Savoring Summer

 

 
 
It feels as if it’s been two years since we’ve had summer.  Last June ushered in devastating floods here in Iowa and the remainder of the summer was swallowed up in coping with crises.  Though Cedar Rapids is far from a full recovery, God has smiled on our area by granting lovely summer weather…perfect for growing corn. 
 
 
 
 
And perfect for those [...]

Corona 1, Robins 2

 
Came home from NC and discovered three little robin heads peeking from the nest under our front porch eaves.
 

 
Yesterday one decided to try his wings…
 
 
…and became a victim to the neighbor’s cat last night.   Hero tried to rescue it but, alas, the damage was done.
 
 
Just now I heard a clunk! on our front [...]

Six-day Riddle Solved

 
Though I flew home Monday, I’ve still been flying by the seat of my pants since we arrived.  I am not yet unpacked.  But, there are priorities, after all, so here’s the solution  to the Six-day Riddle (good guesses, by the way):
 
The photo was taken in Embera Drua, located on the Upper Chagres River in the Panama rainforest.  We reached [...]

Six-day Riddle

 

 
As I wrote in my last post, I’ll be traveling for the next several days.  So, I thought I’d leave you with a riddle to work on til I get back around the 2nd. 
 
I took this photo.  It’s untouched.  It’s the real deal.  Where is it?  What is it? 
 
~~~~ 

Mid-day Reverie

 

 
It’s 1:14 p.m.  Mid-day.  Just stepped out onto our front porch to retrieve mail from our box across the street.  Mama robin is still vigilantly brooding in the nest she built under the eves of our front porch.  Last night she weathered quite a storm.  Thunder.  Lightening.  Wind gusts.  Rain.  Exceedingly patient, she is.
 
Strolling the sidewalk and down [...]

A few of My Favorite Spring Things

 

 
 
Every time the seasons change, the new one is my favorite.  But Spring really is my favorite, favorite!  It evokes both nostalgic memories – visual and sensory - and present day bliss.  Here are a few things that spring means to me:
 
- The return of robins.  I am always thrilled when I discover they’re building a nest on our property…in our young [...]

Lucky Gray-haired Ladies

 
I envy gray-haired women.  Seriously.  It’s not that I wish I had gray hair.  I already do.  Anyone who knows me has seen it  peeking periodically from my center part and my temples.  
 
But I envy those sisters whose hair is completely natural.  Uncolored.  They have no worries about maintaining dyed strands.  They’re totally free from the whole thing -competition, color, maintenance… 
 
My [...]

Invisible Hero

 
 
        Every morning he opens his eyes to a life in which no one knows he’s awake.  No one knows what time he gets out of bed.  No one even wonders.    He hears no “good morning.”  Only the silence of a second-floor efficiency which he accesses via wood steps on the outside of a house.  [...]

The Robins are Back! And the Wannabes.

 
My hopes for spring always soar when I spot the first robin of the season. Like yesterday.  But, this morning, they flocked to our yard.  I grabbed my camera to capture their number but they fled as soon as I moved, even from inside my house.  Finally, I managed to sneak closer with my zoom lens, only to discover that [...]