Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: 21st. Birthday, Birthdays, Birthdays Are Special, Dad, Family, Family Pictures, Family time, Family Traditions, Good Times, Happy Birthday, Passage of Time, Proud American, Proud Father, Son, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Time, Time flies, Time in a bottle
2023 is definitely off to a quick start for me. Back to work is an understatement… But certain things slow you down to pay homage and reflect on. Like my son turning 21 this past week ❤️ Milestones like this really make you reflect. Saying “time flies” just doesn’t tell the story, but in a way it does sum it up… Time is such an illusion. It slips right through our grasp and pours through our fingers, and we can never get it back. We have had a lot of time well spent together! I’ve made a point to spend as much time as possible with my family and with my son over the past 21 years! And the only regrets I can think of are the few things we didn’t get to do… YET! I feel very blessed to have him in my life and I look forward to what the future may bring.

The future looks bright for my little (6’3”) 21 year old son. What an impressive man he has become. 🙏🏻❤️
Sunday brunch and coffee are forthcoming ☕️ 🍳
“Time is the most valuable thing a man can spend” ~ Theophrastus
Have a great Sunday!
~ Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: 2023, A New Year, Blank Canvas, Clean Slate, Family Traditions, Happy 2023, Happy New Year!, Love, New Years Dinner, New Years Quotes, New Years Resolutions, New Years Traditions, Ringing In The New Year, Southern Traditions, The Open Road, Traditional, Traditional Meal, Traditions, Viva La’ Tradition
Another New Year = A clean slate. A blank canvas. An open road of possibilities! I for one am excited for the opportunities that 2023 brings…

The future is what we make of it… You hear that a lot… & in my experience, it rings true! Lets make 2023 the best year yet!
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
~ Benjamin Franklin
💥Happy New Year!💥
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw
Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775
Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery/
Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Love, music, Sunsets, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Baby Jesus, Christmas, Christmas Countdown, Christmas decorations, Christmas Gifts, Christmas is Coming, Christmas Lights, Christmas List, Christmas Love, Christmas Magic, Christmas Music, Christmas Season, Christmas Songs, Christmas Spirit, Christmas Tree, Christmas with Family, Christmas Zen, Family, Family Breakfast, Family Dinner, Family Fun, Family Recipe, Family time, Family Traditions, Friends and Family, God, God Bless, God Bless America, Gods Country, I Love My Family, Jesus, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas Y'all, The Reason For The Season, What is Christmas All About
I’m up early, getting ready for our annual family Christmas Eve Dinner 🥘 In just a few hours we will have about 20 house guests including at least 4 dogs 🐕 🤩 Christmas music, movies, pie 🥧… It’s always nice to spend time with your family ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful day & an even better evening and night! 🎅🏼 And, Here’s to all the good boys and girls out there! Merry Christmas 🎄

A Visit from St. Nicholas
By: Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”
Have a Wonderful Christmas Eve!
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Waterfalls | Tags: Christmas Countdown, Christmas is Coming, Christmas Magic, Christmas Season, Christmas Spirit, Christmas with Family, Coffee, Family, Family Traditions, Holiday Season, Love, Snow, Snow Day, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays
22 degrees this morning when I went down to the Chicken coop… 🥶 Cold, frosty morning with a beautiful Sunrise 🌅 Today marks 1 week till Christmas 🎄 So I don’t really mind the cold right now, it adds to the feeling of the season 🎅🏼 But, it’s fixing to get even colder… And, maybe snow ❄️ Did someone say White Christmas? It may just be in the cards… ❄️

