It seems that Blue Jays have this favorite spot right outside my window in this little tree. It’s wonderful to see them–to see how colorful God has decorated them.
I was out for a walk when I saw this black bird. I had to walk around to the side of him in order to see his red wings–a delight to see God’s handiwork.
He looks around, but isn’t afraid of the camera–yet.
This beautiful full tree by this full creek gives us a picture of the blessings of God upon all who trust in Him. We can be blessed with all His goodness when we trust in Him. And we will fear nothing but will continue to enjoy the blessings of the Lord as long as we are nourished by His life.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord
And whose trust is the Lord.
8 “For he will be like a tree planted by the water,
That extends its roots by a stream
And will not fear when the heat comes;
But its leaves will be green,
And it will not be anxious in a year of drought
Nor cease to yield fruit.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
After the Snow Melt
After the snow
all melted away,
the flood of water
brought not only greenery
but overflowing creeks
and the smell of swamp water.
Yet the beauty remains.
I’ve been reading Lewis and Clark: Partners in Discovery, by John Bakeless. Some of it is delightful reading. I have to chuckle at some of the quotes. For example, when Clark comments on the abundance of timber in Oregon; he said they made “the straightest and most butifullest logs.” Both Clark and Lewis were not the best at spelling and grammar. Yet I have to admire their courage and tenacity. When they arrived at the west coast they decided to rest through the winter before they headed back; and in just a matter of three or four months they built a total of eight good sized cabins. And they built them sturdy in order to resist any possible Indian attacks. The men, plus Sacagawea, were highly motivated to do everything they had to do to survive.
Painting. I’m back at painting. It’s good for me and is keeping my blood sugar level down—as I have diabetes.
Green. Everything is greener—wonderful! I was thinking about maybe picking up all the trash around this apartment building left over from the winter. A big mess.
There are so many turtles in this little lake. They just love to bask in the sun.
I saw ducks through the trees.
I saw red-winged Black Birds.
I saw this small deer–quite friendly.
I saw this beautiful swan.
It was impossible to walk along the shore of the Mississippi, as I usually do–see the flooding full river. The upper trail was nice and dry.
I saw this bird while walking on one of my favorite trails. I had to look it up. It is called an American Coot. Notice its white beak and long toes. Here is the description I found.
The waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck. A close look at a coot—that small head, those scrawny legs—reveals a different kind of bird entirely. Their dark bodies and white faces are common sights in nearly any open water across the continent, and they often mix with ducks. But they’re closer relatives of the gangly Sandhill Crane and the nearly invisible rails than of Mallards or teal.
A full and sparling creek. There is a bit of snow still around, but that will be gone very soon.
Another creek.
chirping blackbirds.
Turtles. These are some of the first turtles I’ve seen. The ducks and geese come first, then the turtles.
Stephen Nielsen 