This Is Getting Ridiculous!

This bird watching stuff is cutting into my reading time.

I wanted to say my housekeeping time, but I hate to flat out lie.

I can't even sit at the table and stay long enough to eat a meal. That's a shame, that right there is.

But the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks have called their cousins and a few minutes ago there were five male Grosbeaks and two female ones. They were all fussing around the suet feeder, but when the Red Bellied Woodpecker showed up, they sat sweetly on the branch until  he finished.

He's bigger, so I guess he pulled rank. Actually, he totally ignored them. The male Cardinal joined them once.

Maybe the suet we bought specifies birds with red on them only.

And  here's something I don't understand: One of the males keep smacking into a window. He's got four other REAL Grosbeaks to fight with, which he doesn't, so why slam into my window? He even left little red and white feathers on the glass.

And don't preach to me about bird safety! I got all kinds of stuff hanging in my sun room windows so birds can easily see they can't fly through them.  That's why I figure he saw his reflection enough that he was fighting, like Cardinals and Blue Birds do.

It's a real trip to watch the male Blue Bird fight himself in the side mirror of the car.

Now, I've always thought bird watchers (the serious ones) were....strange. I thought they needed to find something to do. I figured  unless you were a cat, there was a little something loose up there in the old noggin.

I've always been a bird listener, sitting high up on my back porch and closing my eyes, it's truly a beautiful symphony.

But watching? I mean, really?

But I have been converted. It was an accident, for sure. And now I can't stay away from the dang windows.

It's a relief when it gets too dark to see out.

Maybe in a few minutes I can actually pick up my book and read.

But last night all I could think about were birds.

Sorta like I've been possessed by Alfred Hitchcock. That movie was scary, and I watched birds after seeing that, but in a different way. Took me months to get over it. (I think I was eight when I saw the movie,  not a good idea.)

I'll try not to blog about birds next time....but I ain't making no promises.

Husband says a Double Breasted Mattress Thrasher could show up next, and he's real good at knowing his birds.

I can't wait!

Bird (on the) Brain

Boy, we sure have had a lot of rain! In a town where there are three big rivers and about one or two bazillion creeks, that can become a pretty dangerous thing.

Yesterday rivers and creeks were coming out of their banks while it continued to thunder and rain to beat the band.

This morning it was quite overcast (the sun is weakly shining now).

I don't know if this had anything to do with what all has been going on outside my windows, but you have to wonder.

I looked out, and there was one - no two!- Indigo Buntings eating seed in our yard. These birds are small and a deep royal blue color that, as my  husband says, will make you want to throw rocks at the Eastern Blue Bird, because the Bunting is so much bluer. Pretty soon they were joined by the male Cardinal. I was impressed.

Suddenly up in the tree I saw a bird I'd never seen before, and Husband said he thought it was a Rose Breasted Grosbeak. He looked it up, it was. Then another joined it, mates I suppose.

At one point, one Grosbeak, one Indigo Bunting, and one Eastern Blue Bird were sitting on the same limb.

I kid you not.

Suddenly, the Red Bellied Woodpecker joined the group, too.

I tell you, I am still giddy.

How do I prove all this? Did I take pictures, you ask?

Foolish, foolish question.

Of course not.

Oh, I got my camera out. And Lord knows I tried.

But guess whose zoom has decided to quit? Guess whose focus lens is on the death list?

Yep.  That would be my camera.

Of course, Husband's battery is dead. (His camera's, not his personal battery, I don't think he has one).

Daughter's camera was in the drawer and by the time she got it out of the drawer and case and got to a window, the birds had flown.

You may enter the expletive of your choice here:                            .

Thank God for Google.

Indigo Bunting

Red Bellied Woodpecker

Rose Breasted Grosbeak

male Cardinal

Don't forget to look out your windows today. You  might get a rainbow of birds.

That's all for now. Gotta go back to the bay window and see if there's a Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker out there.

I hear there's one born every  minute!

The Wren's Nest

            When spring fever hit this year and it was time to make our porches “user friendly”, we were surprised to find a wren’s nest full of eggs in the watering can. We carefully avoided that corner of the porch during our cleaning process, even though a party was planned in the extreme near future.

            Partly out of curiosity and partly out of a panicky feeling that the birds were running out of time before the party, we watched the nest closely.

            One morning I heard tiny, demanding chirps coming from the can and I knew the wrens were now proud parents. It was clearly a multiple birth! As we watched, sitting quite close to the nest, Mama and Papa brought all sorts of tasty treats to their babies.

            After a few days, I swear I noticed fatigue setting in. They began to look harried as they took turns back and forth to the nest, meeting constant needs. Parenthood was in full operational force.

            Mama and Papa became quite tame. We would sit on the porch as they hopped about our feet and flew right by our noses on their trips to the local “Bugs R Us” store. If we were polite we could look into the watering can and see three or four greedy beaks attached to rather scrawny necks. The minute the babies would see us they would set up a ruckus, demanding we feed them too. Fear, apparently, was not in their vocabulary.

