Wisdom From the Front Porch #1

If an oak tree grew from every acorn planted by a squirrel, the world would be a forest.  For three days in a row I have watched up to three squirrels from the porch climb up, gather and acorn, climb down, search, dig a hole, bury the acorn, and cover it up with their paws, meticulously and with great speed and intent.

Repeatedly as fast as they can do it, they do it again, and again, over and over.

My yard has to be covered in buried acorns.  I suspect the squirrels are preparing for the winter, but only God in his ultimate knowledge and wisdom could know and remind those squirrels where those acorns are that they buried.  And come to think of it, that knowledge must be what stops the world from becoming a forest...because the squirrels must go back and GET THEM!  Praise God!

God's knowledge and wisdom can guide us as well.  He is always there, giving us direction.  We just have to ask him and then listen.  He is truly all knowing.  Remember to lean in to him, he will catch you, he will hold you up, and he will direct you the way in the way that you should go.

1 Samuel 12:22-24

New International Version (NIV)

²² For the sake of his great name the Lord will not reject his people, because the Lord was pleased to make you his own. ²³ As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against theLord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. ²⁴ But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what greatthings he has done for you.

Psalm 25:5

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is inyou all day long.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you xoxo.

True Love

I don't remember a lot about Robert Carter in high school.  Since high school I know he career served in the armed forces, married Kay and had children.  He has been the center of organizing our reunions for as long as I can remember.  He has a sweet and kind heart and appears to be a great man, husband, father and friend.  He asks for prayer when his family is in need.  His mother has been very ill lately.  His wife passed away earlier this year.  Today I read his post, which I've included below, and was just speechless.  To me it just showed his vulnerability and his true love for his wife.  One of the comments below his post was from his son.  It said "we love you dad!"
I just wanted to share one of the sweetest thing I've read in a long time.  Wouldn't we all love to be loved like this....

Robert Carter

De ja vu
Well over the years November has been a bad month for me. Me being activated, Kay getting sick every November. But last night was a good memory, I could not sleep and Kay had been on my mind a lot. So I got up as usual and sat in my chair the dogs came also. As I sat there I saw the cassette player was on and had been since Kay passed away. She would sit and listen to old country music and relax. So I got up and turned it on and started listening to a instrumental country band that played for Roy Rogers .
As I sat back and started listening it was waltzes and slow two step music. I soon fell asleep and de ja vu. I dosed off and there she was, we danced for hours then she looked up smiled and I kissed her good night. Then I got up and went back to bed. I love and miss you

Genesis 2:23-25

New International Version (NIV)

²³ The man said,

“This is now bone of my bones
    and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,’
    for she was taken out of man.”

²⁴ That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

Roadside Photo Op...Black Colt

I always like to travel with my camera close by.  I never know when there might be a photo opportunity I can't pass up.  Last week I had one.

There's a place up by Luling that raises Friesian horses.  If you've never seen these horses, they are huge and incredibly beautiful with long flowing manes and tails.  I've contacted them and they have told me I can come to take some photos but I've not had a chance to do it.  I'm always turning my head their way in case the horses are close to the road.  I've driven by there a hundred times and never seen them up close.  Until today.  This is what I saw.

I did a great big u-turn.  It's a bit of an off season for colts to be born.  Most of them are born after January 1st.  Regardless, I could not pass up this chance to photograph this guy.  The two of them were not really close to the road but using my telephoto I was able to get some pretty good shots.

This boy loves his mama.  It's amazing how that instinct is so strong from the very beginning.

 "Wanna dance?"

Perfect.  Adorable.  Beautiful right?

Here he is rubbing on her and pushing her with his rear end saying "move over mama"!

Leaning in.

"Mom, mama, mommie, mom, mom, mommie, MOM!"

I love this photo.  I love photos from behind.  

Then something spooked them from the highway.

Here he is with all four feet off the ground...flying!

U

Then they just got quiet again.  No harm done.  He never gets more than about 10 feet from her.

I love it when God surprises me with gifts like this one.  He knows how much I love horses and how much I love photographing them.  This was truly a devine moment created by him just for me.  

Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

Encourage One Another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.

"Is It Real?"

I have found out that you can't fool a squirrel.

Back in the summer I went to Tractor Supply to buy a squirrel feeder and some corn to feed them.  They are constantly trying to steel from the bird feeders and doing all sorts of acrobats to get inside them.
(See that here...

http://thegoodlife54.blogspot.com/2013/07/animal-house.html

So I thought I'd make it a little easier for them.

They had these "prefab" corn cobs that were actually corn somehow molded together to be round and long.  They didn't really look like a corn cob but seemed easier to manage than a big bag of dried corn on the cob, so I bought them.  I thought they'd be happy to have anything.

Well, I was wrong.  Let me tell you again, you cannot fool a squirrel that a prefab corn cob is a real one.  I think I saw a squirrel there one time and never again.  The ONLY thing that had anything to do with those things were the grasshoppers during the grasshopper plague!  I ended up throwing them over the fence thinking maybe something more grateful or hungrier might eat them, like the grasshoppers.

So off to the store I went and purchased a big bag of those dried corn cobs and voila, the squirrels are everywhere and they are so happy.  

Here's the one that discovered the real thing.

 "Yum, now this is what I'm talking about!"

 "Let me just try a few more bites to be sure."

"What are you looking at lady?  Thanks for realizing we are not easily fooled.  Thanks for getting us something we really like."

"See you later ma'am, but I'll be back."

Well, they have been back.  They seem to throw a lot of corn on the ground too, so I let them clean most of that up before they get another cob.  I'm wondering if I'll have stalks of corn growing under this oak tree in the spring.

I love being able to watch them out my glass storm door (a new addition) from my chair in the living room.  The squirrels are also enjoying the many acorns growing on these trees.  It's harvest time and they are taking advantage of the plenty!

Genesis 8:22

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

Encourage one another, continuing the journey on fresh paths.

Blessings and love to you, xoxo.