Do You See What I See?

Guess who I discovered in my rambling through the neighborhood early yesterday morning?

Yep, "Bambi" !!  

But not just ONE Bambi, but I believe I counted a total of FOUR Bambi's!!!  It was hard to keep track, they were running and scampering about so much...obviously excited to see the crazy lady with the camera that they've probably been warned to watch out for! 

Here are the pictures I was able to capture as they gambolled about, running up to their mothers for reassurance, and then frolicking back and forth as only carefree little fawns can do:  ( I apologize that some of the pictures are not very clear, but you must understand my excitement as I tried to capture every single movement I could...my poor old camera just couldn't quite keep up with them! And I didn't want to use my cell phone camera as it doesn't do as well at a distance...so just enjoy these beautiful babes in the woods with me...

 These are blurry, but they certainly blend in with their surroundings well, don't they? God knows how to protect His "babies".... (and that goes for us human babies as well...sometimes He has to camouflage us with His wings to protect us from the world...)

Psalm 91:4 (NKJV)

4 

"He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler."

Even though this last one is blurry, it is my favorite...one last look before he had to run away with his family...

Who doesn't remember this beloved "Little Golden Book", as well as the animated Walt Disney movie from our childhood?  I never knew I would grow up some day to live where Bambi dwells...It just makes me feel warm and fuzzy all over to see these little fawns.  You can bet I will be watching for them every day now...

By the way, as I was reluctantly walking away from watching these happy little deer running about, I came across "Thumper" sitting nearby.  Thankfully I didn't run into "Flower" the little skunk...

But just across the road from where the deer family was gathered was this other special family of our woods: The Sand Hill Crane Family...busily pecking away for their breakfast.  Look how grown up the young "colts" are now! 

Yes, life in my neck of the woods is full of surprises and joy every day...one just has to watch for it!!

I hope your day has been filled with pleasant surprises and joy today as well.  Keep your eyes open...and see the beauty God has placed before you wherever you are!!!  It's there...just keep looking!!

Friday Foto Friends: Special Friends and Wings in Flight

Ruby Throated Hummingbird in Flight

First of all, thank you all for your prayers in the past few days for our cousin Janice. (Click HERE for that story)    In case you didn't see the update to her story, here it is:

"June 28, 2018, 7:55 a.m., Janice passed into the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ. I'm sure she was welcomed into heaven by her parents, her husband Paul, and her son Quentin.  She will be greatly missed here on earth by her one granddaughter and many other loved ones and friends.  Thank you all for your prayers."

I've thought about her being carried by the angels into heaven...and thought about how we can't see them bearing her up...but the Bible tells us it is so...You can read more about that in the book of Luke 16:19-31. 

I was watching our hummingbirds here as they fly to and fro from feeder to feeder, and they fly so fast that you really can't see their little wings moving until they start to land or take off again....
I tried in vain to get some pictures of them flying the past couple of days, but they just refused to cooperate, and would fly off before I could get my camera focused.

 This picture above was taken earlier this spring, along with the previous one at the top. Those are the only ones in flight that I've been able to capture.

The rest were taken in the past couple of days at my kitchen window:

 These are female Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, and thus they don't have the brilliantly colored ruby throat that the male has.  I haven't seen our males lately...they seem to go away in the summer and come back again later before they disappear for the winter.  Maybe they escort the ladies here and then come back to escort them away again...gallantry and chivalry still exists, at least in the hummingbird world. And you should see those males fighting with each other over their territory! Talk about wings flying!!

Hummingbirds aren't the only thing I've been watching the past few days.  The deer have been pretty active in the neighborhood as well. Here are a few pictures I've managed to capture recently:

 These two above were feasting on grapevines in our back yard one evening. I was watching them from our bathroom window, and they apparently could see me...

 I caught this one by surprise early one morning on my walk...

 And this one was close behind the other...

Here is another young doe passing through the Secret Garden last evening...she was trying to keep it a secret, but I saw her...

And then she appeared coming out of the garden and trying to sneak beyond the fence to get out of the yard to safety...