            Then, two days before the big party, as we were in the last throes of cleaning frenzy, my nephew noticed the mama bird acting strangely, hanging on the window screen, chirping loudly. Concerned that she was somehow hung in the screen, I ran out to the porch to figure out a rescue. That’s when I saw a very wobbly baby perched on the handle of the watering can, his fuzzy baby feathers still haloed around his head, fear now clearly understood, as he listened to his mama calling him to come. I froze in place and the children stood watching at the window.

           All four chicks came out of the nest, pretty much against their wills. As they teetered off the can, plopping onto the porch floor, both parents called encouragingly to them. The babies, being fairly intelligent for their young ages, hid under the wicker chairs, refusing to come out.

           To my great alarm, both parents left. All babies began to squawk in terrified unison. Quickly their folks returned with a big juicy bug in each beak.

          Greed did the chicks in, and out they came. One flew to a parent, managing to land on the chair cushion (and pooped all over it in the process). Another got up to the chair arm. After much coaxing, they made it off the porch, into the rose bushes, and finally onto the wood pile.

           Mama and Papa flew up onto the dog house roof as the final height for their offsprings’ lesson. One by one the chicks struggled with their wings until they too were up on the roof. Victory was theirs!

            And mine too, I might add. We excitedly told the story of parenting in an eggshell to anyone who would listen, and my porch was next to godliness by party time.

            My daughter wrote a poem, with very little help from me, about the impact of witnessing this event:

                        There’s things I never saw before today –

                        Last night a comet in the sky,

                        Today I watched birds learn to fly.

                        Tomorrow God grant answers why

                        To tell me more of nature’s way.

            I only hope I am as successful in the struggle to help my daughter leave the nest one day, feeling confident that I taught her all the lessons she will need to be independent out there, soaring to her own incredible heights of winged victory.

                                   

 *This story was written when my daughter was around six or seven years old. She is now twenty-two, and has one foot out of the nest.

I No Longer Control My Life

I no longer control my life.
Pain tells me: Get up! Go to bed! Stop walking! Stop sitting! Stop standing!

Awakened in the middle of the night by a roaring, raging beast,
Only to be corralled by chemical relief,
Becomes a slumbering dragon breathing slow fire.
Waiting till I can be caught off guard, it pounces again, attacking.

But Saints called down the  Word of God.
An avenging angel stepped forward.
He guards the place that is really me,
And allows no demons near.

With strong arms 'cross his mighty chest,
And wings unfurled, at rest,
He says: "This place belongs to the Almighty,
You will not enter in."

In this refuge full of serenity's light,
I float upon living waters.
Encased in purity, love and peace,
My spirit rests within.

So, though the fire and thunderstorm of pain
Can, rumbling, wake me from my sleep,
Its lightening flashes cannot burn the me within
That's in my Father's keep.

I fiercely fight the pain with prayer,
For those I love need covered.
Lost sleep is not for ought
If graced by Holy conversation.

It soothes my soul and gives drink to thirst,
Where tranquil whispers sweeten
Darkness. Shadowed deep with softly sung
Lullabies from God.


by: kathi harper hill

"Sit! Stay!" God Can Do As He Pleases

This blog may make some people uncomfortable, or even angry.

That's what I'm here for!

I firmly believe that God uses animals all the time to do His will, saving people in ways that we see as miraculous.

The first story that comes to mind is the recent incident where the dog somehow got the phone and dialed 9-1-1 when his master fell and was unconscious.

But if you read much, you'll come across this stuff all the time.

When God was busy creating this universe and all that's in it, the Bible says God breathed a spirit into Adam's body, (made from the earth), Adam became nephesh, a living being or "soul". (Genesis 2:7) The same Hebrew word, nephesh, is used for animals and for people. We are told that animals as well as people have "the breath of life" in them. God hand-made animals.

Don't get me wrong. They don't have human souls, nor were they made in God's image, as people were.

Christians in the past believed, without question, that animals had their own souls. It wasn't even questioned until the advent of seventeenth century of Enlightenment. Throughout the history of the church, the classic understanding of living things has included the doctrine that animals, as well as humans, have souls.*

This really upsets some people, I'm not sure why.

Perhaps, because of this fact, I have seen God's Hand work in animals in ways that saved the day, so to speak.

Not too awfully long after I had the back surgery that changed my life, I was at home, alone. Molly (my American Bulldog) and I had been out walking. We'd been in just a few minutes when I noticed her muzzle was swelling up. Her breathing became labored, it was fast becoming a medical emergency.

It was 7:30 a.m. I prayed that someone at the animal hospital would answer the phone, and they did. I told them what was happening and they said to come on in, but there would be no vet there till 8:30 or 9:00 a.m.

I got Molly to struggle to the car, but no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get up in the car.

She was smothering to death.

I couldn't lift or even help this 100 pound animal, so I stood there crying hysterically. I prayed like crazy, and finally started praying out loud. "Lord, You see this situation. You know I can't do anything. But I know You can do everything. I know Molly doesn't have free will like I do, and right now I thank you for that. We need help. In the name of Jesus Christ, Molly, get in the car."

She did.

I prayed all the way to the vet, as her condition became worse by the minute. I prayed for no traffic, and the way was clear. I prayed out loud that a vet would just decide out of the blue to show up to work early and be there by the time we got there.

