Winter Sunset

Just a sample of one of the beautiful sunsets we've been blessed with lately.  That pink glow stretches w-a-a-a-y around the horizon sometimes, but my camera wouldn't do it justice, so I'll stick with this.

Sharing

Bumblebee and lightning bug sharing the wealth of pollen available from a sunflower. (Photo taken the end of August.)

April Snow! Where Did It Go?

Woke up on April 20, 2021, to several inches of snow that had quietly fallen since midnight.

Here's the same view about eleven hours later!

I-is for Iris

Yes, I'm still here, living life with all of its up and downs, ever grateful for the solid rock of Jesus Christ through it all. I don't know how people manage without His strength. I know that some of the stuff we've dealt with since I last posted was only manageable through his grace. I also know that the blessings we've received during this time were also only through his grace!

The "Scribble Picnic" art cooperative I was part of came to an end last year. It did a good job of keeping me posting fairly regularly. Maybe I need to get back to using a theme. Hmm... I started going through the alphabet a few years back. Guess I'll try to continue with that. And who knows--maybe I'll pick up my colored pencils and throw in a scribble now and then!

Here's a bouquet of some of the iris, and a few roses, we gathered from around the yard last evening.

I give B. credit for getting them planted years ago. In fact, it looks like I did a post about all the varieties we had back in 2008. This link will take you there if you're interested in seeing them. Iris from 2008

Previously posted ABCs:

Apple, Blog, Cornflakes Candy, Cantata and Christmas, Draw This,  EEEEE, Family, Gum Ball Machine, HIE

Picnic in a Forest

It's a picnic in a forest – a Scribble Picnic that is! Thought I'd play with some watercolors this time. You can take a hike into other forests here.

Other painting I did today involved latex paint. Helped our youngest daughter paint a bedroom in anticipation of a new family member in February! What color? A nice neutral green!

(Note to Andrea if you stop by:  I've left comments on your last several posts, but nothing shows up.  If you go to "Settings" then "Posts, comments and sharing" maybe something was accidentally selected that prevents comments from getting to your posts. Or maybe your notification email address has changed? Might be worth checking anyway.)

In Awe

     I've always loved to look up at the night sky, so clear and crisp and unfathomable. The moon with its predictable pattern, and, so amazingly, even the unending stars stretching out over the universe are set in their places, as they have been for thousands of years. Amazing! What an awesome God to have made this! But even more amazing is that in the midst of all this he reaches down to me, and to you, with such individual love.

Linking with Scribble Picnic. Fly "Across the Universe" here to see how others have been inspired by this week's topic.

Psalm 8 New International Version (NIV)

1 Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
    in the heavens.
2 Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger.
3 When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,
4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?

5 You have made them a little lower than the angels
    and crowned them with glory and honor.
6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands;
    you put everything under their feet:
7 all flocks and herds,
    and the animals of the wild,
8 the birds in the sky,
    and the fish in the sea,
    all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

In the Cross

What a privilege on Monday, August 21, 2017, to have been right on the path of the total solar eclipse that crossed our country. Some of the family camped out then spent the day at the pond to take in the once in a lifetime (where we live) event. Others drove half an hour north where the time of totality was about a minute longer. The view through the special viewing glasses as the moon passed in front of the sun was spectacular. Then as it came to the point of being exactly in front of the sun we were able to take off the glasses for those fast couple of minutes for the awe inspiring sight, including a 360º sunset!

I heard of one person who was fearful of the event, thinking Jesus would return that day. Oh, my heart breaks to hear of anyone who is afraid of that. For anyone who has accepted Christ as their Savior, his return is something to look forward to rather than to fear.

For Scribble Picnic this week we were to "Fill in the Blank" by starting with a box with an X in it. I considered a quilt or a barn door, but settled on a stained glass window. Enjoyed using a permanent black marker, watercolor pencils, and an "Aquash" water brush for this. Links to other "X in a box" drawings can be found here.

Verse 1:

Jesus, keep me near the cross; 

there a precious fountain, 

free to all, a healing stream, 

flows from Calvary's mountain. 

