gulf. We’ll be okay.

The storm is marching up the center of the Florida peninsula, but it weakens over land. We’ll be okay.

Our house has not been given an evacuation zone on the county map. We’ll be okay.

This house survived Hurricane Matthew (before we moved here). We’ll be okay.

The governor has declared all of Florida in a state of emergency. Do we have enough water?

Look at the flooding in Houston. Our house could face that.

How much time would we have to move valuable stuff upstairs if a flood threatens?

What should we move upstairs? 

Okay, so flooding is improbable and dangerous wind is more of a threat to us. Will one of those huge trees behind our house fall on us?

If a tree might fall on the house, we should not sleep upstairs. But our main floor master bedroom is on the side with the trees. We shouldn’t sleep there, either. 

What part of the house should we designate as our ’safe place’?

What should we put in our ‘safe place’? 

Does our weather radio work? Can we count on it to notify us if the power goes out and the TV, too? 

Fresh batteries would help.

Soo thankful for local TV news and The Weather Channel.

Soo tired of listening to local TV updates and The Weather Channel.

But I want to know what’s going on!

We’re going to bed with the TV on.

I’m sleeping in my street clothes. If disaster hits, I don’t want to be stuck in my jammies for the next week. 

I’ve got my most important prescription pills and my phone in my jeans pockets at all times. If I lose all else, I don’t want to be without my meds — they’re too hard to replace.

The TV went out! The power is out! 

The weather radio is making an alarm sound.

Get up, now! Put on your shoes and glasses!

Yes, we have to do this! Two tornados are moving south of us!

Yes, close the door. We don’t want to be hit by flying debris!

I’ll doze here on my pillows in the corner with the door stop jamming my back. 

Keep the radio on!

I think it’s  okay to leave the room. My backside is dead and my neck is stiff.

There haven’t been any more tornados reported.

Let’s open the sliding glass door for air. 

Do you want to open a can of beans for breakfast? 

I miss my coffee.

Looks like we’re okay. I see some palm branches on the ground across the street.

They say our power shouldn’t be out too long because we’re in the same grid as the hospital.

Let’s work on the jig saw puzzle while it’s still daylight.

After dark it’s going to be very boring.

Yay! The power is on!

Our land line is dead. No Internet.

The ice in the refrigerator is only slightly melted. I think the jar of mayonnaise is okay to eat.

Can I let the water out of the bath tubs now?

As my regular readers know from my previous posts, we survived Hurricane Irma nearly unscathed and abundantly thankful.

Of course, there are many others who did not fare so well. When we went to prayer meeting at church last night, announcements were made about various ways we can help the unfortunate. One is to fill a Bucket of Help. 

We went to Home Depot, picked up one of their orange buckets and filled it with items from a list. These products are things people need for the clean-up of flooded homes and businesses. 

When we got home, it was Beloved’s task to figure out how to fit everything into the bucket AND snap the lid on.

He’s a bright fellow. He got it done.

For more information about this effort by Florida Southern Baptists, you can visit this link:

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/A-Tangible-Way-to-Aid-in-the-Relief-Effort.html?soid=1102181432514&aid=jgHAWXj931k

from Face Book

Till the Storm Passes By

Bird in a storm

I am writing this post before the storm hits us and scheduling it to show up on my blog when the weather is expected to be at its worst for us. 

A song has been on my mind for days and brings me great comfort. I'll be humming it to myself while the wind and rain are hitting our house from Hurricane Irma. Click on this link from the Gaithers to see the song performed:

Till the Storm Passes By
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpr5HPyI4z8

Facing the Storm

Fox 30 Action News JAX

While we still have power, it's a good time to slip in one more blog post from my home in northeast Florida. It is Saturday morning, cloudy outside, windy, raining, and a dark atmosphere at 8:45am. 

It is probable we will lose power at some time, so my blogging will go silent during that time. On a brighter note, we live in the same electrical grid as a hospital, so they say our power will come back on sooner than in other areas.

At this point our forecast is for the strongest winds to start around 2-3pm on Sunday, with the most severe gusts overnight. Parts of our area are under mandatory evacuation but our house is not in those areas, so we are staying put.

We are prepared to "hunker down" in the laundry room with comfy pillows and snacks at the ready, and a bathroom just steps away. We'll be in the center of the house, out of range for flying glass, should it come to that. 

