Caught!

I put out peanuts the other day in the hopes of attracting the Blue Jays. Today one stopped by. I expected him to take the peanuts, someone had been eating them. Instead he was on the large feeder filling his gullet with the finer bird seed. Maybe the squirrels and chipmunks ate the peanuts.......

May 30, 2010 A Rose is a Rose

My rose bush was covered in beautiful fragrant blooms this year. My grandma had one of these as did my mom. (mine is a shoot from hers). They fade too quickly and are a reminder to stop today and smell the roses. If we wait til later we might miss out! Find something today to enjoy!

Blessings!

May 5, 2010 White Throated Sparrow

Another of my spring visitors, the White Throated Sparrow, would not pause for a second so I could get a good clear shot. He was constantly moving and scratching and pecking. Love them tho. I believe I've ID'd him properly, if I'm mistaken please set me straight!
Blessings

May 4, 2010 Spring Visitor

I've been waitng for these guys, the White Crowned Sparrow as well as the White Throated Sparrow and the Harris Sparrow. They are finally here! The first time I saw the Harris Sparrow was maybe 8 years ago. My parents were visiting and it was my dad's birthday May 10th. Every year since I start looking for them a week or so before.... around the 1st of May. They never disappoint me! Welcome back my little friends. Blessings~

April 17, 2010 One, Two Three

The view outside my window!

Blessings~

April 7, 2010 Return Visitor

Regular visitor to my feeders this little lady seems to have an attitude, one that makes me smile! She's checkin' me out, then she goes back to feeding.

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~

Busy!! March 19, 2010

My little squirrel friend is at it again! This time he found the seed cake. He pulls loose a sunflower seed and then climbs up on the basket or the top of the hook and eats it. Then he goes back to the cake and pulls another seed and repeats the process, over and over and over again. No wonder he needs to eat so much with all that exercise he gets! Hope this day has you busy with the things that matter most, the things you enjoy the most! Blessings~

Mr. C March 11, 2010

I did pick up my camera once or twice when I saw Mr C stop by. He will be harder to see when the trees have leaves!

Blessings~

Spring 2010 1st Robin March 5, 2010

Spring 2010 1st Robin, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

This past weekend I went to visit my sis in law in Huron SD. I took my mom in law and off we went on our road trip. We had some sun most of the day but when we were a few miles out of Huron, the clouds rolled in. They stayed around all weekend. We notice birds flying about from the patio door and thought the ones in the far tree looked like Robins. I snapped a few quickly thru the patio door ( and across the driveway) and after zooming in on my pic we were sure they WERE Robins. The pic i posted today isn't great quality, but is is documentation. We saw our 1st Robin of the Spring 2010 on this day March 5. Hopefully some of them followed us back t Abercrombie and spring truly is just around the corner!

Blessings~

I'm Listening! February 27, 2010

I'm Listening!, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

I am so pleased that my Cardinal pair visit my feeders daily and often can be seen in the yard throughout the day. The beautiful colors are so cheery and the sight of one or both of my feathered friends brings a smile to my face. So do my crazy squirrels and their antics. I am thankful for the wonder of nature my creator has blessed me with. I never tire of the birds, leaves, flowers, sunsets, sunrises, frosts, mountains, rivers, the moon, stars, clouds and on and on!

I hope you can take the time each day to find joy in nature.

Blessings~

Good Morning Sunshine! February 21, 2010

Good Morning Sunshine!, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

Little sweetie greeted the day with her face to the sun. There was heavy frost on the trees and the early sun turned some of them pink and orange.

I do not always greet the day with my tace turned toward the sun. Often I try to push back the beginning of another day, waiting another 5, 10 or 15 minutes before crawling out of my warm bed and beginning another day. Oh that I would greet this blessing with excitement, anticipation, and gratefulness, turning my face to the SON!

Find Blessings in each day~

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~

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

Snowed In! February 9, 2010

Snowed In!, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

After a long weekend of freezing rain, snow, blowing snow, more snow, drifting snow, snow day, no school, late start, we finally saw the sunshine! And the sun makes all that snow, sparkle and shine while casting wonderful shadows about creating beautiful abstracts on the snows surface. I walk by these trees every day on my way to work. Most day's I don't notice them, they're just trees. Today was different. their dark rough trunks stood in sharp contrast with the white softness of the snow. Planning to take at least one photo a day is training my eye to look at things differently, to notice things I may not have otherwise, to not just look, but to see. What will I see tomorrow? What will you see?

I hope you see BLESSINGS!

On Alert February 8, 2010

On Alert, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

This fella has been spotted previously only once! How wonderful that he has returned. I saw him briefly on the seed cake but he spent the rest of his short visit in the tree. He's found the seed now so I trust he will return. I'll be watching.

Blessings!

Geronimo! Februarly 7, 2010

Geronimo!, originally uploaded by pictureapromise.

Sunday was a busy day in my backyard! In addition to the birds at my feeders, i had a little sneak thief too. He entertained me for some time. He would climb up the tree, sit and ponder a bit, then climb out to the end of the branches and jump toward the feeders. He landed in the snow every time and would run the rest of the way to the feeder which was easy enough for him to climb to from the ground. He'd grab a seed or two, tun back to the tree,climb up, eat his seeds and do the whole thing again. Too funny!

More pics of my little friend can be found at pictureapromise on flickr

Hope each day brings you something to smile about.
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~