Nature Photo Challenger #28

Denzil Nature challenges us to share photos of wild animals. Being in the suburbs of a landlocked state in the middle of our country does not offer a vast variety but we do have some interesting personalities of those animals we do have.

For whatever reason, we seem to have a lot of rabbits around our church and we are not in the country – not that far from downtown, but this baby was precious.

I am sure he thought if he was very still I would not see him, but I did, all five inches of him.

The squirrels here, and probably everywhere, are very creative in getting to the bird feeder but this one was hanging by his toes, literally.

Since I am originally from south Georgia, we don’t see groundhogs there but here in Iowa, they are everywhere.

My house is just on the outside of a small national park so we see deer here in the city limits like you would see the neighbor’s dog. Here we have mom and babies.

I understand this last photo is not an animal but he is wild. I had to take his picture because he was so sassy. Sea birds are a common thing here because of the Mississippi River. They follow the tug boats that come here from the gulf.

Strutting around like he owns the place.

I remind you as always the value of kindness, even with wildlife. All of God’s creation should be dealt with kindly.

FOTD – September 12, Big

Cee’s Flower of the Day always has something new and colorful…I tend to be a broken record. But I dearly love sunflowers. This particular flower came up on its own. Last year when I cleaned out all of my spent sunflowers, I stacked them hear at the edge of the sidewalk so that I could take all of them with one haul to the trash. And all it takes is one little seed to create this 11′ beauty.

She has multiple limbs with multiple flowers growing on them. I counted 38 blooms ready to shout their beauty to the world. The leaves are huge checking in nearly 13″ across.

And her flowers shine brightly against today’s bright blue sky.

I have noticed that the varieties that have giant blooms usually only produce 1 bloom but then the varieties that have smaller blooms have many blooms. George, the sunflower at church (Yes, I name him because he got so many compliments), had 55 blooms. He was trying to make up for the seeds that the squirrels ate at planting.

I did not plant any of the sunflowers that came up in my yard. It was a very busy spring for me. But the birds made sure I was taken care of because the Goldfinches love these flowers.

As summer leaves us by turning into fall, we remember the beauty we have seen this past year with anticipation of next year. But each season carries a beauty of its own and we should remember to carry kindness into each season. Some need kindness more in the cooler seasons so try to always share your kindness wherever you go.

Kindness leaves others encouraged.

Let you Kindness fall in all the little spaces in between.

Fun with Macros

With photography, I am a poor amateur at best but I probably have more fun with it than some. This afternoon I saw how my only giant sunflower this year has drooped nearly in half from the weight of this huge bloom. So I was able to get up close and personal and see its tiny details.

The bloom is almost in the shape of a heart or maybe it’s just my odd way of looking at things. And it looks to have a flower inside the flower.

Nature is a complex entity and you will miss the beauty and “aww” moments if you don’t pay attention. This post is to kind of highlight some of the intricate details we miss if we don’t look hard enough. That is what I love about macros, they force you to see the tiny details.

For instance, we see the giant bloom of a sunflower but macro photography shows you that each seed that is forming in the huge bloom (this one is almost 11 inches across) also has a flower.

Since I was playing with my sunflower, I decided to macro photograph the tiny blooms in my yard that are still growing.

Except for this little beauty, all of these flowers are less than an inch in size. These spikes are about 1/2″ wide and about 3″ long. I also have this flower in pink. And sorry, I don’t remember what its name is. I tell myself I am going to remember the names of the flowers I plant…and then don’t.

These tiny beauties are Calibrachoa. I had several colors of these but these are the only two still blooming. All of them have bright yellow centers.

I think this flower is in the Coreopsis family but not sure. I love its dual color.

I don’t remember this flower’s name either but the cluster is less than an inch in size. That makes the individual flowers super tiny.

These are an old favorite as well, Dianthus. They come back each year so that is a bonus.

These are the only fall flowers I planted this year. Just been too busy. These are fall mums but are tiny for mums as they are just getting started.

I can’t close out the macros without showing my variegated Spider plant’s first baby. Too cute. This plant was a gift from a sweet lady at church.

I hope this post brought a smile to your face like flowers usually do. Smiles are a great way to show kindness, so smile often and be kind.

FOTD, September 7, Flowers Gone By

As fall seems to be finally coming in, we say goodbye to the abundance of color. Well, that is not true as fall colors are stupendous, but the many colors of flowers are fast approaching their winter nap.

As I was watching TV the other day, I saw this strange white thing floating in my slowly dying sunflowers so I went to investigate. What I found was an industrious spider had created a web from the evergreens to the drying sunflower blooms and the exploding dandelions of fall had met their match with the spider’s web.

When I looked at it again this morning, I saw that the spider was still growing its web and even more seedlings had been trapped. But it was an interesting and beautiful thing to see. All season have their beauty, you just have to change your perspective.

