Friday Foto Friends~Time for Bluebirds and More...

Ahhhh! Spring is in the air!  (and so is the pollen, but that's another subject!)  It's been a while since we've seen the Bluebirds in our yard...but here's Mr. Bluebird, checking out the birdhouse to see if it's clean and ready for the spring nesting time! 

Normally we may get two different couples come and take advantage of the free rent houses that we've provided for them. They may not come at the same time, but sometimes alternate, and oftentimes they will nest more than once each year.  Last year wasn't such a great year for them. They came and checked out the birdhouses and acted like they were building a nest, but then nothing ever happened and no new baby birds ever appeared.  I do hope this year will be better. It's been such a disappointment already because of the lack of water in the pond and no winter ducks or geese visiting us as usual. I'm not even sure yet if the Sand Hill Cranes have built a nest because I can't see their usual nesting spot from here without walking around the pond on our neighbor's property.  So I am just waiting to see if any new baby Colts (baby Sand Hill Cranes are called Colts) ever appear.  

Eastern Bluebird (Male)

So, anyway, back to the Bluebirds...this male bluebird spent some time checking out the birdhouse. The famale was nearby, and she did go inside a couple of times, but I wasn't able to get a picture of her.

Anybody in there?

Hello? Anyone home?

Nope, no one here...looks pretty clean and tidy!

I need to go call the Missus!

Now, where did she go, anyway???

I hope she shows up soon. I don't want to let anyone else get this house before we do!!

Well, after I shared all the pictures above, which were from a few days ago, just as I was sitting here writing this I looked out my window in my "Room With A View", and guess what? The Bluebirds were back, and this time I was able to get some pictures of the female as well:

Eastern Bluebird (Female)

Claiming their territory...the female bluebird is "pole-sitting", while her mate claims the house...

This American Robin flew in to say hello and probably good bye, as he will be heading back up north pretty soon...

American Robin

And the Carolina Chickadee was checking out the Bottlebrush bush to look for seeds or something...

Carolina Chickadee

But Mrs.Bluebird was staking her claim on the other birdhouse...  "Hey, Honey! Come over here and look a this house! It's pretty nice too, and it also has a nice view of the pond, even if it IS dry as a bone!"

Female Eastern Bluebird

Her mate wasn't far away...he's probably saying, "Well hurry up and make up your mind before someone else gets it!"

I'm not sure if this is the same couple as before...it's so hard to tell.  I just hope they will decide to take up residence in one or the other house and start building their nest!!

Meanwhile, this Pine Warbler flew in to get some bird seeds from the bird feeder...I don't think he's any threat to the Bluebirds...he's probably just passing through on his way to somewhere else.

Pine Warbler

Well, that's all the bird activity for now. 

The skies are starting to darken a bit...there's rain in the forecast for this afternoon, starting around 3:00, and supposedly lasting all night long! 

I just checked the weather app on my phone, and it says we are going to get 2 inches of rain today/tonight! Wow!! We haven't had that kind of rain in almost a year! I sure hope they are right, because we sure do need it! I will let you know what happens!

Also, I want to thank everyone who left such kind and thoughtful comments on my last post HERE, on our son Matthew's "heavenly birthday".  Those birthdays and anniversaries of other significant days are always kind of difficult to get through, but having friends come alongside and share in our grief  truly helps. It also helps me to have this place where I can talk about our son freely and remember him for the wonderful person he was. I just wish you all could've known him personally. He was a very special young man...like I said before, he lived up to his name Matthew, "Gift of God".  

The Secret/Memorial Garden today

Carolina Jessamine is growing along the fences...so pretty.

Our "Still Very Still Waters Pond" today before the rains come. I hope it looks different tomorrow!

While I was outside looking at the clouds and the dry pond, I discovered that my favorite little "fairy flowers" are starting to bloom all over the yard! So I picked my first little "Fairy Bouquet" of the season today! Hooray! Spring is really coming!

Here's Another link to when I picked another Fairy Bouquet and listened to the "fairies sing" in "God's Garden".

