Easter! A Time of Wonder and Amazement!

Life can be difficult at best. It can throw us a lot of punches and pull us in many directions. It often leads us to make choices, some of them good and some of them not so good.

But if we slow down long enough and search to find Jesus, then we can start to see that there is a better way. He is there for us, to walk with us in times of trials and trouble, in times of sadness and grief and He gives us hope that something better awaits those who follow and believe in Him.

And when we humble ourselves to Him, His love and mercy and grace pour out to us and is better than any earthly prize or pleasure.

 And our life can be filled with wonder and amazement, with joy and happiness, with hope and understanding that an eternal life in heaven awaits us if we follow and believe in Him.

On this very special Easter Day, may you know and feel the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and the joy that a relationship with Him brings. May you take pause and understand what He has done for all of us. May His Grace and Mercy flow upon you like a spring breeze and may you look upon His life with wonder and amazement and give Him the praise, honor and glory He so richly deserves.  Happy Easter and my God bless you in all you do!

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die". 

                   Holy Bible  John 11:25-26

Trust!

This pair of Canada Geese have been nesting around my office and they brought out their newest edition to the bird family this past Tuesday. Little geese or goslings as they are known are just the cutest things in the world when they are first born. But they soon grow to awkward and somewhat ugly looking teenagers before they develop their adult plumage. Mom and dad brought these four( one is out of the picture) out for a foraging expedition right by my office window. When I moved to grab the camera and their picture, the parents quickly led them back to the lake for safety. The goslings rely and trust their parents fully until they are grown and able to take care of themselves.

"Relationships of trust depend on our willingness to look not only to our own interests, but also the interest of others."
                         Peter Farquharson

Killdeer!

I arrived at work last Tuesday morning to find my parking space occupied by a Killdeer! Now you may not think much about this but as I pulled up to my normal parking spot I knew by her actions that nesting time was here.

This very protective mother began to try to draw me away from her nest on the ground by acting injured. Since these birds are ground nesters they have developed the defense of distracting would be predators away from the nest by acting like they have a broken wing or some other bodily injury. What predator in their right mind would not go chasing after an injured prey for a quick easy snack. Ah! but as she lures you further away from her nest she gets a litter more healthy and she stays just out of reach of any would be enemy.  Most of the time the predator chases the bird and forgets about the nest or never even knew it was there.

 Below, open nest on the ground with one egg. They usually lay four eggs and they blend into the rocky ground very well.

Mother sitting back on the nest after coast is clear. 

I was really exicted for the opportunity to be able to watch the whole nesting, hatching, rearing event take place right outside my office but I am sad to report that the nest was raided by some predator, be it crows, dogs, raccoons, or some other critter. After she laid the second egg on Wednesday the nest was empty of all eggs on Thursday morning. No doubt she will try to nest again, hopefully this time in a safer place. Good luck little mom! Oh Yea! That is not my camera causing the red eye! She really does have a red ring around her eyes.    Ha Ha!          How amazing and beautiful!  

"Birds are indicators of the enviornment. If they are in trouble, we know we'll soon be in trouble."
   Roger Tory Peterson(1908-1996): American Naturalist, Ornithologist, Artist, Educator

Getting Attention!

We all need a certain amount of attention, some of us more than others. But sometimes it doesn't pay to draw attention to ones self unless you can handle the consequences! When this Cougar looked directly at me, I wasn't sure I wanted the attention! For some reason, I suddenly felt like dinner. Ha Ha!

I took this shot at the wildlife habitat at Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina.

"To get the attention of a large animal, be it an elephant or a bureaucracy, it helps to know what part of it feels pain. Be very sure, though, that you want its full attention."

Kelvin Throop-Fictional charactor and pseudonym for R.A.J. Phillips(1922-2003): Canadian Author

Dandelion

"If dandelions were hard to grow, they would be most welcome on any lawn."
       Andrew V. Mason. M.D.

Albino Cowbird!

Now I have witnessed albinos in several animal species but I have never seen and albino cowbird, until now! This one paid a visit to my feeders along with all of its cousins, aunts and uncles. It doesn't take them long to clean out a feeder full of seed.

"You just never know what you are going to see in nature."
            Randy J. Schultz

"The hardest struggle of all is to be something different from what the average man is."
            Charles M. Schwab (1862-1939): American Steel Magnate

A Cup of Blessing!

 Well I had a little fog on my lens when I snapped this shot but I thought it was still worthy of sharing just because it looked so lovely.

But when I looked away and turned back to the flower a few seconds later, look who paid a visit! A Sulphur Butterfly decided to adorn an already beautiful flower and make it even more worthy of sharing. How awesome to witness first hand a relationship in God's natural world as it was meant to be. The butterfly seeks the flower for its nectar; we seek it for its beauty. I think God must smile when two of His own come together at the same time and recognize our seperate need for His wonderful creation!

"Never lose and opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful; for beauty is God's handwriting-a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing."
     Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882): American Philosopher, Essayist and Poet

Dumpster Diving Squirrel ?

Well I pulled up to the park the other day just in time to see this Grey Squirrel go dumpster diving for lunch. Now I know this sounds weird but look at the pics above and see for yourself. I guess this squirrel has just gotten tired of eating acorns everyday or maybe the acorns have all been eaten since there is a rather large population of squirrels in this park. Either way, I was amazed to watch this squirrel  come out with a chicken wing of all things. I was even more amazed as it climbed the nearest tree and gnawed off the rather sauced up meat. It just goes to show what I always say, "That you just never know what you may see in nature!" Sorry the shots are not the best but I pushed the limit of my lens to just get these. While not the best photos, they do represent the rare opportunity to see nature uncensored.

"The peace of nature and of the innocent creatures of God seems to be secure and deep, only so long  as the presence of man and his restless and unquiet spirit are not there to trouble its sanctity."
      Tomas De Quincey (1821-1856): English Author and Intellectual

A Ray of Beauty!

"Flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty outvalues all the utilities of the world."

        Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882): Philosopher, Poet, Author, Essayist