Wednesday Treasures and a Story

 

I have a lot to share with you today, but not everything has a picture so I will have to write a word picture of the adventure I had yesterday afternoon.  But first let's have some pictures of some beauty I found yesterday morning while walking in "God's Garden".   I call it "God's Garden", because man did not plant or cultivate it or make it grow.  There may have been a time many years ago when some dear old fashioned lady or ladies from the houses that are now long gone possibly planted or at least appreciated these flowers, but for the most part, I believe these are all growing wild from God's old fashioned gardens that He planted on the earth.

This is just a common Spiderwort (wild) that is growing profusely all around the area where we love to walk on the walking trails through our old historic downtown area.  I've told you about this area many times, it is where the railroad tracks used to go through town, and there were many old homes along the way back in the day, but eventually the train ceased its travels through our town and the roadway nearby became a four lane highway and the old houses were in the way, so they had to go.  But there are remains of their lawns and these wildflowers are taking over. I love it. Everytime we walk there it seems something different is blooming.

There was so much of this Spiderwort growing that I had to pick some and bring it home.

With the flash on the camera it looks more pinkish lavender, but it really is more like what you see above, a bluish lavender, and they were so full and pretty, you'd think they were cultivated flowers.

I love to see how the light shines through the vase, don't you? I know our friend Sandra from MadSnapper does.

Anyway, I did not realize that the flowers would close up overnight, but they did, and now this morning I see that new buds are opening up!  You know, there is beauty even in closed buds opening, isn't there? New life beginning new every morning...

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

The same buds a few hours later:

Even the simple Lantana is putting on a beautiful spring bonnet already...

I didn't bring any of this home, because it has such a strong fragrance that I cannot stand to have in the house. So I left it there for others to enjoy...especially the butterflies and bees.

And the Coral Bean plant is really putting on its prettiest red dress for the party!

This beauty was a new one for me this spring! I'd never seen it before, and now I see it growing almost everywhere around the old downtown and also beside our church parking lot.  It is called Cat's Claw Vine!

Isn't it lovely??

Speaking of "Cat's Claw"...There are no updates on our kitty situation, at least none that I know of yet this morning. If anything new develops I will be sure to send out an announcement!  Just keep praying about this whole situation, because having kittens is not something I bargained for when I said I would feed these cats for my neighbor when she was no longer able to do so. For those of you who have always had cats and have been through this, you may not understand my angst over the whole scenario. But for me it is brand new territory and also something that I do not have full support from other members of my household to participate in, so it is causing a bit of stress here on the homefront.  So we are taking it one day at a time and waiting on things to develop, and praying it all goes well with no complications...or what's the name of that show, "Call the Midwife"?...I may need to do that...LOL.

Blackie Sue, just this morning...

Back to our walk downtown, I wanted to check on the progress of this old Brush General Store building that is being restored.  Progress is finally being made on the roof and the top gable! It's starting to look like there's real hope for this building afterall!!

Now,  for the story I promised...

Remember I told you the sad story about the Sand Hill Crane family having lost one of it's Colts HERE on Monday.  As we know, nature is often fraught with many dangers as it tries to dwell in our fast paced world.  We don't know what happened to that baby, but I'm sure the parents and remaining sibling have felt its loss.  How do I know that? Well, yesterday evening Mama and Daddy Crane very nearly lost the other colt, and their heart wrenching cries were so anxious and filled with urgency and pleading that I literally burst into tears in my own sorrow for their extreme panic as they searched frantically for their lost baby...they flew up into the air together and circled all around the area where they thought he should be...then they flew back to the pond and stood out in the middle of the pond on a little marshy bar and called and called for him.  After a few minutes of searching the surrounding waters and area of the pond, they flew up onto our yard along the shore and both parents called with their shrill, ear piercing call, desperately trying to communicate with their lost child to come home. They paced back and forth, never ceasing in their calls, and if birds could pray, I am sure they were praying for the return of their lost child.

Meanwhile, out in our front yard, there was another kind of commotion going on.  That is where the search for the colt had originated, across the street from our house where there is an empty lot. A man had been walking his German Shepherd dog, who was on a very strong harness/leash, and the dog had discovered the colt in the grass, lying down and curled up in a protective position.  My hubby was on the front porch, and the man told him the colt was over there, and he looked fine, just frightened.  So hubby came and found me on the back porch, pacing back and forth and crying for the heart broken parents and wishing I could do something to help them find their lost baby.  He said, come quick! The baby is across the street in the grass!  So I ran over there and went right up to him, and sure enough, there he was, crouched down in the grass, looking very frightened.  