Refrain: 

In the cross, in the cross, 

be my glory ever, 

till my raptured soul shall find

rest beyond the river.

"Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross" was written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915) long ago, but her words in this and myriad other hymns she wrote continue to express the beliefs of Christians over the years.

Scribble Picnic–Ladybug

Fly away home to this page of Scribble Picnic to link to ladybugs who are sure to be more creative and interesting than this one. She's not too exciting, just munching away on some aphids on a stem, but at least she's definitely a ladybug!

Scribble Picnic–Bird

     We're blessed to have many trees around our house, which also means many birds. My husband likes to grow birdhouse gourds and hang them up for the wrens. Their chattering, which I love to hear, goes on and on throughout the day this time of year! We also have a large rock in our backyard. It has somewhat of a basin on the top, so when that is kept full of water it attracts a wide variety of birds–finches, robins, bluebirds, wrens, sparrows, orioles, cardinals, bluejays,...

     Many years ago my brother who lives in the city mentioned "how noisy" it is here in the country after the birds woke him with their early morning singing! He wasn't really complaining, just commenting!

     I already posted this drawing of a ceramic bird figurine from a class I took years ago, but I'll share it again, as it's one of my favorites. 

     And just because, here's a quick little colored pencil sketch of a bird of no particular variety.

Joining Michael at Scribble Picnic for this week's bird theme. Fly on over here to see the other birds at the picnic.

Winter Swing Tree

     Have you ever climbed a tree? I hope so! Many, many childhood summer hours of mine were spent up in the branches of a big (elm?) tree in our side yard. It was huge. Well, most likely it wasn't–but from my perspective then it was! Dad, probably with the help of one or both of my older brothers, secured some flat boards (a small door?) a ways up in it. 

     The platform was just big enough for two children to sit on. Sometimes it was just me and our cat. Usually I was by myself, and could stretch out and imagine the hours away, enjoy whatever breeze came by, "spy" on the neighborhood, read (probably a Nancy Drew mystery), make endless plans in a spiral notebook,...  Dad also secured a rope a few feet out on the lowest sturdy branch. The knotted rope was just long enough that a brother or friend could reach up and throw the end for you to catch as you stood in the crotch of the tree. Then you could swing out as Tarzan, or a pirate, or... 

     We moved at the end of my grade school years. I wonder if the platform and rope were still up when we left.

     Our own kids enjoyed a railed platform that Benny built between some trees. It had a short slide out from one corner, and covered a sandbox. He has also put up various swings for them (and us) in several different trees over the years. One tree in particular earned the title "Swing Tree" for its just right branch, height, and location. That tree is still at the end of our driveway, but sadly the perfect branch on it succumbed a few years ago to too many ice storms.

     My drawing is not of that particular tree, but it's what came out of my pencil. I don't believe this swing goes very high, but it might be just right for some very young ones. The tree is waiting for Spring and their arrival!

Linking with Michael at Scribble Picnic for this week's theme. To view more trees swing over HERE.

A–is for Apple, of course!

A new year.  A fresh start.  A different approach (at least for today!) Chances are good that forthcoming topics will be random, and they may or may not relate to the current day or season.

Our Apple tree didn't do so good this past year.  This is the beginning of last year's Apple harvest.  

Alas, it is also the end of last year's Apple harvest!  Can't complain though–it produced much good fruit for us for many years.

Apple fritter bread

 

Still have some Applesauce and pie filling in the freezer.  Guess I'd better work on getting that used up!

Look Close!

If you watch closely on My First YouTube Video, keeping focused toward the top of the screen at the front of the boat, you'll see the dolphins that were having fun racing with our day cruise catamaran for awhile (while we were visiting Alaska last summer.) It's very short, so if you don't see the dolphins the first time through, just replay!

Alaskan Wildlife, Part 2

These are some of my favorites of the wildlife we saw on our trip to Alaska last summer.

-Tufted Puffin-

: )

 -contemplative Sea Otter-

In Seward there were rabbits of all colors hopping around the residential area.  I happened to see this greedy one.  Or, maybe he was just really hungry. Or, maybe he was headed somewhere to share!

