SMELLING THE PASTELS

   

 

Summer and winter and 

springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To God's great faithfulness, mercy and love.

                SPRING is my FAVORITE time of year!!  

The doldrums of winter fade away.  Winter seems a dark season to me, and it is hard to avoid depression.  Often, I turn on several lights and keep bouquets of fresh  flowers within view to avoid complete hibernation.

             With Spring, the daylight remains a little longer.  Plants respond by stretching a    tentacle above ground, testing whether it        is safe to send up a couple of shoots.

Birds begin their morning greetings as the sun arises. Their joyful tunes, a fanfare of warmer days to come.

  This year, it seems to have exploded! We've had unusually high temps and an ample supply of rain that woke up the vegetation like a cold shower on a reluctant riser!

Spring seems a peculiar name for a season. I don't know why I feel that way.      

                                  

  I checked  the internet and found it  referenced.  "primarily the act of springing or leaping. The word is  hence applied in various senses: to the season of  the year in which plant life begins to bud and shoot." (Encyclopedia Britanica).

It also applies to water sources that spring from the earth. They contribute to other bodies of water such as lakes, wells, and streams. I think of springs as sources of cool, refreshing, water. Isn't the season like that? Refreshing after the cold and dreariness of winter?

It also describes a mechanism often used in clocks and watches. They help keep the time accurately. Should it be a surprise then, that we have to reset our clocks during the spring?   Springs are also used to add stabilization and comfort to various forms of travel.

     I relish the soft hues in the landscape. Forsythia along our fence is calling to me, "Come clip a few branches, and bring us inside where our bright yellow will make your whole room smile!"      

I thought of them as a romantic bush named by some suitor who gave the colorful shoots to his

dearest Cynthia--calling them "For Cynthia!"

But  their naming is not nearly such a love story. Rather, Wikipedia corrected me, explaining they were named by William Forsyth (Scotland; 1737-1804), during which time he served as head of the Royal Horticultural Society.

The daffodils, with their proper high Victorian collars are prepared for the cold nights that still linger.  Yet, they manage to pop in clusters, expanding each year.

As I drive, I see so many shades of pink, creamy white, and effervescent green! I feel rich! Of course, the limitation of a two-dimensional photo cannot capture and reproduce some of the marvelous perfumes permeating the air--even if they do make me sneeze.   

               What is YOUR favorite season of the

year?   How would you depict it?  What kind of

album would you fill to best describe its character??                   

  

 

BIRDIE BUDDIES

 Consider the birds of the air. They neither plant, nor gather grain into the barn. Yet, how their Heavenly Father cares for them! Will He not care even more, for you?? Matthew 6:2

     What do you think of birds? Some folks pay no attention to them, some may be afraid of them, and some are fascinated by them.  How about you?  Can you imagine a world without them??

As I mentioned in a prior blog (see Nov. 2020-Diversity ), my husband and I like to watch the birds. We purchase bird seed to entice them into view. Some are acrobatic, some are fighters, and not at all good about sharing. While others simply take whatever happens to drop down from the feeder. 

It sounds like some of us, no?

     I find birds challenging to photograph. I posted some shots here which are less than perfect; however, I am working to improve. The only time I fail is when I do not learn from our mistakes. Since I am learning, I opted to include some imperfect shots because they are not failures!

It is winter, and while our season has not been as horrific as some of our neighbors experienced,  I feel for those feathered critters huddling together to keep warm.  They are voracious consumers as they feed to fuel their body temperatures. I was surprised to see how quickly they went through pounds of feed!

There is such variety among them, not only in size and color, but in song and purpose.

    While vultures are not attractive, they are the areas eco-trash birds, cleaning up roadkill and other carrion, which might otherwise threaten humans.

A few years ago, a friend and I visited the National Zoo in D.C.  We walked up a steep hill on our tour. I had to stop and catch my breath. Once at the hill top, the first animals we saw were the vultures. I told my friend they were awaiting the next person who keeled over from the exertion of the climb, who they could then consume for a snack!

We live in an environment which offers opportunity to see a lot of different birds. We live near the Atlantic Flyway, and are treated to spottings of several species.  Wetlands are not far from us and the waterfowl can be seen wading, hunting their next meal.

A nearby zoo has an aviary where visitors are welcome to stroll among the vegetation while the critters fly around, or strut along in search of treats.  

While there is a  pungent odor, 

I find the venture into their sanctuary worth the minor discomfort. 

The hues and variations of their feathered fashions are amazing. I love the experience because the birds are not caged, and it almost feels like what a stroll in a jungle might be like.                                                                                                   

While preparing this post, I decided to do some research. Most of the info is from Google and the Audubon.org/news websites.  Here is a small portion of what I found:

SOME BENEFITS OF BIRDS

Birds spread seeds            Birds pollinate plants

Birds control pests--They eat 400-500 tons of insects annually.

Birds reduce weeds               Scavengers are nature's clean up crew

Birds indicate environmental Hazards        

      Birds promote conservation   Birds support the economy

Just one example of how they help the tourist industry:  Magee Marsh, on the shores of Lake Erie in Ohio, which hosts a 2,000 acre wildlife refuge, attracts over 2,500 visitors annually. 26 million dollars was generated in the state as birders visited the various wild life refuges.                                                                                                                                                   

In the American West there is a tree called the whitebark pine that helps both humans and other animals. These trees prevent erosion, protecting the water supply. Only one bird, the Clark's nutcracker, disperses the trees' seeds.

Our bird buddies provide eco-therapy by motivating us to get outside, away from our computers and TV. It exposes us to fresh air and lifts our spirits. Who does not need a real lift in these difficult days?  

There creatures do so much for us, we can be their buddies and help care for them.