"One of these things is not like the other"....Can you see what is the main difference?
# 1.
These two pictures were taken just a couple of days apart.
#2.
What do you see that is very different between the two?
Give up?
Well, if you said I see a big tree laying down on the ground with something green on top of it in picture #2 that I don't see in #1, then you would be correct.
That is the sight I saw this morning when I stepped out on our back porch. I knew right away that one of our very big tall (dead) pine trees must have fallen in the night. My first concern was to be sure it hadn't fallen on our neighbor's house or anything else of importance, and I was very very thankful to see that it had simply fallen over onto the ground, aiming directly toward the pond and away from all other structures. Praise God!
When we first moved to this house almost two years ago, we knew that eventually we would have to deal with these two very tall dead pine trees in our wooded lot between our house and closer to our neighbor's house. We just prayed they would not fall on their house before we could do anything.
Little by little the dead branches from the top have fallen off, a few more with every storm.
But it remained a good perch for woodpeckers,
Swallowtail Kites,
And our favorite hawks...This might be Harriet!
So, anyway, I ventured over for a closer look, making sure to look up and check to be sure no more branches were ready to fall on top of me:
Oh! How the mighty have fallen!
Kind a left its bits and pieces everywhere!
This would be the upper part of the tree...
Wait? What's that I see laying on the ground next to the upper section of the tree?
Look closely, and you will see the "suet cake cage" that was stolen by squirrels from our back yard a couple of months ago. I had looked everywhere for that cage...it had totally disappeared (with the suet cake intact, I might add, at the time)...but here it is on the ground next to the tree...
This is it..one of the large sized cages for suet cakes. How on earth did a squirrel carry that all the way up to the top of that tree??? I think they had a nest up there somewhere...and I guess this must have become a part of their furniture? Interesting that the fasteners were still closed.
So that mystery is solved! Don't ever think squirrels are innocent little critters!!
Anyway, here is why the tree fell:
It was rotten to the core!
Also it had these large philodendron vines growing on it, which I understand can kill a tree over time...
They might be pretty, but I guess they need to go.
Well, I'm sure you are bored by now with all of this tree talk. I just wanted to thank the Lord, however, for protecting our home and especially our neighbor's home, as the tree was closer to them than to us. This tree had a twin tree...they were growing up side by side, and now we probably need to figure out what to do about the remaining tree. But in the meantime...
And not too far away was this beautiful Rose of Sharon blooming in the Secret Memorial Garden. Look at all those buds on that stalk! I love that there are these examples of life even in the midst of death...
Just to close out this Thursday evening thankfulness time, here's a few pictures from last night's sunset over Still Waters Pond. My Facebook friends have already seen these, but I thought they would be a nice way to end this post:
Do you see the photo bomber here?
Mr. Spider was making his way across his web in front of me...quite the little ham:
Here's some food for thought at the end of the day:
Psalm 73:26
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Amen!
Thank you again for your prayers. I continue to improve and am very thankful.
Thank God that did not hit your house or theirs! I also had no idea squirrels could move something like that suet cage. I wonder if they worked together. That would be even more surprising.
ReplyDeleteThey are quite ingenious little critters. Even though I get mad at them for stealing my sunflower seeds right from the bird feeders and now this! But I have to hand it to them for their tenacity and ingenuity! More of God's creation at work. What can I say to that?? Praise God!
DeleteWhew, Pamela! That was, indeed, an avoided disaster with that falling pine. And how amazing to find your suet cage after all this time. Yes, squirrels can be rascally, but you already know the soft spot I have in my heart for them. :) Racer needs to give them a talking to, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd your sunset photos? Just what I needed to see tonight.
Blessings, my friend!
Thank you, Martha. I am glad you enjoyed the sunset! I love the song, "Beyond the Sunset"...especially knowing we have dear ones waiting "beyond the sunset" forevermore. God bless you my friend. And yes, Racer does need to come have a chat with my rascally squirrels!!
DeleteI’m glad that tree did no damage when it fell.
ReplyDeleteMe too!! Praise God!! I guess it did destroy a squirrel's nest, but he can find other places to hide his loot. LOL.
DeleteSo glad the tree feel like it did and did no damage to either home! Squirrels really are resourceful little critters, glad you got your cage back anyway. Gorgeous sunset photos Pamela. Have a beautiful evening.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Martha. Yes, we are very thankful. I am sorry the squirrels no longer have their home, but they still have plenty of other places to hide things around here. LOL. I hope you have a beautiful day too.
DeleteOh my gosh on that suet cage! And those close ups of the fractured, splintered tree. Since witnessing what our storms have done to the trees next door I understand your concerns. Good tree people are up to their ears in work this year, but darn they're $$$, too. That millipede is amazing! Do you ever worry about encountering a snake?
ReplyDeleteDo I ever worry about encountering a snake? Well, let's just say I am snake aware all the time. I grew up in Florida, and I have encountered many snakes in my lifetime, some friendly, some not so friendly. I have a healthy respect for them and try to be very mindful of where they might be at all times, but I am not paranoid of them. Just aware and try to be smart about it. Yes, I thought that millipede was pretty cool too! And yes, the tree people do earn their money. We just don't have the $$ to do anything right now, so am thankful this tree fell in the right direction. Praying its twin follows suit. Have a blessed day.
DeleteSo interesting to read this. I couldn't really find what was different between photos #1 and #2 until you pointed it out. So thankful the tree fell in the right direction. Amazing about the suet cage!
ReplyDeleteAnd the sunset pictures ... gorgeous!
So glad to hear the tree fell in the right direction and hopefully the other one will follow suit. Love all the pictures, especially the sunsets at the pond. So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed weekend, my friend.
You have the best view for beautiful sunsets! Even when the spider intrudes! That tree falling is really interesting and also a blessing. Glad it is down and even gladder (is that a word?) that it fell away from your home and the neighbor's home. So happy to read that you are improving!! Prayers continue! xo
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are experiencing improvement in your neck and shoulders. The Lord continues to remind me to pray for you.
ReplyDeleteSuch an interesting post and I do thank the Lord you and your neighbor's homes were spared damage. We've had some wild weather this week, haven't we? And even late this afternoon there was the severe storm marching through my county, across your former town and up toward your current town.