April 17, 2010 One, Two Three

The view outside my window!

Blessings~

April 15, 2010 Feeder Friend

Just a quick shot out the patio door today. I'd never bought the seed logs for the birds before and didn't know how they'd go. All the birds feed on them and the woodpeckers especially like them! Be blessed friends!

April 11, 2010 Sweet Goldfinch

Sweet little goldfinch on the new tray I got for the sunflower seed feeder. Catches the seeds before they all end up on the ground!

April 5, 2010 Northern Flickr

New bird on my suet feeder today! Well, not new to my yard, these big fancy dressed Northern Flickers love to poke their beaks down into the ground in our yard looking for bugs or worms. In the spring we can often see as many as 6 at one time, each working it's own space on the grid. I have never seen one land on and eat from the feeders however. Every movement he made the feeder would swing about making it hard to capture him. He pause for this just for a moment so I snapped quickly! Spring is so much fun with the returrn of many birds for the summer and a quick visit from those who are migrating thru. Hope to capture a few more and share them with you here!

Blessings~

March 31, 2010 Don't talk with your mouth full!

Today I captured this female purple finch (birders please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm still learning!). Love the sun, you get that catchlight in the eye

March 30, 2010 Dark Eyed Junco

I love that spring has arrived! The snow is fianlly gone, green grass is visible, and the birds are even more plentiful at the feeders! They are busy all day long eating and scratching beaneath the feeders. The sun has moved so the light is better on the north side of my house and the patio door is no longer frozen shut so if I'm careful and very quiet I can slide the door open for my photos instead of shooting thru the glass. Much better! Today I captured this little Junco as he looked my way when I slid the door open. I'm glad I didn't startle him as he continued to scratch at the seed shells looking for something more to eat. Enjoy your spring days where ever you are!

Blessings~

March 29, 2010 Chow Time!

Pretty Purple Finch at my new feeder. This one is squirrel proof, little springs pull the cage down and close the feeding holes when the squirrel climbs on due to his heavier weight! I'm likin' it and the birds seem to too!
Blessings!

Little Red March 20, 2010

Finally, the first day of spring. I hear of places that had snow, not just a dusting, one friend had 7"! Here we still have our old snow but the day brought sunshine with cooler temps. That was ok, slows down the river rise. Spring weather can be fickle! Spring also brings more feathered friends. Thursday evening I saw two robins, they flew off before I got my camera and yesterday I heard and then saw a blackbird. Just one solitary blackbird. Saw him several times, just him, maybe he's a scout! These pretty finches have been about all winter but are hard for me to photograph, they don't stay at the feeders long. Spring is all about hope, I hope to get more photos of the house finches, I hope to see more robins, I hope to have a yellow headed blackbird again this year, I hope we get no more snow, I hope we have more sun now than clouds. Hope does not disappoint, I know that spring brings new birds, warm temps and eventually summer. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 True in regard to spring, true in regard to my spiritual life. I hope for God's unconditional love, forgiveness of my sins, His Spirit with me always and an eternal home in heaven with Jesus, faith in Him and His word bring me the assurance that it is so.
Blessings~

Familiar Friend March 13, 2010

It is always a joy to find one of these little visitors enjoying my backyard. They have such funny little habits but they go thru seed like crazy! I thought there were only a couple but they all look the same so I could be feeding dozens!

Saying Grace February 20, 2010

Saying Grace, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

When going thru my photos for today, this one was a delightful surprise! My little friend had been entertaining me again, climbing in and out of the feeder, running up and down the trees. I was just snapping photos..... I think he looks like he saying grace. Thanking God for all those good sunflower seeds. Thanking Him for a warm bed under the snow and so much more. My little friend reminded me that I ought to live with an attitude of gratitude. I have a home, family, clothes, shoes, good food and so much more. Like the gospel song I can sing "Thank you Lord for your blessings on me!"

We all have blessings to be thankful for, pick a few every day and say a prayer of gratitude!

Blessings~

Thinks He's Hiding February 16, 2010

Thinks He's Hiding, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

As I was watching the sky in the west, checking for the possibility of a good sunset I noticed some birds in a tree that didn't really look like sparrows. Grabbed my binoculars and to my delight saw that there were 6-8 Cedar Waxwings in my front yard! This tree is a bit farther from the house and I took the photos thru the window so as not to scare them away. Not the best so I am hoping they return soon. I took some frozen gooseberries out and put them on the dehydrator along with some blueberries. When they've dried I'll put them out in hopes of bringing the Waxwings closer and maybe a Blue Jay or two and who knows who else may stop for a snack! This is my first Waxwing photo!