By this time the parent cranes were walking around our house and crossing the street, but they were further down the street from where the baby was.  So I ran over closer to the parents and tried to get them to follow me to where their baby was, but they got frightened and started to go the opposite way.  So I told John to stay beside the baby so nothing would come near him, and I ran back in the house and got a cup full of bird seed (their favorite thing that we had quit giving to them in order to keep the ducks away from our house).  As I ran toward the parents I held out the cup and started scattering some bird seed toward them, and they immediately turned around and started to follow me! I kept leaving a trail of bird seed along the way as I led them back toward where the baby was.  I got ahead of them as they were still kind of not too sure about following me,  and so I went where the baby was and put some bird seed down on the ground in front of him, and he immediately stood up and looked at me and knew that bird seed was something he liked and wanted.  When he stood up, I called to the parents again, and now they finally saw the baby standing there and they came running toward him.  Hubby and I stepped back out of the way and watched as the family was happily reunited...and they immediately "told" the colt to follow them, and they headed off down the street in another direction together.  

As you can imagine, I was so emotionally spent by this experience, I was still crying, but now tears of great joy, for their lost child was found and thankfully this story had a happy ending.  And then I had to hurry up and leave for choir practice as I was almost late...but I was able to go with a happy song in my heart for God heard my prayers and the prayers of the Crane parents, and their only remaining child was restored to them.

In Luke chapter 15 Jesus tells several parables about things that were lost...The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, The Lost (Prodigal) Son.  They all tell about how precious those things were to the one who had lost them, and how much they rejoiced and celebrated when that which was lost was finally found.

This one about the lost sheep is the one that is sticking into my mind the most,  as I watched how those parent cranes searched so diligently and anxiously and cried loudly for their lost child...and then I know they were rejoicing in their own way when they found their baby...just as I was...

4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance."

There is a song that I have always loved called "The Ninety and Nine".  Here it is for you to sing along with and enjoy with me.   As we approach Easter in the next couple of weeks, may we always remember that Jesus came here seeking for each one of us, and He was willing to go to the cross and die for us so that we would be rescued and saved.  And yes, there is was much rejoicing in heaven when we were finally rescued from our sins by the blood of  Jesus Christ.  

The Ninety And Nine

Song by Bill & Gloria Gaither and Guy Penrod ‧ 2011

Lyrics

There were ninety and nine that safely

lay

In the shelter of the fold;

But one was out on the hills away,

Far off from the gates of gold.

Away on the mountains wild and bare;

Away from the tender Shepherd's

care.

"Lord, Thou hast here Thy ninety and

nine;

Are they not enough for Thee?"

But the Shepherd made answer: "This

of Mine

Has wandered away from Me.

And although the road be rough and

steep,

I go to the desert to find My sheep."

But none of the ransomed ever knew

How deep were the waters crossed;

Nor how dark was the night the Lord

passed through

Ere He found His sheep that was lost.

Out in the desert He heard its cry;

'Twas sick and helpless and ready to

die.

"Lord, whence are those blood-drops

all the way,

That mark out the mountain's track?"

"They were shed for one who had

gone astray

Ere the Shepherd could bring him

back."

"Lord, whence are Thy hands so rent

and torn?"

"They're pierced tonight by many a

thorn."

And all through the mountains,

thunder-riv'n,

And up from the rocky steep,

There arose a glad cry to the gate of

heav'n,

"Rejoice! I have found My sheep!"

And the angels echoed around the

throne,

"Rejoice, for the Lord brings back His

own!"

And just as I was finishing up this post, the happy family came by to thank us for finding their lost "sheep".  

I love it when a story has a happy ending, don't you?

Praise God! 

"Rejoice! For the Lord brings back His own!"

Amen.

Monday Monday

 Can it really be Monday again already?  Seems like we just had a Monday the other day...LOL. Well, here it is, and it's almost bedtime already, but I just thought I'd check in with you all.  It's been a busy day...we both  had follow up doctor appointments this morning to get the results of our lab work from last week. Our doctor sees us both at the same time, unless we request otherwise, but it works for us and that way we can come and go together and don't have to wait for each other in the waiting room.  Anyway, all is well, Praise God, and we are very thankful to have excellent reports for two "old folks" like us!  I'm happy to say I survived last week's round of antibiotics and everything seems to be clear now, so that's good too.

