Welcome to my "Open Window"...a place of hope, encouragement, and adventure as we journey down the road from "Closed Doors" to the new opportunities God places in our pathway. I hope you will take the time to go back and follow the trail of mixed blessings and fears, failures and triumphs from the past and side-trips in the present. Perhaps it will conjure up some of your own special memories, and be an invitation for you to share with others. I look forward to spending this time with you!
What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!
Saturday, March 8, 2025
Early Saturday Morning...
Today started out with an interesting sunrise...
It made me think about this song that I'm sure most of you will recognize..."Morning Has Broken"
Morning has broken
like the first morning,
blackbird has spoken
like the first bird.
You can't see them, but the black crows were flying around and singing this morning while this was going on!
Praise for the singing!
Praise for the morning!
And then Mr. (or Mrs?) Crane flew in for breakfast...
So we threw out some bird seeds for him/her?
Praise for them, springing
fresh from the Word!
He?she? was most grateful.
Sweet the rain’s new fall
sunlit from heaven,
like the first dewfall
on the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
of the wet garden,
sprung in completeness
where God’s feet pass.
And then, much to my surprise, these two Muscovy Ducks flew in from the pond and landed on top of our back porch! I'm not too sure if they really intended to land there, because they seemed rather confused about where they were as they waddled back and forth across the roof.
Hello! Anyone down there?
Could you send us up some of those seeds you are having, Mr. Crane?
Hello! I think they flew in to the Rooftop Cafe' on Still Waters Pond expecting some breakfast! LOL
And after a while of going back and forth, watching the Crane below them eating his breakfast, I think they gave up on ever being served and they flew back off into the pond...can't see them in this picture, but they were rapidly departing and Mr. Crane was watching them go...
I think I should name the Rooftop Cafe' "Castle Craneycrow", which is the title of one of my favorite old books in the George Barr McCutcheon collection...a very old book copyrighted in 1902! After this past Tuesday 4 meme, where we were asked if we had a name for our home, throughout the week as I watched the Sand Hill Cranes come and go this name kept floating into my memorybooks, and I thought it would be a great name for our home! We certainly have had the Cranes living here on our pond ever since the beginning, and there are also many many crows living here in our trees as well. I just don't take pictures of them because they tend to annoy me, but they are very interesting birds (and very intelligent as well) if you pay attention to them.
So maybe our home should be called "Castle Craneycrow on Still Waters Pond". LOL.
Oh, the song is still playing!!
Mine is the sunlight!
Mine is the morning
born of the one light
Eden saw play!
These Goldfinches have been having quite a feast time at the finch feeder. These pictures were actually taken Friday morning, and then I had to go buy some more finch seed at the hardware store to refill the feeder!
Be sure to look at each picture closely to see all the birds flying in and out and scrambling to get their place at the feeder...
Like this one:
And this one:
Praise with elation,
praise every morning,
Aren't they amazing?
God’s recreation
of the new day!
I could sit and watch them all day...as they are still at it today, especially since I refilled the feeder. They will only be here for a short while, and then they will be heading back up north to their spring/summer breeding grounds, so we will enjoy them while we can.
God's beautiful creation, new and fresh every new day!!!
Today we had other things to do, and now here it is mid afternoon and I still don't have this post written and published! I had hoped it would be a nice "morning devotional", but I guess it will have to do for whenever you receive it!
Last evening the "kids" came over and we made pizzas for supper. Here's Benton with Sugar, and I think Spice is on the other leash, but didn't make it into the picture. I mainly took this picture to show how Benton's truck is all loaded up with the items he's been building this week to take to the Deep Creek Farm Market today here in our town. It was just funny to see all that stuff piled up in his truck and ready to go.
Here it is all set up at Deep Creek this morning:
We went over to check on him this morning, and I found a few things that I just needed to buy, like this little bag of several "home brew" tea bags along with that sweet little heart shaped tea infuser:
I don't know if you can read the names on these different tea bags, but they sure are interesting: Liverroot Brew, Fearless & Focused, Lavender Mint, and Mint to Be. I'm trying to decide which one to try first...I'll let you know how it goes...
Another thing I bought was this loaf of home made "Milk Bread". I thought it would make wonderful Toasted BLT sandwiches, because I also bought some beautiful big tomatoes and lettuce. Unfortunately we did not have any bacon, but we did have ham, and so that was almost as good, and yes, it was a wonderful sandwich!
I didn't take a picture of the sandwich, but here's how the bread looks. I may just have some with butter later... (that's why I don't make or buy homemade bread very often...I will keep eating it and eating it...)
Yesterday we stopped at the hardware store and I picked up these packets of seeds to plant in the butterfly garden. Now I just need to get some good soil before I plant them...
Something else has happened in the past few days...you know I've been feeding the neighbor's "neighborhood cats" that she had adopted, but because she has not been well I have been feeding them...and sadly this week she fell and now is in the hospital and most likely will not be coming back to her home to live. She's just not strong enough and really shouldn't be living alone. I actually found her when I went over to feed the cats the other evening. She had been laying on her bedroom floor for several hours she said. Her cell phone was too far away (and the battery had died). Thankfully, she had left the back door unlocked for me to come in and bring her the mail, and when I stepped inside I could hear her calling me. So long story short, I called hubby over and between the two of us we could not move her so we called 911. She was still coherent, etc., and she refused to go to the hospital, but she was very weak and could not do much at all and had not eaten and didn't want to eat, etc., so I called her daughter who lives a couple of hours away, and I stayed with her until her daughter arrived and then she ended up taking her to the hospital that night. Please keep my neighbor in your thoughts and prayers, and also her daughter while she figures out all the details of where her mother should go. The daughter is single and still works full time, so she can't really take care of her mother at her house. This is one of those difficult decisions that has come to many of us who have had elderly parents that eventually needed more care than we could give them on our own. It's never an easy decision. My heart goes out to both of them. And there are no other siblings to help out either.