I saw some seedlings stick on a dying bloom and thought they were beautiful in their own way and thus was inspired to write a silly poem for them.

Dandelion

My arms reach out guiding me as I go

Sent up into the air where we don’t know

What is this destination of a life we show

When the wind just blows us to and froe

Next spring we awake from cold-hard ground

Coming up anew to our new home found

We show off our flower, it’s bright and round

And while it is beautiful, it makes not a sound

I close with a reminder to always be kind even when someone is not being kind to you. Your kindness will plant a seed that hopefully will grow into kindness as well.

All photographs are my own. Please do not use them in any form without written permission. Anita/Anitashope.com

FOTD, August 26, George

Cee’s Flower of the Day gives us smiles in abundance as we share the fun that we see. Today I am sharing yet again, a sunflower…but not in my yard. If you remember I hoped to plant a sunflower circular garden at the church but due to the early heat and drought of the summer, the rabbits and squirrels were especially hungry so the majority of the seeds either did not grow or were eaten. But all is not lost…for there is George.

George is the only multi-bloomed sunflower. Matter of fact, there seems to be new blooms every day on this one single stalk. George told me today when I was taking his picture (yes, I talk to my flowers) that he was going to make up for me not getting to have my circle of flowers. So, he is taking it upon himself to make up for no flower circle by producing as many flowers as he possible can. Current count is over 50. Fifty buds on a single stalk is a lot! Each limb has at least one flower plus a bud but some have 3 and 4 extra buds.

The bees love these flowers…

Here is George’s closeup 😊…

As you enjoy the flowers around you, remember they are trying their best to make you smile. Also, remember that smiles are a great way to show kindness, so smile often and be kind as much as you can.

Weekend Sky #113, 8/26

Hammad Rais gives us the opportunity to share the lovely skies we see with the blogging world with his Weekend Sky challenge. Today I am sharing photos from early this morning that people in this area took and sent to the local TV station, KCCI, journalist Eric Hanson. I have never seen this phenomenon before and wanted to share these with you. These are Gravity Wave clouds. The rest of the pictures are even more amazing, I just wanted you to see this one to show how close to the ground they are without getting to the ground. Click on Eric’s name to go to his FB page for other pictures.

I will try to explain this the best my poor understanding can. In the Midwest, we have been experiencing extreme heat and high humidity, typical for the South where I came from but not for here. And on top of that, you have the heat coming off of the corn that is ready to harvest, raising heat pressure against the cloud not allowing it to come down to the ground like fog. This long cloud rolls horizontally as it moves through the atmosphere in front of the front. At least the front will cool us off.

Early morning shots taken by Ashley Thompson

This picture was taken from on top of a wind turbine by Blake, a contractor for Vestas. I think we all know how tall those turbines are so it gives you some height reference. Below is a shot taken by Corey Lehman of this same bank from ground level. Kind of scary in my book. It remind me of the dust storm cloud pictures I have seen that cover the land in find dust.

Weather’s power and beauty keep us all looking toward the sky wondering what is next. As we study the beauty of the skies around us, remember to share that beauty in kindness. Kindness has a beauty that surpasses anything we may see in the sky.

Christian Perspective

We who are of the Christian faith have a strong sense of belief that God does indeed love each of us. Our part of the relationship is…to believe it. And with that belief, there is assurance of His love. He never leaves us, never stops caring for us…we are the ones who do that. We are the ones who walk away from His unfathomable love.

Recently I have been faced with the horrors of losing yet another sibling to a dreaded disease – ALS. While my oldest sister was a believer in God, I don’t believe my brother is and it is profoundly heartbreaking. I am praying that deep down in his heart, he remembers God’s love for him.

I am in the process of writing another book of encouragement and this morning after reading my devotions, this story came to me so I am sharing it with you. If you are a believer then you will understand her peace. If you are not a believer, then I challenge you to prove me wrong. For in both scenarios, we could all win.

Renewal

She stared deeply in the mirror at her withering body, her earthly tent. She glanced around her room and turned to walk slowly through her house. It was simple and comfortable, not expansive like some of her friends. She smiled as she walked over to her plants. Their bodies were rich and full, some had buds ready for fragrant blooms.

Fragrant, thought Sarah. Yes, that is what we are told it will be like. Heaven is fragrant. Maybe from the many flowers that are there. It’s a beautiful place filled with love…because He is there.

Sarah’s attention was broken as sweet Daisy wrapped her velvety tail around her frail leg.

“Oh, Daisy,” she said as she picked up her orange tabby cat, “It will be a beautiful place of no more pain, no more disease, and no more fear. Only love.”

