Wednesday Treasures

Was anyone else awake last night and notice the full moon?

That is how it looked here over Still Waters Pond around 3:00 a.m.

I was up walking the floor and having a cup of "Cozy Chamomile" herbal tea. I was having some tummy discomforts and found this very soothing.  Soon I went back to bed and was able to sleep for a while. Still not quite up to par this morning however, so I am staying home and taking it easy. Sadly, I am having to miss our monthly women's group at the church, but I wouldn't be very good company anyway. I'll probably be taking an early nap soon.

We've been getting some wonderful and much needed rain showers in the afternoons so far this week:

My little "butterfly garden" says thank you, God!

So here's curious story.  As you know, we were all excited about having the Bluebird couple move back in to the birdhouse to start a new family.  This would be the 3rd nesting this year, although I believe we are dealing with two different couples.

Everything seemed to be going just fine, with Mama and Papa Bluebird being very attentive to their nest every day.  

But then over the past weekend I noticed that they weren't going and to and fro to the nest anymore, and Mrs. Bluebird was no longer sitting in her little window watching the world go by as was her usual habit each day.  

On Sunday morning I noticed this juvenile Bluebird in the tree nearby, who has to be an offspring of one of the previous nestings:

He just sat there for a long time, looking around, but there were no other adult bluebirds anywhere in sight.

I really thought that to be very unusual. But that was Sunday, and I haven't seen this youngster anytime since, nor have I seen the adult bluebirds either. I mean, there has been zero activity around the birdhouse.

There has, however, been a LOT of young Cardinal activity around the bird feeder all week long.

They even come up on our porch rail and look inside our windows:

Quite an awkward looking youngster, wouldn't you agree?

Sometimes there are as many as six different Cardinals of varying ages flying around the yard, and before this past week, normally the bluebirds would have driven them all away.  But now the Cardinals and the Tufted Titmice and Chickadees have all happily taken over the back yard and the bird feeder without fear of remonstrance from the Bluebirds.

And so, after watching for the bluebirds to return every day and seeing no sign of them anywhere, I decided to take a peek inside the birdhouse to see what was going on, and this is what I discovered:

Yes, four beautiful blue eggs, sitting there totally unattended for almost a week now.  I left them there intact for now, but if no one comes back to take care of them soon, I will have to remove them from the birdhouse and clean it out for the next family.  So this is the second time I've found abandoned eggs in a nest.  The last nesting did produce one baby bird who fledged from the nest, but left behind two eggs.   I'm thinking either it must be just too hot for them to properly develop, or something happened to the parents that they had to abandon the nest.  That hawk that keeps flying around here might have had something to do with it, but I hope not. But, again, I have to remind myself this is nature. I can't control what happens and I have to let nature take its course and try not to interfere too much. 

So moving along to something else that IS developing nicely...our "kids" are getting their new store building ready for the big move,  which is scheduled to take place during the week of July 24-August 1st, and hopefully ready to open on August 2nd.

Here is our sweet DIL Rose, working on painting the walls inside the new building for Dixie Cottage.  This is just a primer coat:

And here is her nephew Charles and sister Tina helping out by putting the primer on another wall:

One wall finished:

And another one also done:

Little by little it is all coming together. But of course they are still having to run the store in St. Augustine until July 23rd while trying to get things ready here at the new store.  A lot of work yet to be done. I wish we could help more, but hubby and I both have been dealing with health issues and just have to stay out of the way right now. Hopefully we will be ready for action when the new store has its grand opening.

This really doesn't have anything to do with the store, but then again in a way it does. This is the Interlachen caboose, which is situated just down the street from their new store.  

This is all a part of the park in the old historic area of town, and is situated on the old railroad line that used to run through the downtown years ago:

Here it was all decked out for the 4th of July celebration:

Even the children's park has a train for the kids to play on:

And here is our town hall and historical museum, which is also just down the street from their store:

And this is just one of the many old historic homes in the downtown area, also decked out for the 4th of July celebration.  Our town had quite a nice parade and all kinds of activities all day long in the downtown parks, ending the day with fireworks.  

Next year our kids hope to be able to participate in all of the community events since their store is situated right on the edge of the downtown area, within walking distance.  We are hopeful that our store will inspire others to think more about bringing new businesses to our old downtown area.  More of that "pioneer spirit" we were talking about yesterday!

Now, in keeping with my theme of Wednesday Treasures, here are some treasures that I found while looking in a dresser drawer for something else...these were stuck in a folder of some of my old writings,  and I had forgotten that I had them.  I already shared these on Facebook, so please excuse me if you've already seen them:

This is my paternal Grandmother, Elva Sowers Hill Mursch.  She's the one I've written about so much who was adopted as an infant.  I had forgotten that I had this picture, which is probably the youngest picture I've ever seen of her.

And these two are her two oldest children, my Aunt Marion and my father William F. Mursch:

And this was my paternal Grandpa William H. Mursch:

So these are my treasures for today. I hope you enjoyed them!

Now, here are some "treasures" from God's Word that we read in our morning devotions:

Matthew 11:25-30

25 At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent 

and have revealed them to babes. 

26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. 

27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 

28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

 

In particular, I love those last three verses, 28-30...Jesus promises to give us rest and to carry our burdens.  That is very comforting...don't you agree?

Have a blessed and peaceful day my friends!!