I never dreamed I'd have the opportunity to see whales in my life! I don't remember for certain, but I think this was a beluga.

-Moose!-
They are quite common in Alaska, with signs all along the roads advising caution and to be alert for them along the roads. This family actually lives in Benny's sister's neighborhood. She said the twins were two years old, and would stay with their mother one more year.  But, they were something I had really, really hoped to see while we were there, so I was sure grateful that they made an appearance right toward the end of our visit!

"All things bright and beautiful, 
All creatures great and small, 
All things wise and wonderful, 
The Lord God made them all."

Alaskan Wildlife

On our first day in Alaska (last summer), this eagle and a gorgeous blue sky welcomed us.

 -A lone Harbor Seal swimming up the Kenai Bay-

I named him Murphy!

Murphy stopped to smile for the camera!

-Some of the birds on Gull Island-

I think these are mostly Common Murres and some Pelagic Cormorants off to the right, but do you see the two Tufted Puffins?

 

 Papa Eagle watches over his family (that was in another tree) at Homer.

This was a cute squirrel, but he was really a thief after the contents of Laura's bird feeder!

 

-Steller Sea Lions slipping and sliding, and soaking up some sun in (I think) Resurrection Bay-

Seeing these animals and birds was great, but in part 2 of Alaska Wildlife, I'll show the ones that were my favorites!

Chirp, Chirp! #1--Singing Sunshine

Caught this oriole swaying on a branch outside my kitchen window early one May.  Love its color!

Pink Sun Planet

The sun looked like a planet this evening. It was such an unusual color before even getting down to the horizon.

Spring Hodge-Podge

It was fun to see these colorful train engines one day.

A pastor from Papua New Guinea visited our area. M, B, and our pastor showed him around. He enjoyed seeing a Kansas farm first-hand.

Pastor C takes a break!
This is taken at Alcove Springs, a stop along the Oregon Trail.
They also took him to the dairy where T used to work, checked out the calves, and helped with the milking!

Then it was back to our place for kite flying and our first picnic of the year!
Another Spring day in April the director of a day care in a nearby town asked M to come over and fly kites with the kids. Good thing B, B's sister K, and I went along to help. They've mostly gone back inside now, but there were bunches of kids who tried their hands at flying kites!

We celebrated Easter at K and A's, their first time hosting family for a holiday. They did a fine job!

A trunk back of the van full of Spring!

Sarah Circle handed out the pansies after church for May Day gifts.

Yes, though it took its sweet time getting here, Spring has sprung!

Winter Wrap-up, a poem

Winter Wrap-up

Winter came.

We ate, we worked.
We slept, or not.
We cried.
We laughed.
We prayed
We praised.
We waited.

Winter stayed.
.......
.....
...

Winter went.

November Mystery Tour

Last Fall our pastor invited anyone who wanted, to go along on a "Mystery Trip". Only two of us took her up on it, and had a nice, relaxing day as she drove us to Omaha.

Our main destination turned out to be Lauritzen Gardens. Beautiful!
This miniature weeping fig is only 35 years old. They had a miniature lacebark elm that was closer to 75.
I absolutely loved this Mexican Bush Sage. It looks and feels like velvet!
(Easier to tell if you enlarge the photo.)
They had a model railroad track built through part of the area. Would have been fun to see it running.
One of many rose bushes.Purple Hyacinth Bean
An Armillary Sphere. Looks like it was almost 1:00.
Crabapple
More Mexican Bush Sage
All that walking made us hungry. Pastor C. took us to one of her favorite places to eat, Bob Monkey's Noodle Zoo.
Szechuan Noodles--"A spicy grill of chicken, carrots, snow peas, sweet pepper and onion served over Linguini with spinach and tomatoes." In other words... YUM!
After lunch, we spent time shopping/wandering around some fun shops in old downtown Omaha.
I'll close with some "Advice From a Squirrel," taken from a t-shirt made by Your True Nature.
-Look both ways when you cross the road
-Plan ahead
-Stay active
-Eat plenty of fiber
-Spend time in the woods
-Go out on a limb
-It’s OK to be a little nuts!