Category: Nature

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Thanks

Startled by Bird song

The mower teams are here and their machines are quite loud. Most every Monday or Tuesday morning they arrive while I am writing entries for the blog. Today is very warm so one of my office windows is wide open.

As the mowers moved into the distance I drew a deep breath of relief that the noise had lessened. Suddenly I was startled by a loud sound. Evidently a Robin had landed in the garden mulch below the window and began to sing. I about jumped out of my skin!

When close to your ear this one can be startling!

The tulip bulbs have been decimated by the rabbits – again. I put up spinners and wooden stakes, fence pieces and even aluminum pie pans that mom swore by. I finally told my grandson when he was due to come help in the garden with his dad that he should dig up all the tulip bulbs. Before the family could get here those pesky rabbits ate all the stems and leaves. Guess I will dig them up next year when they first emerge!

Ah the joys of nature! They do not conform to our wishes. And yes, we are still blowing maple seeds off the back deck and front walkway 😉

To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.  Deuteronomy 10:14 NIV

Yep! The birds, the tulips, the rabbits, the maple seeds, the mower men and everything under the sun! Even you and me.

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Listen, Nature

Prepare!

We are preparing for a blizzard here in Ohio. The pink blooms were lovely while they lasted.

Now the spring winds are bringing us a blizzard. A blizzard of pink and yellow maple seeds. Nature wants to be certain there are forever maple trees growing and spreading in Ohio. Thus the blizzard. A few have fallen already. The wind makes it sound like there are dry leaves out our door. Have you listened for that sound?

They are not leaves. Just hundred of thousands of seeds. Perhaps even millions fill the sky with whirligigs. Bob used the blower on the back deck to clear off the seeds. The next day he looked out the window and said, “I just blew those off!” I smiled and answered, “Not those particular helicopters.”

The flowerbeds will soon be sprouting these seeds. If the landscapers put down mulch before these are removed there will be an ideal sprouting medium for those seeds. I am still pulling out seedlings from last year’s blizzard!

Ah, but I would not give up living with my beloved maple trees. I was worried about the survival of two trees in the neighbor’s yard as they seemed to bloom really late. I had begun to wonder if those two trees were dying. They are in bloom now.

The shade they offer is so welcome. When the leaves turn colors in autumn I am delighted. Each year I try to video when the trees “drop their gowns.”

So this is not a blizzard we can shovel or combat with rock salt. In a couple weeks I will be removing handfuls of maple seeds from the flower beds. If I plant annuals I will be removing more sprouts and seeds.

Bring it on God! I have no control over this phenomenon, so I might as well find joy in it!

Posted on in Aging, Amazing Creations, Challenge, Faith, Humor, Listen, Memories, Music, Nature, Praise, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks

Bird Song and Merlin

My friend, Debbie, told me about a free app called “Merlin.” https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/ Cornell labs developed it and I just love it! Pictured below is how the screen looks for Merlin.

Years ago Bob and I went on a birding adventure with the Cincinnati Nature Center in the Lake Erie area. We were surrounded on a boardwalk by people from many areas. The birds were mostly high in the treetops. Even with binoculars I was unable to see most of them. The birdsong was glorious! I was very humbled when the Amish children walking with us were able to identify the birds by their song. Yes I live in an industrialized society. Sadly most of us lost touch with that sort of skill. I was taught to identify some spring wildflowers but never to identify bird song. Bob and I were not shamed as much as amazed at the abilities of those children!

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
2     Sing the glory of his name;
    make his praise glorious.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
    So great is your power
    that your enemies cringe before you.
4 All the earth bows down to you;
    they sing praise to you,
    they sing the praises of your name.”

Psalm 66:1-4 NIV

I have my morning prayer and meditation in my bedroom next to a south facing window. One recent morning the serenade was amazing. There were so many birds that I asked the Merlin App to identify who was singing. Twelve different birds! What a wonder and a blessing. Here is the list the app created:

  • Carolina Wren
  • Northern Cardinal
  • House Finch
  • Tufted Titmouse
  • American Robin
  • Song Sparrow
  • Blue Jay
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Canada Goose
  • Carolina Chickadee
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Red-winged Blackbird

Along with the bird names that were linked with the songs there were photos. I could click on any one of them and get more details.

I know there are many folks who do not like modern technology. I am not saying that all of it is unequivocally good. But to me, this one app is absolutely amazing! Sparrows abound in our neck of the state. So did I see the one pictured above or this one?

So many sparrows, so little time. Will I ever learn to identify all of them by sight? If not, I have Merlin to aid me.

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7 NIV

The April 15 New Yorker just arrived. Here is the cover artwork!

“Undercover” by Peter de Seve
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Humor, Music, Nature, Thanks

Letting the Dog In

As the weather warms as it has the past couple of days, Lucky the beagle loves nothing better than to lie on the deck and bake her bones in the sun. The other day I opened the screen door to let her in.