As I write this blog, I’m sitting behind the wheel of my truck waiting on Jo to re-emerge from Krogers… Needed supplies for a Christmas party this afternoon 🎅🏼
As soon as we get back, Breakfast! More coffee ☕️ then it’s back to it! Merry Christmas 🎄
The lakes are covered with ice;
Our trees are full with frost.
It seems as a good nice winter,
but one thing, one thing is lost.
~The Snow-The Snow-The Snow!
The fireplace is a cracklin’,
the moon is full and bright.
The stars are just there twinklin’,
It seems as a perfect night.
But what is there missing?
Maybe the perfect sound?
Nothing but the wind gusts,
blowing the snow around.
The fire goes out;
the babies start cryin’,
The wind picks up;
I start smilin’.
Could it be?
Finally some snow!?
I looked out the window to see a dimming glow.
I drank my hot chocolate,
which warmed my body.
Then, like a lion, I jumped into bed,
and slept.
When the light had shown in,
I sprung out of bed.
So quick, she heard me, my mom said.
I looked outside, and saw no brown.
The ground was bright!
The ground was white!
Whiter than the whitest of rice,
Whiter than the cotton like clouds of the sky.
Maybe, just maybe, winter would be pretty nice!
~ Jocelyn Larrabee
Have a great Sunday! 🎄❄️🎅🏼
~ Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Waterfalls | Tags: Christmas is Coming, Christmas Magic, Christmas Season, Christmas Spirit, Family, Family Pictures, Family time, Family Traditions, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays
Merry Christmas 🎄 I have found myself becoming more and more in the Spirit of the season this year! We have been decorating around the place on a daily basis… Add to that all the food and party’s and plans being made, This year has felt more “Christmasy” than normal 🎅🏼

We still have LOTS to do before the big family get together, but I’m good with that! It’s 2 weeks until Christmas Day! 😮 Wow right… Be ready!
Christmas is Coming! 🎅🏼

“Christmas gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us.”
~ David Cameron
Have a great day!
~ Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Love, music, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Waterfalls | Tags: Family, Family time, Family Traditions, Friends and Family, God Bless, Grateful, Gratitude, Happy Thanksgiving, Love, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sunsets, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Decorations, Thanksgiving is Coming, The Presence of God, Time, Time flies, Time in a bottle, Time Off
Time is so funny… Sometimes it drags on & other times it goes by so fast that you miss things. I say it all the time, but it seems like this year has gone by quicker than any year before 💨 Turn around and boom 💥 it’s Thanksgiving! We are hosting our family dinner here in a few days, so we have been busy straitening up, decorating and basically getting ready 🦃

After all these years of living and working and doing, the one thing I have figured out is, you have to be grateful for your blessings 🙏🏻 (Ps: I’m still working on it 😊)
With my hectic schedule it’s easy to push on and take things for granted just to get through this day and to the next… But you miss so many things in that process, the most important things. God, family, friends, rest, health & happiness can be glossed over and left in your wake… Maybe it’s like the spirit that comes over you at Christmas 🎅🏼 you want everyday to feel like that. ⭐️ Thanksgiving can be the same. I’m going to try to let my Gratitude exceed my expectations everyday and see what happens ❤️
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
~ William Arthur Ward
Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 to Everyone!
~ Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Waterfalls | Tags: #Theresnoplacelikehome, Aquatic Plant Design, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Design, Design Consultation, Design Ideas, Design/Build, Designer, Designing Waterfalls, Family time, Family Traditions, I Love My Family, Jackson Tennessee, Knoxville TN, Koi Pond Designer, Landscape Design, Landscape Designer, Miss TN, Professional Water Feature Designer, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Sunsets, Tennessee, There’s No Place Like Home, TN, Water Garden Design, waterfall design, Waterscape, Watershaper, Watershaping, West TN
I have been on the road for the past few days doing some out of town Water Feature Design work. My travels have taken me into middle and eastern Tennessee, up into the mountains ⛰ What a beautiful state we live in ❤️ I Love TN! To top it all off, the TN VOLS 🏈 finally broke a loosing streak to Alabama and beat them at home in Knoxville! 🏈💥
Now it’s back down the mountain, across the plateau and the TN River to West Tn… and to quote the old saying “There is NO place like home!”