Blessings~

Snow Racer February 14, 2010

Snow Racer, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

Today while watching for my birds, I saw this fella busy chomping down sunflower seeds. He entertained me for some time and made me laugh out loud a time or two. He would sit in the platform feeder or beneath it chomping seeds, the shells stuck in the fur near his tiny but busy little mouth! He would scurry across the snow to the tree, climb to a high branch and much his seeds some more. Then back down to the snow and when I expected him to fly across the snow he went beneath the snow at the base of the tree. It's a good couple feet deep there. So I figure he must have a little winter home under there. BRRR!! Next thing I know, his little head pops out of the snow near the base of the shepherds crook the feeders hang on. The little scamp has burrowed beneath the snow a beeline from tree to feeder. As I continued to watch, he was back and forth from tree to feeder, sometimes using his tunnel and others racing across the snow like he is in todays photo.

I took great delight in watching and was reminded of the verse Psalm 147:11 the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.

In other words those of us who fear, love and trust God, He takes great delight in, so much more than I do of this silly squirrel. God loves me, wants to see me succeed, wants to heap blessing after blessing on me. Even when I fail, fall down, make a mess of things, that does not change how he feels about me. I change, circumstances change, the world will change but God is unchanging, the same yesterday, today and forever. My hearts cry to God is that His Spirit would place in me a delight for Him, for His Word, for His will.

Blessings!

Girlfriends February 13, 2010

Not really a pair, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

There have been a lot of wookpeckers in my backyard recently. There may be 2 or three little Downies and a couple of the larger Hairy woodpeckers all at once! They usually come and go to the feeders separately and tend to chase each other away from the feeders and the trees. Today I captured these two on the seed cake and there were three of them fairly close to each other in one of the trees.

Today I will imagine these two are girlfriends spending a little quality time together, shopping, sharing lunch and secrets. There is just something about a girlfriend. Someone who loves you warts and all, someone you can trust to be honest even when the truth may be painful. A girlfriend listens, loves, and lifts you up in prayer. If you have even one, cherish her, you are blessed! If you are one, you are a precious gift!

Blessings

Sparrows February 1, 2010

Sparrows, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Matthew 10:29 says Are not two sparrows sold for a penny ? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

The little sparrow is watched by God, He cares for them, feeds them and sees when one falls. Some days we may feel isolated, alone perhaps abandoned or betrayed. God is at hand, He hears our hearts cry. There are times when we see no way for the needs of today or tomorrow to be met. Our need far outweighs our resources. We forget that God is at hand, His resources know no bounds! Sometimes, like the sparrow we fall and the Father is at hand, and He sees. Not only does He see, He may catch us before we hit the ground or He may rush to our side to help us up. We may even stay down for a time, to heal or to learn, and the Father never leaves us. And like the sparrow, nothing touches us outside the will of the Father. He knows, He cares, He sees, He Loves.....

How wonderful to think that the God of creation, of heaven and earth cares for and sees each sparrow. How incredible, how abundantly more precious to me that He not only sees me, He sent His son to pay my sin debt, to take my place in order to redeem me from the pit I'd fallen into and prepare a wonderful eternal home for me!

Blessings~

The table is Set~January 16, 2010

The table is Set~, originally uploaded by picturethepromises.

Last week I shoveled a path thru two feet of snow to my bird feeders out back. I wanted to bring them to the front of the house hoping to entice some of my feathered friends back to my yard. I rescued my best feeders and filled them, hung them in the tree out front and waited. And waited. The feeders are still full after several days. Not even a squirrel has ventured near. I will continue to wait, to hope that the birds will slowly find their way to the feeders.

I can be like the birds at times. There is a banquet set for me. Psalm 23 says God prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies! Yet I am too busy, too comfortable or too proud to come and feast at the Kings table. The Lord has promised to provide for my every need. We ask Him for our daily bread and then break our back trying to provide for our selves. We live in loneliness, fear, despair, grief, poverty and defeat when God has fellowship, peace, hope, joy, abundance and victory waiting for us. His table is set, would that I go to His table, to His Word, to Him for all that I need this day, everyday.

Blessings~