Zoom a bee came in with her.” “Oh crap,” I exclaimed. the bee headed for the stereo cabinet. I turned to grab a couple of tissues, (the closest thing at hand). When I turned back it had gone inside the cabinet. Opened the door and it was headed for a plastic storage bin. I knew I had to act fast or I might never catch it.

Do you remember the childhood song, “I caught a little baby bumble bee, won’t my mommy be so proud of me!”

Unbelievably, using the tissues I swiped at it hoping to keep it from the cabinet. Surprisingly I knocked it right into the dog’s water bowl! Bee was swimming and rather frantic.

As an adult I have never been one to kill a bee intentionally unless there is no other way to avoid getting a sting. I went to the silverware drawer and got a tablespoon. Scooped up the bee. Put the tissues over it. Took it outside, not knowing if it would survive its unwanted bath.

It flew away. I have since tried to look around the screen before opening it for the dog. Yesterday there was a sting bug crawling on the screen. Summer must be just around the corner!

Gracious words are a honeycomb,
    sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24
Lucky is aging.

The speech below was recorded 13 years ago. The need right now is even more urgent today. Even if you only watch 3 minutes of this I think you will enjoy it!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Nature, Special Event, Thanks

Eclipse Mania

We experienced some darkening of the sun during the 2017 total eclipse. This year the area around us went totally nuts!

Were you caught up in the total solar eclipse mania? We live just on the edge of totality. (Sounds like a title for another posting doesn’t it!)

Sonic offered blackout slushy drinks. Busken’s Bakery had eclipse cookies. Hotels and motels were fully booked months in advance with rates 3-4 times the usual price. All the Air B & B’s and similar places were sold out in the areas of totality. Four minutes of wonder and splendor in the sky and not only America went nuts, but people came to the path of totality from all over the world.

The Ohio Governor was constantly warning about using safety glasses to view the eclipse. It was stated in every news cast. The library carried free paper viewing glasses. The grocery store and the drug stores sold them. The warnings were so strong that it made me wonder how many new patients Cincinnati Eye Institute would be seeing on that day or the next?

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

Genesis 1:1-4 NRSV

It would have been wonderful if God had used the occasion to speak to the earth, much like the coordinated music for fireworks displays! Oh Father, forgive us for not remembering that You created and planned all of this.

The radio story tellers were reminding us days in advance how many ancient people tracked each eclipse, kept records and could eventually predict an eclipse. They reminded us of how folks had fear beliefs such as “the King of our country will die this year because of the eclipse.” Such unusual events in the heavens caused fear and trembling. Sadly, in our day and age, the eclipse caused more amusement than wonder at the mighty creativity of God. We have been warned and warned not to look at the sun without eye protection or risk burning holes in the retinas of our eyes.

I have to wonder that not being in amazement of God’s creation risks burning holes in our heart and mind? He is a wonder working God! I mean, come on! You must admit that you would never be able to pull off a total solar eclipse!

More recently, Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of iconic evangelist Billy Graham, has seen speculation among some that the combined paths over the United States of this year’s eclipse and the previous two solar eclipses appear to mimic the shapes of the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet — in other words, the beginning and the end.

“Maybe people are reading too much into it,” she told USAToday recently. “But when you look at the world, you don’t need an eclipse to know that things are getting really dangerous. Maybe it’s telling us it’s time to get right with God and the people in our lives, so that we have no regrets.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2024/04/02/solar-eclipse-2024-warning-bible-eclipse-prophesy-islam-judaism-end-times/73148046007/

I give thanks to God for this event, Creator of the heavens and the earth, King of my heart, Lord of the Universe. All glory to You, Lord Christ. Amen.

Posted on in Art, Faith, Nature, Poetry, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Trust, Yield

Updating Poetry

I have been printing my poetry and placing it in the collection notebook. I am amazed that so far there 168 poems in the notebook. Some are a few lines long. Some are many verses. Some still need editing (not a task I like to do)!

Having spent much of Lent reflecting on Jesus asleep in the boat with me and the other disciples terrified in the storm I think it is perhaps time to share this poem. I am actually uncertain which poems i have shared and which ones I have not. Yes, I should have taken greater care with keeping a record of these!

23 And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. 24 A windstorm suddenly arose on the sea, so great that the boat was being swamped by the waves, but he was asleep. 25 And they went and woke him up, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” 26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a dead calm. 27 They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?”

Matthew 8:23-27 NRSV
Lord of the Tempest © 2000 Molly Lin Dutina 

MT 8:27 NRSV They were amazed, saying, “What sort of man is this,
that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Lord of the tempest, calm my soul
I turn my troubled heart to You.

Arise in my vessel.
Rebuke the winds and waves
that I might serve You
in holy calm.

Oh me of little faith
cry out to your Master,
become like Him,
faithful even in storms.

There is much to complete.
Lord, order my workday,
my prayer life,
speak to my little faith,
make me new.

Even in a furious storm,
You slept, You arose, You spoke.
Fill me with that same holiness.
Calm my fears and flights of negativity.

