Archive for February, 2010
Sunday Blessings
For some reason I just cannot get the whole graphic in here, but the bottom says, “God Bless.” And I mean that. God Bless you and yours
It actually got up into the mid 40’s today. Before we ate dinner tonight, my husband accompanied me to the back yard where we replaced the old finch feeder with the new one and filled it with fresh nyger seed. I replaced the suet in the suet feeder, put water in the bird bath.
The mealworm feeder was empty, and while I refilled it, kept wondering where the bluebirds have been lately. I haven’t seen them in a while. While we ate dinner, my husband and I enjoyed watching a downey woodpecker at the new suet cake. I actually think my husband is catching my “bird watching itis.” Oh goody!
I was blessed with a great Sunday and I hope you were as well.
It Is Another Day
And another celebration of my many years on this earth. I love birthdays that go beyond the actual date. Yippee, it means 2 celebrations for me. And, it means more presents for me too.
So what did I get today, besides a great dinner at my favorite restaurant? My grandchildren pooled their funds and got me a new bird bath heater for my heated bird bath.
I am just so blessed to have friends and a loving family. Who could ever ask for more?
I Love Birthdays
I especially like them when they are mine. Everyone knows exactly what to get me. Today was my birthday and feel like the Queen for the Day. I have a brand new bird house, and a brand new bird feeder.
I can’t wait for the spring thaw so my husband can mount the bluebird house. The feeder is got is one I have been wanting for a long time. It is a NO-NO (brand name) finch feeder like the one in the picture. I can’t wait to fill it and get it hung where I can watch the Goldfinches, purple finches and house finches.
What a great day, and we are celebrating it tomorrow. Who knows what tomorrow may bring.
Had To Laugh At This
“There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.” - Robert Lynd
Why did I have to laugh, you ask? The birds aren’t doing much building right now - not yet, but they are being very enterprising. It has been snowing here all day, and they have been digging dilligently all day at the window bird feeder to remove the snow and at the platform feeder to get down under the snow to get to their food.
Seems, that once they find their food source, they just keep on coming back. However, I will not agree on this day that they have left the landscape as it was - just not so at all!
Mrs. Fix-It
The other day when I was sweeping out the garage and rearranging the snow shovels and cleaning off the shelves to make room for the gloves and hats we are not finished with yet, I ran across an old wooden bird house that I had put there for repairs. It is a wren house to be exact.
I proceded to the basement where I cleaned it out and off with some warm water and a few drops of clorox for disinfecting, and from there to my husband’s workbench. I found the proper hammer and nails to secure it all back together and took it out in the bright sunshine to dry thoroughly.
It is now safely back in the house awaiting a day in the very near future when I will hang the little wooden bird house outside. Here’s hoping that Mrs. Wren will find it as attractive as I do and will make it a cozy place to raise the little wrens this spring and summer.
Spread Your Wings
“He who has imagination without learning, has wings and no feet.” Joseph Joubert
Imagination: Webster defines it as, “the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality; creative ability and the creation of the mind”.
I have used the quote and the definition before because I think it is imperative that we all allow the God-given creativity to run rampid. Did you ever let your imagination go a little wild - let the creative juices flow? I think we all have. It’s when we have the vision and don’t follow through that we crash and burn. The wings spread wide, we take off, and then at the first sign of turbulence come tumbling down.
We have a couple of choices after the crash. I choose to pick myself off, brush myself off and spread those wings again, taking with me the lessons learned from the previous failures. The alternative, well, I won’t even go there right now, as I am imagining a week filled with challenges and new beginnings, a wonderful walk in the woods with my binoculars, a trip to the ice rink with my grandchildren where I will see some bird species that don’t regularly visit my hopper bird feeder, and a glorious day on Thursday and Friday even though there is a snow storm in the forecast- spread those wings!!
We’re Taking a Tour
What a beautiful Sunday. The temperatures were well into the 40’s, and lots of snow melted away. Needless to say, I had to get out and enjoy the warm air, the afternoon rays that were actually warm. I took a tour of the yard for the first time since our huge snow storms. At some points, I was still calf deep in snow, but I did it anyway.
Come on, take a walk with me. You won’t get tired as we have to stop and be very still and quiet from time to time so we can identify the visitors along the way. We’ll only do part of it today and finish it later.
It all starts at the back door where the bluebirds visit the mealworm feeder but wouldn’t be caught while we are here. Right next to it is the platform feeder. The cardinals, doves, finches and others empty it every day. This morning there was a blue jay happily sitting there. They don’t like it when it’s windy, but today the air was still. The blue jay is a member of the crow family and his bold and gregarious nature actually scares the other birds away so I don’t get too excited when I see him.
After we pass the heated bird bath, it’s time to stop and rest and watch so we don’t disturb the two downy woodpeckers - one on each of my two caged suet feeders. And right next to them is a finch feeder which is full of niger seed, but no visitors at the moment. On the tree practically upside down is a nuthatch patiently awaiting his turn at the suet while pecking away at the tree trunk where he probably has some niblets stored in the bark. OK, rest time is over and up the hill we trudge to the caged bird feeder and mesh bird feeder. Let’s rest now, and we’ll complete the walk another day. Below is a nuthatch and a downy woodpecker.
True Or False
Actually it might just be wishful thinking, but as we approach the beginning of March, I start looking for signs. As I get older I look harder I think, so what I see can be so subtle.
The bradford pear trees are developing little buds on them. The Goldfinch is showing little tiny bits of yellow again, and I actually saw the color from a distance through my binoculars as he munched away on the mesh bird feeder. There was a robin in the snow and mulch under the weeping cherry tree which is also showing signs of some minute but visible growth.
And, a friend sent me the picture below, indicating that now that she can see the deer coming across the field, spring must be just around the corner.
It Is All In The Way We Perceive It
The news headlines still seem focused on the economy. It is so easy for all of us to lose sight of some the promises that have been made to us. Yesterday, when it all seemed to be caving in on me, and I needed the solace of His Word, I received this passage in an email. It was if it dropped in on the wings of an eagle:
“So I tell you, don’t worry about everyday life– whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not. And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith! So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs, and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.” Matthew 6:25-33
Today, as I watched the cardinals feeding at the platform feeder at daybreak, I counted my many blessings and said thanks. Have a wonderful Sunday.
At Least One A Day
I hope I’m not being too repetitive here. The aggrivation, the awe of it is just worth talking about.
When I look out into my backyard, I expect to see some bird activity somewhere. And, when I look out, and see absolutely none, then I automatically reach for my trusty binoculars, knowing full well what I am going to see at the other end.
The imposing presence of a red tailed hawk is what I find. He’s not doing anything. He is just perched on the fence or the tree top simply being present. It amazes and awes me every time that the finches, snow birds, chickadees and cardinals know he is there and won’t come to play in the yard at the bird feeders. The hawk presents a threat to all of them, and they sense that and stay tucked safely away in their hiding places. Isn’t mother nature just amazing?