So now I will definitely be figuring out how to get the cats to follow me over to my house to eat from now on. Hopefully they will figure that out and it won't be a problem.
Well, I guess that's all the news and pictures I have for you today.
Mark 9:23-24 NKJV
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe,
all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Oh, Pam, I'm so happy to have caught this latest blog of yours before the kids arrive. You just reminded me how much I'll miss your photos and inspiration over the next week. Yes, I will definitely keep your neighbor and her daughter in prayer. It's something that we've all been through, or will go through, at some point in our lives. May they both get all the help and support they need at this time. Blessings to you and yours!
The song is perfect with all these beautiful photos! I love seeing all the birds - both big and little. I like that old book cover and the name does fit your place! Benton does really nice work. I bet those planters sell well. I'm so sorry about your neighbor and so thankful you were there for her. It's a hard thing for her and her daughter, praying for them.
Thank goodness you found your neighbor and could get her the help she needs. And now it seems you have a couple of cats!! Pam, your photos are always so good and I just love those photos of the ducks on your roof. How fun!! Rose is holding one of those planters for me to bring home after I drop off the cedar chest!! Excited!
I could look at your bird pictures all day. In fact, I could sit with you all day watching. That bread looks amazing and Benton has been busy. I am so sad for your neighbor. I am so glad you were able to get in and help her. Those decisions are so hard. If we live long it is something we will all face I suppose. Not many are able to handle it on their own forever. Beautiful pictures and the song had me humming along :)
I wondered why we don't see the goldfinches all winter/summer here! The photos are great! Funny to see the ducks on your roof! I'm sorry about your neighbor--it's rough to get feeble.
Moving the cats can be tricky but not impossible. Do they know you well enough to let you pick them up? Will they follow you? I’d call a local homeless cat shelter to help you home them to your place. They would know some tips! The photos of those silly ducks cracked me up! How adorable they are!
Oh I meant to add, how sad I am for your neighbor. Reminds me of my friend Margie. I do hope she is well and it’s not anything life threatening. I just hate hearing about this because one day it could be me. The reality of getting old.
What a wonderful sky an your photos are beautiful. I first heard Morning Has Broken when I was 16 years old and babysitting for my neighbours. I absolutely loved Cat Stevens music from first hearing and still love it to this day though I know he changed his name and didn't record for quite some time. I believe he is recording again but I haven't listened to new stuff. I like the original stuff. Benton makes some beautiful things and I love all of his new offerings. It is great timing to take garden things to the market. I was so sorry to read about your neighbour's changing circumstances but how wonderful it is that you were able to have access to her home and help her to the next stage of her care. God bless you for it. I'll remember to say a prayer for her and her daughter and the cats. xx
Thank you for visiting here today. I would love for you to sign my guestbook and let me know you stopped by. I always enjoy reading your comments and words of encouragement! May you be blessed as you go on your way. Please come back and visit again soon.
Oh, Pam, I'm so happy to have caught this latest blog of yours before the kids arrive. You just reminded me how much I'll miss your photos and inspiration over the next week. Yes, I will definitely keep your neighbor and her daughter in prayer. It's something that we've all been through, or will go through, at some point in our lives. May they both get all the help and support they need at this time. Blessings to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteThe song is perfect with all these beautiful photos! I love seeing all the birds - both big and little. I like that old book cover and the name does fit your place!
ReplyDeleteBenton does really nice work. I bet those planters sell well.
I'm so sorry about your neighbor and so thankful you were there for her. It's a hard thing for her and her daughter, praying for them.
Thank goodness you found your neighbor and could get her the help she needs. And now it seems you have a couple of cats!! Pam, your photos are always so good and I just love those photos of the ducks on your roof. How fun!! Rose is holding one of those planters for me to bring home after I drop off the cedar chest!! Excited!
ReplyDeleteI could look at your bird pictures all day. In fact, I could sit with you all day watching.
ReplyDeleteThat bread looks amazing and Benton has been busy.
I am so sad for your neighbor. I am so glad you were able to get in and help her. Those decisions are so hard. If we live long it is something we will all face I suppose. Not many are able to handle it on their own forever.
Beautiful pictures and the song had me humming along :)
I wondered why we don't see the goldfinches all winter/summer here! The photos are great! Funny to see the ducks on your roof! I'm sorry about your neighbor--it's rough to get feeble.
ReplyDeleteMoving the cats can be tricky but not impossible. Do they know you well enough to let you pick them up? Will they follow you? I’d call a local homeless cat shelter to help you home them to your place. They would know some tips!
ReplyDeleteThe photos of those silly ducks cracked me up! How adorable they are!
Oh I meant to add, how sad I am for your neighbor. Reminds me of my friend Margie. I do hope she is well and it’s not anything life threatening. I just hate hearing about this because one day it could be me. The reality of getting old.
DeleteWhat a wonderful sky an your photos are beautiful. I first heard Morning Has Broken when I was 16 years old and babysitting for my neighbours. I absolutely loved Cat Stevens music from first hearing and still love it to this day though I know he changed his name and didn't record for quite some time. I believe he is recording again but I haven't listened to new stuff. I like the original stuff. Benton makes some beautiful things and I love all of his new offerings. It is great timing to take garden things to the market. I was so sorry to read about your neighbour's changing circumstances but how wonderful it is that you were able to have access to her home and help her to the next stage of her care. God bless you for it. I'll remember to say a prayer for her and her daughter and the cats. xx
ReplyDelete