 Oh, there were two of them...sorry it is blurry...

As they headed out to the road, I went a different way, and looked down the opposite direction and discovered this young buck looking anxiously back towards his sisters and waiting for them to catch up:

 However, as they emerged out into the road, there I was between them and their brother, and they didn't know what to do...

And to make matters worse, here came a  neighbor on an ATV "walking" his dog...so now, what to do?

The other doe ran back into the woods but this one looked at me as if to say, "Could you please get out of my way so I can escape?"  And so I did...

And then I went through our back yard out to the front and saw this big doe waiting for all her children to come join her out on the road...Looks like she was calling to them...

While I was writing this above (Thursday evening), I thought I should check outside and see if we have any current "visitors", and here is what was waiting in the front yard (in the rain):

I decided to step out the back door and see if I could sneak around the house and get another picture of her, but she apparently caught my scent (or heard my noisy steps) and took off flying past me to the next yard and parts beyond:

Talk about wings in flight!

This is a good place to stop:

"It is God who arms me with strength,

and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of deer,

and sets me on my high places..."

Psalm 18:32-33

And now let us fly over to Deb's place at Breathing in Grace and see what our other Friday Foto Friends are doing:

Have a blessed day, y'all!!

Prayers in the Garden

Today has been one of those days...woke up not feeling quite up to par (I think it was something I ate yesterday), but then on top of that we had disturbing news that my husband's cousin Janice, who is a little younger than I, had a very much needed open heart surgery yesterday, but unfortunately she is not doing well at all. Right now we are not too sure that she is going to pull out of this. So please say a prayer for Janice if you will. Thank you.

Today was a day of resting and praying for Janice all throughout the day as the Lord continually brought her to mind.  This picture was taken last year on her birthday, with the pillow gift I made for her.  The front of the pillow was from a vintage embroidered table scarf, that came from some linens that belonged to her grandmother, and I assume was embroidered by her.  It is a picture of a young lady walking her poodle.  Janice used to have poodles, so this just seemed perfect for her, especially because it came from her own grandmother's things.

It was a lovely day today, and I was so thrilled to see that my climbing Don Juan rosebush had four beautiful roses blooming.  What a perfect place to set up a little tea table among the roses...

 Actually I went back inside to drink the tea as it was too warm to sit outside for very long.

I've been watching these roses opening up for the last couple of days...

 This morning there were raindrops on the roses...

I was wishing I could pick them and take them to Janice in the hospital, but she is in ICU and in extremely critical condition, so flowers would not be permitted.  Therefore I have enjoyed them all day with her in my mind and heart, and if roses could be sent by prayers and wishes, Janice could see them and smell them even in her current condition.

Earlier this morning, as the sun was just rising above the mist in the Secret Garden, I wandered around, talking with the Lord and lifting Janice up to Him in prayer...it was a beautiful time with the Lord...

God had truly blessed the morning with His glory... some late blooming wisteria blossoms are climbing over the fence...

The first crepe myrtle blossom has appeared...

 The Rose of Sharon is blooming again in the Memorial Garden...

 And this sweet little rain lily has lifted up its head in praise to our Creator...

It appears as though these dragonflies have bowed their heads and folded their gossamer wings in prayer...perhaps they, too, are saying a prayer...

Romans 8:18-22

18.  "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time 

are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

19.  For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

20.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, 

but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

21.  Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

22. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now..."

Romans 8:28

"For we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."

We are not giving up hope for Janice, but we are entrusting her into the Lord's care. We know that He knows what is best for her, and if there is healing in His wings for her, then Praise the Lord!

And if her healing will be complete in being carried into His Presence by the angels, then we will still praise the Lord, for we know that He will do exactly what is best for Janice.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers on her behalf.


UPDATE:
June 28, 2018, 7:55 a.m., Janice passed into the arms of her Savior Jesus Christ. I'm sure she was welcomed into heaven by her parents, her husband Paul, and her son Quentin.  She will be greatly missed here on earth by her one granddaughter and many other loved ones and friends.  Thank you all for your prayers.