Then we had our Bible Studies this afternoon. Hubby teaches the men's Bible Study that meets at the church, and I attend the Ladies' Bible Study at our Parsonage, which is not being used as a real parsonage right now since our Pastor and wife have their own home, so the ladies use it for Bible studies and other women's meetings, etc.   It makes for a nice homey atmosphere without anyone having to clean their own house. LOL.  

This is the current Bible Study we are doing. It is pretty interesting, and keeps us on our toes in looking up scriptures throughout the Bible that have anything to do with prayer. You'd be amazed how many there are already, and we are just getting started. 

I am enjoying the study so far and am learning things about prayer I never thought about before. Now to put those things into practice in my own prayer life...that's the key!

So I expect you are anxious to hear if anything has developed in the Cat/Duck saga. Well, no, not really. The people never came to get the ducks.  And they keep laying these eggs under the porch. Thankfully they aren't fertilized, but I really don't know what to do with them. It's been so hot outside that I am afraid they are going to spoil. I know people eat these things, but I honestly don't want to deal with them or touch them. I know I'll have to clean them out of there eventually, however. Maybe I can get one of the boys to do it for me. That's a good idea...I think Scott is coming home tomorrow afternoon...yeah! That's what I'll do! Hooray!  However, if anyone wants to come get them they are more than welcome to do so. A farmer I am not.

However, since I have successfully managed to feed the cats on the front porch, the ducks have about given up on coming on the back porch in search of food. They still make at least one fly up per day to check and see if any food is there, and since there isn't, they fly away. However, I have to be very careful about how I get the kitties to follow me around to the front porch when it is feeding time.  They like to sleep on the cool back porch in the mornings and most of the day, so I have to go get them when it's time to eat. They haven't quite figured it out yet to go to the front porch and wait for me to come feed them.  The ducks are very observant, and I try to go out there when they are not around at all, but they still know when it's meal time, and they are not far away.  So far I've managed to keep them from following me around the house. I hope I can keep it up. Unfortunately, it's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow, and it might be harder to feed the kitties on the uncovered front porch...so we shall see how that goes.  

Blackie Sue is still a "lady in waiting"...and this is where she was this evening just before dark:

I was amazed as I watched her jump up onto that porch railing and balance herself there so nimbly. You would never know she was so heavy with "child". Cats are certainly amazing creatures.

I am sorry to say that I do have some very sad news to report this evening.  

When the Sand Hill Crane family was passing through our yard this evening we could only see one colt!  I looked and looked, thinking one might still be down by the water, or maybe laying down in the grass as they sometimes do.  But there was NO sign of the other Colt anywhere to be seen.

Sadly, that means that something has happened to the other one...whether it was hit by a car (as I've seen them crossing the street already everyday), or if some predator got a hold of it...we don't know. It makes me very sad, but this happened last year too, and I don't know if one is just weaker than the other and can't keep up, or what happened.   And of course, I don't know which one this is that is left, but I'm thinking it is "Trumpet".  The one I called Spring looked like she wanted to lay down more often in the grass...so maybe she was weaker.

I can't help but think this one looks a bit sad.  I'm sure he's missing his sister.  But life goes on, and he still has much to learn, so he must pay close attention to what his parents are teaching him.

Seems like this proverb applies to the animal kingdom as much as it does to people!

Proverbs 22:6  KJV

 "Train up a child in the way he should go: 

and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

So changing to something more pleasant, what did I do this past weekend? Well, of course we went to church on Sunday and then came home and rested.  On Saturday morning we went to a yard sale sponsored by our church Quilting Group. They do this annually to raise funds to buy material for the hundreds of lap quilts they make each year for the Ronald McDonald House and other places that need them.  I bought some books and  this beautiful Royal Albert Old Country Roses dessert plate for 25 cents.

Here's the stack of books I bought for 25 cents each. When I am done with them I will donate them either back to the church to sell again next time, or to the public library.

When we left the yard sales we went to the Farmer's Market where our son Benton was selling more of his planters.  This was also at a church, and the church was having a "spring fling", with lots of other booths of things being sold.  I bought this beautiful cross for our door from a lady that I've met there before whose name is "Pamela", so we've become friends since we have something in common. She also said she would love to have a kitten when Blackie Sue has hers...so I am definitely going to stay in touch with her!

I also bought this bead 'sun catcher', just because I thought it was so pretty.

Here's some better close ups of the beads. I have it hanging in my window here in front of me at my computer desk in my little "Room With A View", so I can see it everytime I am in here.