And here's some more whimsical fun...I met a lady, whose name just happens to also be "Pamela", and she makes all kinds of cute and fun "stuffies" from chenille yarn.  So last year I asked her to make a yellow kitty for me. This was before our "yellow" (orange) kitty Sunshine crossed over the Rainbow Bridge. Well, she made it for me but then we never could get together so I could get it from her. She lives about 20 miles away. Meanwhile, sweet Sunshine passed away, and our Blackie kitty has become more and more a part of our family, so I asked Pamela if she could also make a black kitty for me to go with Sunshine. And so she did, and finally one day this week we were able to meet and I brought these two sweet kitties home with me:

Aren't they sweet? And maybe a bit funny too? Perhaps even a bit goofy...but I love them.

Well, I wondered what our real life Blackie would think of them, so I asked him while he was sitting comfortably in Daddy's lap early this morning:

He wasn't too sure what to think...

So of course he had to give him the "sniff test"...

I think he loved him, but his little paw was about to get snagged in the yarn, so I had to take him away before he got destroyed...

And then I brought out the "Sunshine Kitty", and immediately he wanted to touch him and snag him with his sharp claws, so I decided it was best to keep them apart, even though I think Blackie would love to play with him.  I may have to have "Pamela" make one just for Blackie that doesn't have so many glued on details that I'm afraid he could choke on.

Well, I think it's time to wrap this post up for today...Blackie would love to send you a message of his love from Daddy's Laptop:

Well, maybe he just wants to be crazy...

But anyway...I thank you all for being there! And I'm trying hard to get around to reading your posts...I just can't seem to stay caught up...you are all very excellent and prolific writers! And that's a good thing, but I just can't always keep up! LOL.

Have a blessed weekend.  We will be meeting my cousin Becky and her hubby Pat tomorrow (from Ohio!), who have been traveling and are passing through the area on their way back home. We are meeting them for lunch at my favorite place, Corky Bells!  So hopefully I will have some good pictures to share from that!

Joel 2: 23-25

23 "Be glad then, you children of Zion,

And rejoice in the Lord your God;

For He has given you the former rain faithfully,

And He will cause the rain to come down for you—

The former rain,

And the latter rain in the first month.

24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,

And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil.

25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten..."

Praise God!

 

Wednesday Treasures~Remembering Matthew

Hello Friends.  This may be a little different kind of post today.  You see, it is the 53rd birthday of our son Matthew, who is celebrating in heaven.  He's been celebrating there since May 25th, 2014...almost 12 years already, and that I can hardly fathom!

One of my favorite pictures of Matthew. I call it "Deer Matthew".

 The time really does fly, because in some ways it seems like it was just yesterday that he was still with us, celebrating his 41st birthday with our whole family.

This link tells more about that special birthday party, Matthew's 41st birthday, 

Matthew was enjoying his last birthday with all of the family there to celebrate with him.

I've been adding these links below to posts that I've written in memory of Matthew on his special birthdays since his passing, along with a few other special memories. I don't expect you to read all of these posts (unless you want to). I was trying to keep track of them for my own benefit.  Some of them may seem repetitive...I guess because,  sadly, there's no new news in Matthew's life to share.  So we cherish the wonderful memories that we do have and try to keep his memory alive in our hearts and minds.

Link to Matthew's 45th heavenly birthday (2018)

Link to Matthew's 49th heavenly birthday 

Link to Matthew's heavenly 50th birthday, which includes links to other posts about Matthew from his life.

Link to Matthew's 51st heavenly birthday

Link to Matthew's 52nd heavenly birthday

Link to "The Shaving Lesson", January, 2014

Link to Random Thoughts from a Grieving Heart, October 2014

Today we really didn't do anything special. I want to plant another rose bush in Matthew's memory, which hopefully will survive my lack of green thumb.  We may have to wait a little while, however, since we are still in a drought here.

I did go outside for a while and sat in the "Secret/Memorial Garden".  I had a little friend come and stay close to me...can you guess who it was?

