Baby Robin

As I have been working in the garden this Spring, I kept hearing baby birds chirping loudly from time to time, when the Mama bird brought them food. I followed the sounds and found three fat baby Robins, in a hedge of trees that borders our property. They were so big, they barely fit in the nest anymore. I intended to take a photo, but forgot about it....and when I went back a few days later, the baby birds were gone from the nest. :-( As I walked back to the house, I heard chirping.... and gazing into the hedge, spotted this baby robin sitting on a limb.

I love how it still has a tuft of downy feather on it's sweet little head!

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" Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God." Psalm 84:3

Happy Valentine's Day

If any of you have been readers of my blog for a few years now, you know that I am fond of finding what I call Nature Valentines. One year I grew a heart shaped sunflower. Another year I found the perfect heart shaped leaf.

I wasn't sure if I could find a Nature Valentine this year, but then I remembered this heart shaped rock.

Since our property is on a hillside and had been previously dozed, whenever we dig a hole to plant something we have to dig many of these large basalt rocks out of each hole. Sometimes when we look at the pile of rocks, it is so large.... it is hard to believe that they would even fit back into the hole! On one of our digs (in which I usually end up needing dear husband's help)...this neat heart shaped rock showed up. So I saved it, and it rests next to the base of a pine tree in my.... you guessed it... ROCK garden!

I had a little fun with this picture in Photoshop. Thanks, Honey... for all you do for me! You don't buy me diamonds, but you get me all the dirt, compost, and leaves I need for my gardening habit, as well as providing your awesome muscle power.

I love you, Steve......you ROCK!



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The first Valentine message is still the best one ever sent!


"For GOD so LOVED the WORLD, that He gave His only begotton SON, that whosoever believes in HIM should not perish, but have everlasting LIFE."

John 3:16

The Promise of Spring

The signs of Spring seem to be coming forth early this year!

A maple tree's buds are swelling with life...against the backdrop of a bright blue sky.

A container of Pansy's, stored in the greenhouse over the winter, is blooming!

Mr. Robin....singing from the highest branches of a budding Poplar tree.




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"For, lo, the winter is past; The rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; The time of the singing of birds is come..."
Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Old Homestead

After passing by this old homestead on the drive to Spokane several times, on one trip I finally convinced dear husband to stop, so I could get a photo of the old building and the windmill.

This photo evokes a lot of nostalgia in me. The windmill reminds me of my childhood home on the farm where I grew up, on the North Dakota prairie.



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"And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. "

Isaiah 58:12

First Winter Snowfall

We finally received our first snowfall of the season....in the third week of January. By the time it stopped coming down we had about 6 inches on the ground, and everything looked beautiful!

A pair of old Adirondack chairs, which somehow missed getting put away last fall.

My lastest birdhouse, a yard sale find. Dear Husband mounted it for me on a section of lodge-pole pine.....for the natural look.



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For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Happy New Year! 2012

Wow....it has been over a year since I have posted to this blog! I have taken a break to focus on other things....important things! I have wondered many times, throughout the year, if I would ever post here again, but today just feels like a good day to start anew! :-) I recently spent some time cleaning up my photo folders.....with the realization that I have many photos that are share-worthy. So the plan is to keep it simple, a short post now and then, as I find time.

We have experienced a unusual Winter this year.... mild temps, lots of sunshine, and virtually NO snow! So I pulled up some photos from 2006, to show how beautiful and fresh our part of the country looks.... covered with a soft white blanket!

These photos were taken on a drive in December of 2006 , when my husband and I were scouting for Elk.

Close up of the misty fog.... hovering among the trees.

A local farm. I loved the contrast between the red barn and the white snow!

A line up of of fence-posts marks the curve in the road.

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A good verse for the coming year...

The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day. I say to myself, "The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!"

Lamentations 3:22-24 NASB

First Snowfall

Our first snowfall arrived on November 22nd this year. As always, it prompts me to pull on my boots and venture out for a few photos. After all, it is an event! We have had several snows since then, adding up to about 6 inches, and it is softly falling even as I write.

Heritage Rose, with the mountain as a backdrop.

A snow-laden rose bud.

Black-eyed Susan seed head....food for the birds!

Autumn Joy Sedum.... still looking good!

Orange Calendula....bravely blooming beyond the frost.

A pair of Black-Eyed Susans......yellow petals still intact.

There is much to appreciate about the flowers that hold on, to give us a spot of color...... long after the Petunias and Zinnias have disappeared!

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"He giveth snow like wool....." Psalm 147:16

It is compared to wool for its whiteness, and its softness; it falls silently, and makes no more noise than the fall of a lock of wool; it covers the earth, and keeps it warm like a fleece of wool, and so promotes its fruitfulness. See how God can work by contraries and.... can warm the earth with cold snow. ~ Matthew Henry

Easter Blessings

...Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
~1 Cor 15:57

Because I live, you will live also.
~John 14:19

Frosted Flowers

Another gardening year is drawing to a close, with the arrival of a very early frost on September 30th. I ventured out into the frosty morn to grab a few photos of the icy beauty displayed on some of the flowers.

A pair of chilly yellow Cosmos.

A pot of Cherry & Ivory Swizzle Zinnias, started from seed. These were new for me this year, and I so enjoyed them! The frost just added another dimension to the happy red and white flowers.

Black-eyed Susan, with icy center cone.

Laura Bush Petunia, edged in frosty white. These have become a favorite of mine the past few years. They are prolific and hardy, a non-hybrid type with smaller flowers and a nice fragrance. I save the seeds each year.

Pink Cactus flowered Zinnia.

A yellow Calendula...hanging it's head in the cold.




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"By the breath of God, frost is given...."

Job 37:10

Christmas Greetings

This little nativity is one of my favorite thrift store finds...and it represents the true Spirit of Christmas for our family.

"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us Son is given;
And the government shall be upon His shoulder.

And His name shall be called
Wonderful, Counselor,
Mighty God,
the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace."

Isaiah 9:6


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To all my readers, fellow gardeners, bloggers, friends and family:

Merry Christmas!

Thanksgiving Bouquet

I'm pretty sure this will be the last of my garden flowers...some late flowering Calendulas. So I'm sending it as a virtual bouquet to all of you, and wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

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"It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And your faithfulness every night."
Psalm 92:1

He is Risen!

,

The Holy Bible; King James Version:

"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week,
came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
to see the sepulchre.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake:
for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven,
and came and rolled back the stone from the door,
and sat upon it."
Matthew 28:1-2

"And the angel answered and said unto the women,
Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus,
which was crucified.
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay."
Matthew 28:5-6

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"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved."
John 3:16-17

"... I am the resurrection, and the life:
he that believeth in me, though he were dead,
yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and
believeth in me shall never die ..."
John 11:25-26

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Have a Blessed Easter!

Rain, Sweet Rain!

After a week of over 100 degree weather, we were so thankful for the dramatic thundershowers we had yesterday, which produced some much needed rain!

Along with the lightning and loud cracks of thunder, the rain came in an absolute downpour! I took this photo from under the shelter of our front porch. You can see the rain sheeting off the eaves of the house. In the space of about an hour, we received over half an inch!

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"Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving.....
Who covers the heavens with clouds,
Who provides rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains."

Psalm 147: 7-8