You know, sometimes you just need something that makes you smile right before your eyes.

Well, folks, I think I hear raindrops falling on the porch roof. I pray the storms won't be too bad. It's been extremly windy today.  I know there are tornado warnings up north of us in south Georgia, where one of our blogging friends lives...."Sparky" from My Thoughts Exactly, (although she hasn't been blogging too much lately, but many of you know her as she comments on many of our posts).   So please lift up a prayer on her behalf if you would, and all those who may be in the path of the stormy weather that is going on around our country.

I will close this with these words of wisdom from James 3:17-18

James 3:17-18 NKJV

"17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 

18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Let us be those who "make peace". Amen.

Saturday Review...Asking for Wisdom

 Y'all do remember that I said my "One Word" for 2025 would be "wisdom", right?  Yeah, I remember it too, but who knew it would be all about wisdom concerning what to do with a pregnant cat and her "friend/mate??", and some wild Muscovy Ducks that think they belong on my porch eating the cats' food? Who knew that dealing with such beautiful creatures could just about drive me crazy? LOL. (I'm not kidding!).  

So today I was determined to try to keep those ducks off of our back porch so our cats could live and eat in peace  (and so could I).  I had a hair-brained idea that if I blocked the porch deck, the ducks wouldn't be able to get up there and bother the cats and their food.  So here's what I did, since we don't have time or money or energy to screen in the porch, which would solve a lot of problems, but not something we can manage to get done right now...

I moved the wicker chairs over to the railing, and then went and got the folding chairs out of the shed and brought them up to the porch (no easy feat, by the way)...

Looks like we are setting up for a nice porch party, huh?  Yeah, Right, I wish!

So here come the ducks. This will be a test to see what they do...

No problemo!  Just fly right up there and waddle right around all those chairs as if they weren't even there.  No obstacle for them at all!

Thankfully I had removed all traces of cat food on the porch, so there was nothing for them to eat, and so they just waddled on down the line and back off the porch...but they didn't give up...they kept hanging around hoping for something to fall their way until the Geese and the Cranes shooed them away.

Meanwhile, I had stealthily managed to talk the kitties into following me around to the front porch of the house, and there they ate their food in peace.  Although Blackie Sue is not eating as much right now I think because of her impending delivery...and Sunshine doesn't seem to have as much appetite either, whether or not from the stress of all this activity with the ducks, or because it's so hot, or because he's old and not that hungry, I don't know.   I know I sure need wisdom to stay ahead of these animals, that's for sure!

So now what to do...those people still have not shown up to take the ducks or Blackie Sue. They have not responded to my last night's texts, and I've decided to just leave them alone. If they come, they come, but I'm still not convinced that Blackie Sue should go with them. I have had some other words of "wisdom" from some of our blogging friends who seem to have some reservations about letting her go with strangers.  It's given me some things to think about,  and I am really praying about it. I truly do need wisdom on this subject!

James 1:5 NKJV

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, 

who gives to all liberally and without reproach, 

and it will be given to him."

Even about cats and ducks?  Yes, even about cats and ducks and anything at all that is concerning us. God knows the intents of our hearts, and He wants to help us with things that matter to us. So I am praying and asking Him for wisdom in this situation, and I know He will guide me.

Meanwhile, the Sand Hill Crane Colts, "Trumpet" and "Spring", are growing like weeds! Here's the latest pictures of them today:

Yes, they are cute! In a gangly sort of way! LOL.

Speaking of "cute", well, maybe not cute, but unique and interesting...We were visited by a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers!

They were working their way up this pine tree down by Still Waters Pond...you can barely see the head of the one on the bottom of this picture:

The Teapot took center stage on this photo, but you can see the woodpecker in the background:

There! That's more like it!! Isn't that red cockade amazing?

This one is calling to her mate after he flew away and left her there! "Hey! Wait up for me!!!"

Don't they remind you of "Woody Woodpecker"?  Here's one to remind us...LOL.

I can just hear Woody Woodpecker now...eh eh eh eh, eh eh eh eh, eh eh eh eh eh eh. !!! LOL. (Not sure how else to make the sound.)

Well, that's all folks!  

I will keep you posted on this saga. 

Psalm 25:1-5

A Psalm of David.

"1 To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, I trust in You;

Let me not be ashamed;

Let not my enemies triumph over me.

3 Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;

Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.

4 Show me Your ways, O Lord;

Teach me Your paths.

5 Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my salvation;

On You I wait all the day."