Saturday In The Swamp And Sanctuary Sunday

Mountain laurel is blooming! It is blooming all around the edges of the swamp. The water level seems quite low. I did catch a glimpse of a beaver, preening among clumps of cattails. (click to enlarge photo below)

The Beaver picture is a definite "Where's Waldo" kind of picture or "Can You See It?"

It's been a while since I've ventured through the poison ivy and bugs to check on life in the swamp. There are now four active Great Blue Heron nests; three down the far end of the swamp and the newest one in the middle. My binoculars and my shaky arms don't provide an extremely clear view but they are definitely active nests.  I numbered the nests, you just have to click to enlarge the photo.

Standing on a log over the water at the edge of the swamp is just a very therapeutic thing to do. Road noises are far, far away. The swamp gets quite quiet until I have stood still for about 45 minutes, then some noise and activity resume. Just to stand and watch and listen and be so

still.

The message tonight at church was just what the "doctor" ordered. After a long day at Children's Hospital on Friday regarding my grandbaby, my daughter and I just felt like our brains had been liquified. Too much information to try and process. Through the rest of the weekend, I have just been unsettled and overwhelmed and absolutely jittery and exhausted. And then tonight's sermon....delivered from an old, frail retired minister.....John 6 - feeding the five thousand with 5 fish and 2 loaves......Jesus knew what He was going to do but asked two of the disciples how they would feed the crowd? One said not possible, the need was too big. The other looked at what they had available for resources, and said not possible, inadequate resources. What was the solution? The Lord........

A simple message...

one I've heard before....

the answer I most certainly know in my head....

but just what the doctor ordered for my

heart to be reminded of.....

He knows exactly what He is doing with Amber and with us....

I am to trust and to rest and to watch Him work.

Wordless Wednesday....or What Happened to May

A Crusader!

I never thought of describing a Rose Breasted Grosbeak as a "mini Crusader".....but that is what my daughter suggested as I pointed out this fellow at the bird feeder.  She has been watching episodes of the BBC's Robin Hood series lately.   The female is not nearly as dramatic, but she does stand apart with her eye markings...although next to the male American Goldfinch you hardly notice her!  If you want to see an amazing picture of the female grosbeak, check here.

Empty Nest Blues And Ongoing Construction

New Great Blue Heron nest construction continues. I'm not sure if they don't like the lower nest and are trying to rebuild or if this is another Heron pair. Then there is the solitary Heron with stick, a new nest there?

The nest is empty.....no Mother Goose, not on the nest, not nearby,......

Nursery Hopeful

I ventured down to the swamp this week....a very cool and damp Tuesday....

The goose nest is occupied. 

Two Great Blue Heron nests both in the right half of the picture.

The newest Heron nest.

If you click on this picture, you may catch some male mallards having a dispute behind the reeds.  They were very far away and very agitated.  I think the others swam out of the frame but there is one male with wings spread.

There were plenty of Tree Swallows and Red-Winged Blackbirds, Black-Capped Chickadees that were close enough to touch....but I resisted or I'd have fallen off my log.  There was also a Blue Bird pair, but the lighting was so poor you have to take my word for it so I won't bother to include their picture.  The next day we had light snow and now we are mid-seventies with tomorrow threatening to be near 90!