Life All Around Us

As I sat in my "Secret Memorial Garden" the other day, I noticed this male Cardinal in the tree nearby. Picture is a little blurry because he was trying his best to hide from me, but he stayed close by.

Maybe he was protecting his youngsters from this Red Shouldered Hawk, who was doing some hunting on the ground next to the swollen pond...

 I almost missed seeing him. It is amazing what you can see when you just sit quietly for a while and observe nature...and observe life in general...

 Isn't he handsome?

 He flew up into the tree, and then he was watching me!

 Contemplating his next move, I am sure...

 He kept me in his view and then he flew...

 Then I noticed the male Cardinal was back at the birdbath in plain view, imitating Bobby the Squirrel...making like a statue. Perhaps he was also quietly observing life around him.

We took a walk in our woodsy walking place, and I've been noticing some very large mushrooms growing overnight it seems, with all of the rain we've been having.

 This very big, fat, and wet mushroom was wider and bigger than my size 9 shoe.

It was so heavy with moisture that it could barely stand up among the deer moss.

We also discovered this what appeared to be a "Yellow Bellied Slider" turtle crossing the dirt road where we walked.

I believe he is a water turtle, but he was a pretty good distance away from a small lake that was further down the road, and he wasn't headed in that direction. So I don't know where he was going, but I let him go on his way. I figured he knew what he was doing and I certainly didn't.

 I just hope he made it back to safety or wherever he belongs.

I posted this picture of this cut dead tree HERE before, but I wanted to share it again. To me it looks like a baby in utero, waiting to be born, it was cut off before it had a chance to be born.  Sadly, that happens way too often in our society...just another observation about life.

This is a section of that same tree that fell out of the side of the tree when it was cut down...the tree was obviously dead, but these lines tell the story of it's life,

 much like the circles on the tree when it is cut across the trunk.  I wonder what stories the lines/circles of our lives will tell someday?

Again, there was life going on even around that which was considered dead...

And speaking of life: There is MUCH life going on in this bird house!  The parent Tufted Titmouses are very busily going back and forth in and out of this birdhouse, feeding their young...

This is the best action shot I could get of one of the parents either leaving or entering the birdhouse.

There must be a very hungry brood inside, as both parents are extremely busy keeping them well fed these days. I hope I get to see the babies when they come out.

And speaking of hungry...there has been a LOT of water bird activity around our pond now that the rains have come and filled it back up.  This Great Blue Heron is a frequent visitor, and he seems quite pleased with the fresh new places that are available for him to hunt these days.

  Just cruising along, singing a song.  I actually did hear him make quite a loud squawking sound as he lifted up from this position

and flew up to the nearest tree

And then he/she appeared to be bowing for his/her audience, spreading out her "skirt" wings as if in a very formal curtsey to the Queen,

 And then proceeded to stand there on that skinny tree limb just like this for a very long time. I assume he/she was drying out her wings and taking a sunbath, but it was kind of comical to watch.

Last night we had quite a wild thunderstorm, which dumped a lot more rain on Still Waters Pond, but then afterwards the sun came out and the reflections on the water were so magnificent, I just had to clap and praise the Lord for more of His beauty.

 It almost looks like autumn, but actually it was just the way the sunlight was shining on the trees. I called this "On Golden Pond". 

In closing I will share parts of the Psalm we read this morning in our devotions:

Psalm 98

1.  "Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

For He has done marvelous things;

His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.

2.  The Lord has made known His salvation;

His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

3.  He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4.  Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;

Break forth in song, rejoice, 

and sing praises.

5.  Sing to the Lord with the harp,

with the harp and the sound of a psalm,

6.  With trumpets and the sound of a horn;

shout joyfully before the Lord,

the King."

Let us join in singing to the Lord, for He HAS done marvelous things, and He HAS gained the victory!

We just need to trust in Him and stay focused on what God is doing in the midst of this current world's situation. 

7.  "Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,

The world and those who dwell in it;

8.  Let the rivers clap their hands;

Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord;

9.  For He is coming to the judge the earth,

With righteousness He shall judge the world,

and the peoples with equity."