One did.

They told me Molly wouldn't make it, it was too late.

She is eight years old now.

Do I hear a "Praise the Lord!"?

Yesterday I had to get my geriatric (not a) pet cat Lily to the vet. She is terrified of a carrier and the last time I put her in one I got a gash on my hand that stayed for months.

So I prayed that God would see fit to allow her to gently be placed in the carrier.

He did.

Now, my God is an awesome God, and He shows this to me in different ways every day.

But when He does something for just me and mine, it makes me feel more loved than anyone else on the planet.

I can never repay Him.

But I sure can praise Him!

*Heaven by Randy Alcorn

Odd Conversation tidbits

Pulling up to a fast food drive thru and ordering, then pulling to window and young girl sticks her head out and says, "Ya'll are the ones that ordered blah, blah, blah with cookies, right?"
________________________________________________________________________________

Me to Daughter: "I've heard that new thrift store is really good. Let's plan on going to The Shutterbug Wednesday."

Daughter: "It's Clutterbug, Mama, not Shutterbug."

Me: Oh, that's right! Shutterbug is - " (and before I can finish my sentence)

Daughter: "Some old fashioned kind of dance."

Me:  "No, no, that's Jitterbug. Shutterbug is a magazine for camera buffs."

Daughter: "Whatever."

_________________________________________________________________________________

Husband and I talking about another slide into the moral lapse of our country, when Daughter (about age fifteen then) chimes in: "We're all going to  heck in a hellbasket."

_________________________________________________________________________________

Mother and other workers giving their order for lunch to my daddy, who would bring it back to the department store. A lady store clerk Mother worked with then turns to customer who has previously asked for help with sizing a bra for his wife. Store clerk asks: "And what size hamburger would she need?"

______________________________________________________________________________

Husband, Daughter and I talking about the tragedy in the news, where the tiger had mauled the famous partner in a taming act. But we couldn't think of the men's names. "Sigmund and Freud!" Daughter responds brightly.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Me, about a twelve year old, watching "Bonanza" with Daddy.

Daddy, watching the character Adam intently volunteers this bit of information: "I hear that feller that plays Adam is really bald on top and wears a tee pee."

______________________________________________________________________________

Two year old Daughter wanders into my room with an expectant look on her face. "What did you say, Mama?"

Me: "I didn't say anything, honey."

Daughter, thoughtfully, "Then what was it you didn't say?"

__________________________________________________________________________

Daughter and I at local restaurant. Waiter walks up, smiling to self, obviously listening to those little voices inside: "May I take your order?"

Daughter orders.

Waiter looks alarmed. "No, you don't want to order that."

Daughter, looking at me with big eyes."Well, okay. I'll have something else."

Relief washes over crazy waiter and he then fails to give us silverware, hands us the bill with over a hundred dollars in the black cover that's supposed to be our bill, and when he hands me the pen with which to sign the credit card receipt the pen springs apart in my hand and parts fly all over the restaurant.

____________________________________________________________________________

Client pitching fit over telephone about her bill, so I take the phone from the secretary and ask what the problem is. Lady says: "I'm tired of ya'll hairy-assing me!"

Me: We aren't trying to harass you, ma'am."
_____________________________________________________________________________

Me pulling up to drive through at a fast food place, "I'll have an order of fries, please."

Person inside: "Would you like fries with that?"

Me: "Well, yeah, that was sort of the point.....

Which one are you?

Anytime you hear my Mother utter the question, "Now, which one are you?" generally means trouble.

I'll give you this, sometimes it simply means which doctor/nurse/aide or you, or which daughter are you of so and so.

But almost never. Generally, and almost always, it is in regards to that delightful double digit delivery called twins.

While still in the ER, a young woman came in, looking at me, mouth open, about to say something to me.

I was thinking, "She looks familiar...", when my mother took over, having recognized the woman's great-grandfather.

I kid you not.

She asked which one she was, because she is a twin. She told my mother "I'm Zoe." (I've changed their  names to protect privacy and also because I can only remember one of their names....)

After ascertaining whether she was the one who had married the Jones boy (she was not, that was her twin), she informed Zoe that her great-grandfather on her father's side was a brother to my mother's grandmother on her mother's side.

AND:

They had siblings who were twins!

Zoe allowed she knew there were other twins in the family a few generations back, and seemed pleased to find out we were all related.

Then she turned to me (finally) and said she used to go to our church and that her mother brought her children to our Wednesday night program sometimes. When she said that, it clicked and I remembered her children.

They are twins.

Mother then told her that she herself had twin boys (the boys are pushing fifty) and that the boy sitting next to me was one of the twins' son.

And that, in fact, her husband's (my daddy) father had siblings that were twins, and so did my father's mother's family!

She also mentioned another set of twins who never made it to life, but were miscarriages.

This twin, aka Zoe, left and in a few moments, you guessed it, the other twin "Cloe" showed up.

She's the one married to the Jones boy.

We went through all this again, except by now my niece was sitting where my nephew had been, but that's okay because her daddy is the other twin.

And if you understood any of that, you need to see somebody!