I thirst, my Lord,
I ache for You.
Come fill me with Your living water
	reservoir of life
	spring of eternity
purposeful spirituality.

Presence that can be grasped 
in the midst of things to do.
Like the mask that drops down
in an airline emergency
provide for me the breath of life.

Sustain, refresh and keep me
help me to deeply breathe in Your Spirit
even as I serve You at work, at church, at home.

Amen.




Posted on in Amazing Creations, Book quotes, Faith, Nature, Spiritual discipline, Spiritual growth, Thanks, Worship, Yield

Casting our Crowns

I cannot approach Resurrection Sunday without remembering the work of Jesus on earth and in Heaven. He suffered on our behalf, was crucified, dead and buried. He rose again and is crowned the King of All, holding the keys of death and hell.

 The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,
    to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things,
    and by your will they were created
    and have their being.”

Revelation 4:10-11 NIV

Do you know that as a Christian you are crowned?

9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2:9-10

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

Revelation 1:5-6 NIV

Royalty generally wears a crown. Jesus is crowned over all. You have a crown, too.

Lilias Trotter wrote as interesting take on this in her book Parables of the Cross. Writing about the calyx which is the outer part of a flower, the sepals. As the sepal folds back to allow the flower to emerge it typically remains like a cup to hold the flower. As the flower proceeds to create seeds the sepal becomes a cup-like vessel to hold them.

She writes:

“Have you ever noticed how often the emptied calyx grows into a diadem, and they stand crowned for their ministry as if they gloried in their power to give as the time draws near?

“Even here in measure the faithfulness unto death and the crown of life go together: even here, if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.”

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

Hebrews 2:9 NIV

Diadem, crown, royalty. He made a way for us to have fellowship with the Father. He made a where where there was no way. We are His and He is ours.

Rejoice!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Nature, Thanks

Plant Surprise

Last April at the plant sale at Cincinnati Nature Center we decided to purchase a Virginia Bluebell for the garden we created in the backyard. It seemed the bugs made short work of it (pillbugs?) eating the leaves down to the ground. I was so sad. Made me wonder how the plants make it in the wild? I refused to plant anything in its place as I mourned the experiment.

The last couple weeks Bob and I walk along that garden to rejoice over the tiny daffodils that have emerged from bulbs. The daffodils he planted last fall are also starting to bloom. Then the best surprise! The bluebell leaves have not only sprouted but there is flower bud on them. I am so happy about this. I have never had bluebells before! Want to go back and purchase two more plants so we have a sizeable clump next year.

Tiny flower buds
Virginia Bluebells Resurrected!

Posted on in Amazing Creations, Beagle, Faith, Music, Nature, Thanks

Spring

As I write this it is snowing out my window, though not expected to accumulate. I love that we are not in control of the seasons. Even though floods and blizzards and heat waves pound us, many refuse to remember the Maker of heaven and earth.

To me nothing says spring quite like yellow!

Even the beagle at the door sees it!

During October and November when our local forecaster says snow but no accumulation I am disappointed. In fact, this winter was a total disappointment as far as snow. Bah-Humbug!! Now in March when there are snow flurries there is a sort of dread. So many shrubs and bulbs and trees in bloom, and I do not want to see freeze damage to any of them. Fickle woman. So human and never satisfied for more than a moment.

One of my favorite musicians, Ludovico Einaudi. This song reminds me of snow falling.

The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof,
    the world and those who dwell therein;
2 for he has founded it upon the seas,
    and established it upon the rivers.

Psalm 24:1-2 RSV
Posted on in Amazing Creations, Faith, Humor, Nature, Thanks

What is A Woman to Do?

My sister has some nifty small purple/lilac flowers that grow every spring in her garden from bubs. I asked her what they are called. She had no clue. I saw a package of bulbs at Walmart last autumn. They reminded me of her flowers. I bought them and stuck them in the ground near my front door. I waited with anticipation all winter to see their flowers. Guess what! They bloomed as crocuses. WHAT?!?

I kept the top of the package with the almost unpronounceable name on it, “Chionodoxa.” But no, I did not keep the receipt. Package does say Walmart, but it is unlikely they have more of the bulbs or will make the purchase refund. Spring disappointment, though I do really like crocuses! Photo at top of blog is Chionodoxa.

It rained hard and often for over a week. Not like the floods in other areas of the country, but yards remained drenched and soggy. Imagine my surprise when I walked the dog and this garage door showed one path of escape! How many people have opened their garage doors unaware of the hitchhikers?

Worms on white garage door

There were so many earthworms on the sidewalk I wondered why the Robins were not out cleaning up the free banquet! They would not even have to pull them out of the ground. Just slurp them up!

Walking the neighborhood other aspects of spring are popping!

We enjoy rising and tumbling temperatures in southwest Ohio. This time of year is no different. Keep your coat and hat and gloves handy. Oh right. Supposed to be 70 degrees later today.

Every place you go, treasures in plain sight!

For as the soil makes the sprout come up
    and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
    and praise spring up before all nations.

Isaiah 61:11 NIV