Yep, Sweet Blackie...my trusty little companion...when I come outside he follows me around wherever I go...

Hello,  Blackie! You are looking very handsome today!

It was a beautiful day out in the garden...even if Still Waters Pond is still very very dry...

I walked down to the edge of the pond and looked around to where there should be water all around that "island" on the left side...I could probably walk all around it and maybe even across the pond, but I don't dare...the ground is very spongy and if my foot broke through, I would probably be up to my knees in muck. So, no thank you!

We dedicated this spot to Matthew after we moved here, because he loved ponds and fishing, and I know he would've loved it here...  

This picture was taken of Matthew on one of his trips down (from Maine) to visit us during those 4 years of battling cancer. Thankfully he was feeling well enough to go do some fishing while here on that particular trip...

These pictures were taken on the Ocklawaha River near the Eureka Bridge. (reference point for my memories).

And wonderfully, his brothers Scott and Benton were able to spend some time with him fishing while he was here...These are just some sweet memories I love to reflect on...

Back to the present:

Sadly the "Secret Memorial Garden" area is in need of a lot of work. But it's been So cold, and So dry...so maybe once the rains start up again I will be able to make this place look more like a garden again.

My poor swing is sinking down into the ground too...we need to do some repair work on it before I dare to "swing" in it again...

I was totally surprised to discover that the azalea bushes were starting to bloom!  That was a blessing and I consider it a gift...

Blackie enjoyed laying there on the ground next to my garden bench and it was as if he was sniffing the flowers and enjoying them...

He was also watching a bird somehwhere there in the area. I could hear it chirping in the distance. Thankfully Blackie didn't go searching for it.

Basically we spent a quiet day...our son Benton came over for a little visit while waiting for his truck to have some repairs  made to the AC system.  It's always wonderful when one of our kids comes over to visit.  I treasure those moments more and more as the years go by.  As we learned from our experience with Matthew, no one is granted immunity for sickness and troubles and sorrows in this life.  We must always be prepared for the possibility that at any time our soul might be required of us and we need to be ready to meet Jesus face to face immediately.  

I know Matthew was ready to go to heaven...he accepted Jesus as his Savior at an early age and lived his life as a devoted child of God.  He taught his son Noah all about the Lord from the time Noah was a baby...he made sure that he took the time to "train up (his) child in the way he should go, so that when he is old he will not depart from it..."(based on Proverbs 22:6). Matthew loved his wife Nicole and he honored his parents and lived an exemplary life...but most of all, he loved Jesus.  

Jesus promised that if we believe in Him, He would prepare a place for us in heaven, and that when the time is right, He will come and receive us to Himself so that we can be there with Him for eternity...

John 14:1-6  NKJV

1“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 

2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 

4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?”

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through Me."

I have no doubt that Matthew believed this, and that he is with Jesus, enjoying whatever heavenly "mansion"  God has prepared for him.  He may even be helping build our mansions for when we go there some day. 

Tonight's Sunset...

Let's end this post on a happy "note"....I love this song "I'll Fly Away", here being sung by Reba McEntire and her family...and this is what I believe...

I’ll Fly Away

Some bright morning when this life is over

I’ll fly away

To that home on God’s celestial shore

I’ll fly away

Chorus:

I’ll fly away oh glory

I’ll fly away (in the morning)

When I die hallelujah by and by

I’ll fly away

When the shadows of this life have gone

I’ll fly away

Like a bird from these prison walls I’ll fly

I’ll fly away

(Chorus)

I’ll fly away oh glory

I’ll fly away (in the morning)

When I die hallelujah by and by

I’ll fly away

Just a few more weary days and then

I’ll fly away

To a land where joys will never end

I’ll fly away"

(Chorus)

I’ll fly away oh glory

I’ll fly away (in the morning)

When I die hallelujah by and by

I’ll fly away"

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Matthew! Some day we will "fly away" and be there with you..."Hallelujah By and By!"