“Only love,” she whispered setting Daisy back on the floor. Sarah walked over and sat in her favorite chair. She picked up her bible and turned to 2 Corinthians 5. She read…

For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down, when we die, and leave these bodies, we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God himself, and not by human hands.

Sarah closed her eyes in quiet prayer. “Thank you, Lord, for the promise of blessed renewal. By G.A. Neal

I hope this reminds you of God’s gracious love for each of us and that even when we can’t see Him, or can’t feel Him, He is still there. Breathe in the peace He offers and remember to be kind to those who may not know kindness.

Weekend Sky #112

The weather here in Iowa is exceptionally hot. This week is to be a real scorcher right as school starts. Some schools are only doing half days – 101 is just too hot with crazy high humidity. But the temps Saturday night were not too hot and the sky was amazingly clear with a bright sliver of a moon reflecting off the Mississippi River. I could not get that picture as they frown upon you stopping on the bridge. However, I did get the “main” shot…

The moon was so bright you could actually see the outer edge of the entire moon. When I got to the other side of the river, and more in suburbia, it was still just as beautiful.

It’s no wonder dogs bay at the moon for it has many beautiful phases. Beauty is always in the eyes of the individual so I remind you to be beautiful by being kind. Being kind has a timeless beauty and proves the power to make things better.

Be beautifully kind!

And Then it Was Winter

I did not write this, don’t know who did, but its thoughts needed to be shared. I did add the photos. Some are mine and some are googles.

You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.

It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, that was eons ago and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams. But here it is…the winter of my life catching me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well seeing older people through the years thinking those years were far ahead of me…that my winter was far off. But here it is. My friends are retiring, getting grey and moving slower that before. Some are in better health conditions than me, some are worse. I see the great change in them, their winter. Not like their earlier vibrant selves…but like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now the older folks we thought we would never be.

Each day now, I find that getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is no longer a treat but mandatory like when I was a small child. If I don’t do it of my own free will, then I will just fall asleep where I sit.

So, now I enter this season of my life unprepared for all the aches, pains and loss of strength. I no longer have the ability to go and do the things I wish I had done…but never did! But alas, though my winter has come, and I am not sure how long it will last…one thing is certain. When my life is over on this earth, it’s not over…for my Lord and Savior is waiting for me with open arms. A new adventure will begin! Yes I have regrets. I have things I wished I had done, things I wish I had done better, and happy for the things I did get to do, people I got to love, beauties I got to see. It’s all in a lifetime.

So, if you are not yet in your winter season yet, let me remind you…it will get here quicker than you think. So, whatever you would like to do in this life, do it quickly. Don’t put it off too long! We are only promised today, so do what you can today. Say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember and hope they appreciate and love you for all the thing you have done for them.

Life is a gift and the way you live your life is a gift for those after you, so make it fantastic.

And I remind you, regardless of whether your winter is close or far off, to live this gift of life with kindness. It gives you more wonderful memories to reflect back on.

Do You Not See??

This is the look I get every day, several times a day, especially when it concerns the mailman. It starts with an ear piercing, multiple word dog bark…

This is proof of dogs teaching other dogs good or bad lessons on how to behave. Mimi, who passed away about two years ago, evidently taught Daisy that the mailman is bad…very bad.

Before I had the yard fenced in, Mimi was on a steel cable that was fastened to a concrete block that was buried in concrete in the yard. This particular mailman’s temperament was poor on a good day and he would taunt Mimi if she was outside knowing she couldn’t get to him. I have always said how you treat animals is a true testament to your character.

One day this mailman was running late and I thought he had already been by so, I let Mimi out. Oops, I didn’t see him and he was coming up the sidewalk and Mimi went after him. Fortunately for him, he was still further out than the chain would reach but he didn’t realize that. He turned so fast he tripped over his own feet tearing up both elbows as he fell face first to the sidewalk. I checked on him and saw he was okay – just bad scrapes. He had nasty things to say to me in his thick foreign accent and I told him I was sorry. He threw my mail in the yard and I chuckled as I picked it up. Karma will get you.

Later that afternoon his boss called me to get my side and I explain to him that he is the only person I had seen Mimi get upset with. I also told him I had photo evidence if he needed copies of the way this particular gentleman was treating my dog. Dogs remember! Shortly after that, I had the yard fenced in and put the mailbox out beyond the fence.

Daisy has never had a chance to get near this mailman but acts the same way as Mimi did – she evidently was trained well by Mimi. LOL.

So, I just wait for her to quit barking before letting her out. Then whoever may be out there is gone. But still, I get this 5 minute growl complaining to me – “Do you not see what I see?”

You can see that I put a cover over the stool to protect the stool and the window. The stool keeps her off of the table. She still can reach the window sill some so I guess it’s time for a repaint.

The learned message from Mimi is – animals remember. So be kind to all kinds and maybe one day they will be kind to you.