BlueJay

"Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still."
Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) : American Documentary Photographer, Photojournalist

Well I usually don't get many BlueJays to my feeders. I guess they don't care much for the small stuff! But when I put a handfull of dog food on this bench, it didn't take them long to clean it up, starting with the biggest pieces first. I guess because they are so plentiful here in the south we often take BlueJays for granted, but they really are a beautiful bird when you take a closer look.

Armadillo

Well these are not one of my favorite critters but they are one of God's creation. I just don't see why God made some things and this is sure one of those. Ha Ha! So I guess we just have to put up with their digging in our yards and making a passel of doodles and mini potholes all over the place in their search for grubs, worms and other insects.

"If God has created the world, his primary worry was certainly not to make its understanding easy for us."
          Albert Einstein (1879-1955):German born Theoretical Physicists and Nobel Prize Winner



And Spring Arose!

Beautiful spring blossoms at Bay Springs Lake in North Mississippi.

"And Spring arose on the garden fair,
Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;
And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast
rose from the dreams of it's wintery rest."
   Percy Bysshe Shelley(1792-1822): English Poet

Bad Moon Rising!

I hope everyone noticed the rather large moon over the weekend. Wow! Was it impressive or what? They say the moon was the closest point to the earth in 18 years and from the looks of it at Moon Rise, I believe they must have been right. I couldn't help but remember the song written by John Fogerty with Creedence Clearwater Revival titled "Bad Moon Rising".

"When I admire the wonder of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in worship of the Creator."
        Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948): Indian Philosopher

American Robin!

Well the American Robin is one of the first birds that move northward in late February to early March after spending the winter mostly along the warmer climes close to and around the Gulf of Mexico. They begin showing up a few at a time and then they just seem to be everywhere. If there was ever a saying that applied to a bird, the following definitely applies to the Robin. I have watched as many a Robin pulled a juicy earth worm from the grass in my yard in February and March.

"The early bird gets the worm."

        American Proverb

Brown and Bare!

The trees and shrubs are showing that first sign of life after a long, cold and snowy winter in the deep south. The buds are emerging from their winter hiding place and each day brings a little more to see.


Yesterday the twig was brown and bare;
To-day the glint of green is there;
Tomorrow will be leaflets spare;
I know no thing so wondrous fair
No miracle so strangely rare.
I wonder what will next be there!
     L.H.Bailey(1858-1954): American Horticulturists, Botnists

Cooper's Hawk

Well the birds have been wearing my feeders out with all the cold and snowy weather we have had this winter and I knew it was just a matter of time before the local predators noticed all the activity. Sorry this is not a very good shot but as with most things in nature, you just have to take what is offered. This Cooper's Hawk flew up in the oak tree above where I was refilling the feeders and stayed there long enough for me to go in the house and grab this quick shot through the window before it flew off again. Needless to say, the birds scattered for a while until the coast was clear again.

"The bird hunting a locust is unaware of the hawk hunting him."
               Proverb Quote

Radiance!

" and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory."

         Holy Bible, Ezekiel 43:2

First Sign of Spring!

Well after a winter that has brought us 4 measurable snows in north Mississippi, everyone is looking for that early spring. There are a lot of different signs folks use to indicate spring is on the way, but one sign that is universal in the south is watching for the first flowers to bloom. That usually without fail is the Daffodils of which there are many varieties. One such variety in the southern U.S. is the Jonquill or Johnny Quills as my grandma used to call them. When they burst out of their winter hybernation, you can rest assured that spring will not be far behind. It doesn't mean we may not have more cold weather and yes even a flurry or two has been know to fall after they bloom, but in general terms, "Spring has Sprung".

"Look at us, said the violets blooming at her feet, all last winter we slept in the seeming death but at the right time God awakened us, and here we are to comfort you."
    Edward Payson Rod
    

Abrams Falls!

Access to Abrams Falls is located at the back end of the Cades Cove Loop Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is on Abrams Creek and you get to it by hiking Abrams Falls Trail which begins at a gravel parking area just off the Cades Cove Loop Road. It is a moderate trail of about 2.5 miles one way and follows the creek to this most beautiful waterfall. It is a perfect place to take the family and have a picnic lunch around the pool that surrounds the lower side of the falls. It is about a 31/2 to 4 hour roundtrip hike and you will want to spend some time just admiring the falls. This shot was taken on Feb 19th, 2011 and the flow was good due to the heavy snow melting in the high country.

              We Must Go

"Streams are the arteries of the earth; 
and waterfalls are the adrenaline 
that turns a slow and placid flow
into that incredible and beautiful rush
that awakens every sense 
God gave to man.

For what man or beast can,
upon hearing the first hint
of rushing water as it roars
over ageless rocks,
resist its temptation.

We must go,
and smell its' freshness,
lay eyes upon its' beauty, 
put hand and feet to its' cool
and warm embrace.

We must go,
and give ear to listen
to its' music made,
to taste its' sweetness,
to admire its' grandeur,
to refresh our soul." 
        Randy J. Schultz  

Would You Raise My Kids?

Now most of us don't care much for moochers and although I am somewhat partial to birds, I do find fault with a few species and the Brown Headed Cowbird is one such variety. I guess they are harmless and you may disagree but I find them to be greedy, bossy, nosey, intolerant of others, selfish, pushy, lazy and to top it all off come nesting time if they can't find a nest requiring little if any work, then they just lay their eggs in the nest of another specie. Then they let what ever unlucky couple it happens to be raise their young for them. Now who wouldn't like that kind of a deal, except for the poor birds having to raise the voracious eaters. Nature is an amazing thing! I have known a few of the attributes of the Cowbird to exist in some of our human friends, thus the following quote:

"Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you."

