. Thursday, December 22, 2011 .
This time of year is always so crazy that we just simple don;t make the time to sit and enjoy the simple things around us. So today while Mark and Emmy are out shopping and Michael is busy with Mindcraft I have a cup of tea, some chocolates and my camera and we are posted at the kitchen window. The other day Ms Renee gave me some star suet bird feeders. I put them out under the pergola and the birds have loved them. They are almost all gone. These were just some of our visitors this morning. I am sorta bummed that there were no Blue jays. The woods behind Skyler's are full of them. I can see and hear them but I haven't found what will entice them to come to our table for a visit. I'll keep trying.

Does anyone have any idea what this little lovely is?  Kathy tells me that this is a tufted titmouse.

A very regal Morning dove.

Mark's favorite...a Carolina wren

female Cardinal

A very feisty male Cardinal

Another one of those cute little grey birds.

Wren's backside

I think this is some type of finch.

Maybe tomorrow I will put out lots of sunflower seeds and some pieces of apple, the just maybe the Jays will come.

When I think of birds I think of Mr Mockabee from Mt Washington Baptist Church.  He always sang one of my favorite old school hymns, His Eye Is On The Sparrow.  I sure do miss his sweet smile and his joyful voice.  He touched my heart.

Winged Visitors

. Saturday, September 17, 2011 .
Days have gone by and I see this plant just hanging around.  And then today I don't know why but it feels like such a gift to me. It might be the purple color that reminds me of the drape on the cross at Easter or how the skin of the pod is transparent...kinda like God can see thru our skin into what is important inside.   This vine has come to the end of it's season just like someday we all will come to the end of ours.  I hope that I  will have been able to let others see what is important to me on the inside by letting it grow all around me on the outside.

Silly Gift

. Monday, September 5, 2011 .

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!
Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing... Never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom
apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he
said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he
really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your
Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of
imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything,
and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what
I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults -
and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most
important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today... That you will learn to take the good,
the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God.
Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a
relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal - breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base
of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent - child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.


I borrowed this from a friend on FB

The Gift of Burnt Biscuits

. Saturday, August 27, 2011 .
I get so excited when kids gets excited!  I love the looks on their faces and I love the tone in their voices.  Yesterday morning Luke came running over on his way to the bus stop to tell us  about the 'poisonous' praying mantis that was in the crack in their sidewalk.  He (the praying mantis) was so small.  I picked him up and moved him to higher ground so he wouldn't get stepped on.  Doodles was fascinated with it.  So much to that we made several trips to Ms Renee's house to check on him to make sure he was okay.  I love it when you learn something new about something you thought you knew  everything about.   I didn't know they could be brown with green legs.  Or that the little spike things are really dangerous because they are so sharp they can cut you.  And they are not poisonous (I already knew that)  But the wonder of little minds and just being able to sit as watch as the wheels turn and their brains are able to come up with the questions..that is what I live for.  I am blessed to be able to have little ones around me daily.  I hope I never get to old to appreciate the wonders of these unbelievable creatures God has put in my path...I mean the two legged ones.

Small Wonders...Of Every Kind

. Wednesday, August 24, 2011 .
A few years ago we ordered some praying mantis eggs.  We waited and waited and waited and finally one day they hatched.  Millions of little brown praying mantis babies hatched  in the window sill.  I have see a few that are brown and about 3 inches long and I am wondering if those could be some of our babies.  The today Doodles got so excited when she saw this green one.  I wold have missed it if not for her pure joy.  The next thing out of her mouth...'Wammy, hurry, go get you camera and take some pictures.'  And so we did.  She even had me catch it so she could touch it.  It's just the little things that make me smile!  I am glad that I can still see things thru the eyes of children.  It is what keeps me young.

Praying Mantis

. Monday, August 22, 2011 .
I am so thankful that these birds remind me of a time in our lives when we were first married. It seems like so long ago but the lessons that we learned we will keep with us always. Because of a family business going under we were forced to really think about what was top priority in our lives.  Putting food on the table and keeping a roof over our heads were tops on that list.  I can remember many time when I wasn't sure I could eat another green bean from our garden.  Mark's aunts sent us some of the cheese the government was giving them.  We mixed up instant milk and put it in the milk jugs so the kids would not know what they were drinking.  Several friends would show up with pies and cobblers (the recipes I use today).  We would be invited out for dinner.  dinners would appear at our front door.  It was a very humbling time.

A retired postal worker would always ask me how things were going and he would hug me and give me a hand full of dollars and tell me to go to the store and get the babies something good to eat.  I know that these people and this time made a lasting impression on me.  I am always looking for ways to help others.  I know I have been there and I know what they are experiencing.  I know it is not easy.  It is so hard to accept the goodness of others when you feel so embarrassed.  But that is okay.  Lessons are learned.