“Its great to be back
after many places we did roam.
no greater truth has been said,
than..theres no place like home
sacred sanctuary and my familiar bed,
soft blankets and comfy pillows that
that mould so knowingly,
to the shape of your head.
food cooked just like I want
rooms set up to my taste,
cupboards for me to rummage in
and stack up neatly, what I purchased.
plants to say hello to,
flowers to greet me smilingly
not to forget my darling doggy
who licks me welcomes me so beguingly
ah the pleasure and comfort of my home
can not be compared to any other
the feeling when you enter your home
is like a child being embraced by its mother.
holidays are fun and are required
they serve to remind you well.
after you have had fun and travelled,
its great to be back where you dwell
though it takes a lot of love and labour
to make a home that that you can be proud
theres no place like home
I will say it again
I will say it hearfelt and loud.”
~ Arti Chopra
Have a great Sunday!
~ Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Hummingbirds, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pondless Waterfalls, Sunday Reflections, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Celebration, Coffee, Daily Blog, Daily Enjoyment, Daily Ritual, Daily Routine, Day Off, Family, Family time, Family Traditions, Feeding Birds, Feeding Koi, Feeding the Soul, Feeding Time, Fish Feeding, Friday Off, Garden Chores, Happy Labor Day, Holiday, Labor Day, Labor Day Weekend, Life is Good, Living the Life Abundant, Morning Coffee, Nursery Work, Saturday off, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Gardening, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, Time Off, Watering Plants, Weekend Off, Work Life Balance
Labor Day Weekend… It’s definitely nice to enjoy a few days off! There are still things that we have to do of course, but since we live at the Nursery & Gardens we also work for a living… It’s just another day in our routine…
Or is it?

I was reflecting on my labor in life, and In many ways my labor is my life… I mean, I literally live at the Nursery/Farm that I work for a living… There are no days off when there are plants to water (or they die!) and animals to feed & water (or they suffer &/or die)! So I have done what anyone in my situation has to do, I have embraced it wholeheartedly! And I LOVE my Family! My ‘everyday’ Lifestyle! And I LOVE MY Job! ❤️
“He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.
He who works with his hands and his head and his heart is an artist.”
~ Saint Francis of Assisi
Happy Labor Day 🇺🇸 to everyone that Labor’s out there! I hope you love your job too! 🙏🏻
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Hummingbirds, Love, music, Outdoor Lifestyles, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets | Tags: Blessed, Blessings, Carters Nursery Pond and Patio, Celebration, Closed for the Holiday, Day Off, Family, Family Fun, Family Pictures, Family time, Family Traditions, God Bless America, Happy Labor Day, Holiday, I Love My Family, Jackson Tennessee, Labor Day, Labor Day Weekend, Sorry We’re Closed, Sorry We’re Open, Time Off, Weekend Off
The hard working guys and gals at Carters Nursery Pond & Patio want to wish you ALL a Happy Labor Day Weekend! 🇺🇸 We will be closed in observance of the holiday so the whole team can get a break at the “official” end to a Long Hot Summer season! We will be closed – Friday, September 2nd. Through Monday, September 5th. We will reopen Tuesday the 6th at our regular hours (8-5).

Have a great weekend!
God Bless America! 🇺🇸
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
Filed under: Family time, Food, Fountains, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Koi, Koi Ponds, Lake and Pond, Landscaping & Gardening, Love, music, Nursery, Outdoor Lifestyles, Pond Tips, Pondless Waterfalls, Sunday Reflections, Sunrises, Sunsets, Videos, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: CAC, Certified Aquascape Contractor, Chicagoland, educational workshop, Extended Family, Family Traditions, Greg Wittstock, Master CAC, Master Certified Aquascape Contractor, Sunday, Sunday Breakfast, Sunday Brunch, Sunday Gardening, Sunday in the Garden, Sunday Inspiration, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Sunday Mornings, Sunday Naps, Sunday on the River, Sunday Poem, Sunday Quote, Sunday Reflections, Sunday Songs, Sunday Sunrises, Sunday with Family, Sundays, There’s No Place Like Home
This Summer has just flown by for me… I must be having fun right 😊 Most Sundays are family days. Eat breakfast together, spend time together, etc… Today is both different and the same 💭 Today my wife and I are at a work conference that we attend yearly for training and CEU points for our certification as Pond/Water Garden Specialist. We have been working and training with some of these folks for well over 20 years… So many of these folks are like an extended family!

An extended family I have
I am so glad
To have you all
I feel ten feet tall
And I give you my all
If you need
You will not have to plead
I will feel glee
If I can give you what you need
There is no need
For you plead
My love for you all is a guarantee
Let me know you are in need
And I will be there in lightning speed
To help you all in your time of need
So remember there is no need
To plea
I will help you in time of need
~ Keith Wells
~ Mark C.