I've tucked towels into all window sills to slow down any wind-driven water that might try to come in; later this morning I'll be filling the bathtubs with water to help with toilet flushing, should water problems arise.

We've got a jigsaw puzzle on the dining room table, and I've got my coloring book with a variety of pencils and pens in many hues to keep my hands busy during the tense times.

The forecast for our city is frightening. Even if Hurricane Irma does not track directly over us, it appears we will be on the "more dynamic side" of the storm. That's meteorologist speak for "more dangerous." 

City leaders tell us to be in place by 8pm this evening. Beloved heard that when the winds get to 40mph, the Florida Department of Transportation closes the bridges. That would seal our fate right there since we have to cross any of a number of long bridges to go north or west. 

At this point we could still evacuate, however, we have not been told to do so, the roads out of the area are heavy with traffic and there are gas shortages. Given the choice between sitting inside our house or sitting at a standstill in our car, the former is more preferable. 

Many people have sent us lists of things to do to prepare for times such as this. We have learned a lot and put into practice those ideas that made the most sense for our circumstances. This is a whole different matter from preparing for snow blizzards. I have to say, I prefer the cozy anticipation that comes with getting ready for snow!

The prayers of family, friends, and the many across our nation who are speaking to the Lord on behalf of all Floridians are sincerely appreciated. We continue to pray that the storm will just fall apart, while also asking for minimal effects. The storm has changed several times over these last days, so anything could happen, good or bad.

I am reminded of the Old Testament story of the prophet Elijah when God told him to go out and stand before Him on the mountain. As Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. (I Kings 19:11)

As terrifying as this weather is, we are experiencing a storm that is in the hand of our loving and most wonderful God. He will turn it as He wills to accomplish His purposes, which are wise. While we don't understand the "why" of it, I am looking for what God is saying to us about Himself. There is a message for each of us. We need to listen. Let's not miss Him.

oh no! mary engelbreit

Meeting the Neighbors

Beloved at the neighborhood retention pond

A man that hath friends

must show himself friendly:

and there is a friend that

sticketh closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

In keeping up this journal about our move from Colorado to Florida, I haven't said much about meeting our neighbors. 

We signed the closing papers on this house June 26th and our furniture arrived July 1st. Thus far, we have said "Hello" and exchanged names with six of the neighbors, but two of those were moving out while we were moving in, so maybe that means we've met only four?? Several others have given us a friendly wave in passing, and in my book that does count for something. 

Because it's so hot and humid here, most of us pay professionals  with large equipment to cut our grass, trim our trees and clean up the cuttings.  That reduces opportunities to meet neighbors while outside. We have been told the October temperatures get much more agreeable. That is when I imagine spontaneous introductions will  happen while people are out on their porches and patios. We look forward to that.

We miss our neighbors from Colorado. Two of them, in particular, became instant friends and we shared good times with them, doing a variety of interesting things together.

Beloved decided earlier this week that we really should make more of an effort, hot weather or not. So we put on our ball caps and sunglasses and took a walk down the street to see who we might find.

It was not a wasted effort. Some of our neighbors (who are obviously native to this climate) were sunning themselves on their concrete slab when one of them spied us approaching. He made a move in our direction and then maybe four more followed him just as quickly. That really started a parade and before we knew it, a virtual crowd of them had approached us with expectancy in their eyes.

A handsome black metal fence kept us from getting any closer, so we stopped to watch them and even called out greetings.

Florida turtles

There were so many of them, and they swam quickly in the pond. I couldn't get a good count, but there were at least four whose backs were the size of a lamp table surface (24 inches) and many more smaller ones were the size of dinner plates.

In addition to all of the turtles (smile -- you know I'm playing with you here), there were huge carp (fish). Beloved, who know's his fish, says the carp were easily four feet long. They stayed underwater and could not be photographed easily.

So yes, like the whimsical people we are, efforts were made to converse with them, albeit a one-sided conversation to be sure. I don't know that turtles make any noise.  They eventually figured out we were not distributing edibles for them, so their interest in us waned a bit. Yet, as we strolled to the other end of the pond, most of them followed alongside us in the water.

They were interesting to watch and will be good entertainment when guests come to see  us. Aside from the many tiny geckos (lizards) and occasional itty bitty tree frogs, we've never before this had 'friendly' reptiles for neighbors.