Even with the birds that are in our backyard.  I feed them and take care of them because it is my way to give back.  Might sound silly but they are important too.  I get hours of entertainment from them.  They make me take time to sit to rest and reflect.  I think you can always find a lesson in everything around you if you just look.  And there are many opportunities for us as a family to give back and help others.  It makes me feel like I listened to what God was trying to tell me and now it is my turn to help someone hear what He is saying to them.

We have been truly blessed over the years and I hope God will tell me the job He had for me on earth...that I did well.

Dinner Time

. Sunday, August 21, 2011 .
I guess that this summer I have been a little more observant of my surroundings. I sit and watch the funny hummingbirds out the kitchen window during breakfast. We now have five and each has their own personality and look. And they are like crazy road rage drivers. They dive bomb each other on the feeders at the window. Sometimes they even crash into the window. I expect that one day I will see one 'playing' dead on the patio.



One day I will be able to photograph them and they will be crisp and clear instead of fuzzy.  Someday...


We have a pair of cardinals that pick out the sunflower seeds from the feeder.

I think the squirrels sit and wait for me to put food in the bird feeders.  As soon as I get inside they are up and chowing down.  This one is pretty healthy I'd say.

I worry about this little fellow.  He is so thin and scratching all the time like he has fleas.

He just doesn't took to healthy to me.  He even let me get really close this morning.  I'm just a little scared of this one.

I am so thankful that I am able to sit and just watch "nature'...as Michael calls it...out the kitchen window.  The little kids love it as much as I do.  They get excited when a hummingbird comes to the feeder.  They are always wanting to feed the birds and they will lay for hours watching the squirrels and chipmunk eat seeds out of the feed off the family room.  I am amazed that God was so creative in making all they types of animals that we can see.  The colors, body structures, how they work, all the textures and colors, how they move in the world together.  Boggles my mind. And I am thankful for that gift and the gift of being able to sit at my kitchen window everyday.

It's Just The Little Things

. Tuesday, May 24, 2011 .


My Mother's Hands



My Mother's hands are tired and worn
The skin is cracked, the wrinkles are deep;
The knuckles are swollen and red with pain
"Years of labor of love" is the message emitted.
~ ~ ~
Though her hands appear unattractive
And though they are wrinkled with age;
These were the hands that once lifted me up
To face life with determination and courage.
~ ~ ~
Though her hands are now so very weak
These same hands wiped away my tears;
They comforted me in my hour of need,
And soothed away my childhood fears.
~ ~ ~
These were the hands that wiped my brow
When fever raged and health was not whole;
Her comforting words and her loving touch
Brought healing to body, mind, and soul.
~ ~ ~
Now tired and worn with bulging veins
Her hands are unappealing and seem useless,
But these were the hands that washed my clothes
And showed me the path of self-forgetfulness.
~ ~ ~
My Mother's hands reached out for others
And ministered to those who were not well,
Her loving hands tended to all their needs,
Indeed, her old hands have a great story to tell.
~ ~ ~
My Mother's hands folded in prayer for
The God of Heaven to watch over her family
And keep them safe from the evil one
And finally be saved for all eternity.
~ ~ ~
Many of her prayers were answered for
They moved the Arm that moves the world.
Her prayers had always been for
Daily needs and the salvation of souls.
~ ~ ~
My Mother's hands reached out to Glory
And clasped the hand of her loving Savior
Who died for her on the cross of Calvary
And showed her tender mercy and loving favor.
~ ~ ~
Now resting in Jesus, peaceful and sweet
My Sweet Mother, wrinkled, tired and worn
Had ceased from her labors on this earth
Soon to be awakened in the Resurrection morn.
~ ~ ~
Then, in Heaven and in the Earth Made New
My Mother's hands would once more
Resume their labor of love in
Serving Jesus her King forevermore.


Copyrighted © Lydia Haga 2004
 
 



My Mother's Hands

. Wednesday, April 27, 2011 .
Pink is my favorite color of this time of the spring for so many different reasons.

Pink

. Monday, February 7, 2011 .
Look what Mark found this morning!  Spring is just around the corner.  I will be sad to see all the snow melt away.  It amazes me that God is so smart that he came up with all the stuff that surrounds us...all colors, sizes, shapes, smells, textures...blows my mind.  I'm sure glad he did!

Refreshing My Soul

. Sunday, January 23, 2011 .
The sky was such a happy Robin egg blue today. And how fitting that a Robin should be sunning in the tree. It was so nice to see after having such cold, windy and grey days around here. Kinda put a little pep back in my step.

Robin Egg Blue

. Saturday, January 1, 2011 .
I am going to have to do some research on this nest. I am praying that it is a hummingbird nest. Finding a hummingbird nest in the woods is one of those things that has been on My Bucket List for a long time. Yesterday we were driving around Adams County looking for the "Clothesline of Quilts" mural trail. I was looking out the window and spotted this. I couldn't make Mark understand that it was very important that he stop and backup to check it out. So this afternoon I will be doing research to see if indeed I have in my hot little hands a hummingbird nest. Oh please, please let it be so!

A Small Nest