      H. Jackson Brown, Jr. - American Writer

Street Sign Confusion?

Many things in life come at us that are a little confusing to say the least! I drove past these signs before I realized the confusing directions they were sending. I am sure some one had good intentions when they put these signs up but they certainly didn't stop long enough to look at them nor consider the mixed directions they implied.

"Confusion is a word we have invented for an order which is not understood."

             Henry Miller (1891-1980):American Novelist and Painter

Death by Deception?

Well I am just continually amazed at what one can see in nature if you just look around. I happened by this Great Blue Heron as he plucked this tasty morsel out of the Tennessee River at Pickwick State Park. I saw him grab the snack and turn it and drop it and I first thought he was playing with it but he picked it up and dropped it again and kind of tossed it in the air and I knew something was amiss. I then grabbed my camera and took this quick shot before I realized that this Great Blue Heron had picked up a plastic fishing worm some fisherman had left lying on a rock. I guess this ole bird was having a real difficult time trying to decide whether to eat this or not. I watched for a couple of minutes and then moved on leaving the bird still playing with the fake worm. While this was humorous at first, I later realized that this bird had been deceived. It looked like a worm, it kinda felt like a worm, but it was sure tough. Then I thought what if he actually swallowed the fake lure, would he be able to digest the thing? If he couldn't, would that be the death of him? We take so many things for granted and I am sure the fisherman that left the worms lying on the rock had no idea a bird would come along and try to eat it, but proof is in the picture. We all should be careful as to not do things that could adversely impact any wildlife. Fishing line, bottle caps, plastic and yes, even plastic fishing lures have the potential to harm one of God's creatures.

"Do not bite at the bait of pleasure, till you know there is no hook beneath it."

Thomas Jefferson(1743-1846): Founding Father, Principle author of the Declaration of Independence, 3rd U.S. President

Persistance!

Well I dubbed this little puff ball "Carrot Top" but it is actually a Ruby Crowned Kinglet. It was hard to get a picture of this little jewel because he just wouldn't be still long enough for a shot. He was so persistantly going about his business of searching for food without giving me much notice. The persistance he displayed in turn gave me the persistance to keep watching him until I finally captured these couple of winners.

"Energy and persistance conquer all things."
      Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790): Scientist, Politician, Writer

Dawning of a New Day

"For what human ill does not dawn seem to be an alleviation?"

    Thornton Wilder (1897-1975):  American Playwright and Novelist

Gray Squirrel

I stopped by a local park today to eat a quick lunch and this little gal came by acting a bit curious, so I threw a few sunflower seeds on the ground and she wasted no time joining me for lunch. This is a gray squirrel but her tail is more red and white than what is the norm for gray squirrels. That being said, it reminded of a squirrel I watched several years ago while sitting in a deer stand about 20 feet up a tree. That squirrel was also very unique and I wrote the following poem while watching him.

The Fox Squirrel

I saw a fox squirrel
So different and unique
It was not head nor body 
Nor was it his feet.

Of people who are different
We label them a thing
But of this fox squirrel
I believe him a king.

Was it age that changed
Him ever so much?
No I believe it was God
Who granted this touch.

No he was not normal
In our sense of the word
But to me he was beautiful
And just then I heard

The scuffling of feet
In leaves down below
He was looking for food
And how did he know

There was acorn under leaves
Fell from a tree
And as he ate it swiftly
He looked happy to me.

He was neither large nor small
And not very strong
But because he was different
Was surely not wrong.

To his enemies he stood out
Like a beacon light,
But to his kind
He was surely a knight.

To ever be cautious
He must not fail
This beautiful fox squirrel
With the solid white tail.
        Randy J. Schultz

Canadian Angels?

Well the other day I got to witness a lesser known but longer lived group similar to the famed "Blue Angels". I'll call this group the "Canadian Angels" as in geese! What a treat! The Blue Angels are not the only birds that fly in perfect synchronization. I think the real birds have been doing it for a lot longer as these photos show. I pulled up to a small lake that had some ducks and geese already going about their business of acting like ducks and geese and I looked up just in time to see these beautiful Canadian Geese cup their wings and commit to landing on the lake(above pic).
 

It is not very often one gets a chance to capture them from air to water so I added a couple more pics showing the beauty of these amazing birds just before landing(above pic) and as they landed on their webbed feet and skied to a stop(below).

How awesome to witness this whole event! But wait, there is more! Just as they all landed, one of the lead geese headed straight for a goose that was already on the water and proceeded to give him(or her) a good ole fashion whupping(pic below). Now to the untrained eye, this may look like they were making out, but I assure you that was not the case. I don't know if that goose was parked in the wrong spot, or if maybe it had been making goo goo eyes at the other goose's gal, or maybe it was a family feud, but what ever the reason they went at it for about a full minute and then they both went their separate way. Needless to say, there was plenty of goose talk going on and I can only image what they may have been saying to each other. Ha Ha.

  

"You just never know what you may see in nature!!"

      Randy J. Schultz

Soaring!

Immature Redtailed Hawk- Who hasn't at some time watched a bird soar in the sky and wish they could do the same?



"The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who...looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space...on the infinite highway of the air."

          Wilbur Wright (1867-1912): American Inventor and Aviation Pioneer

Hope!

This little sparrow is perched on a limb braving the cold north wind. It is puffed up to help conserve its body heat and it must be hoping for spring and much warmer weather!

"Hope is that thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words and never stops.... at all."
        Emily Dickinson (1830-1886): American Poet

Solitude

     

"I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude."

            Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862): Naturalist, American Author, Poet