“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”
Isaiah 53:5 ESV
Easter Blessings To Everyone
I was greeted by a fiery sky on a nice morning last week. Should you happen to notice a dark spot in middle of the photo it was not a speck on the lens. A large, eagle-sized bird was flying above the river. We do have a lot of vultures around, this was quite a ways, and looking into the brightness made it impossible to identify. We also see eagles flying along the river here behind the house from time to time. I saw a total of 3 on the same day last week that I could identify, but no real camera that I could grab quick enough. My old iPhone-12 just does not do a good job if zooming is needed! Pam’s 17 works really well.
We were confident last weekend that the Kwanzan Cherry would be in bloom during the week and how good it was to see that it cooperated. The morning sun streaming through new leaves on a nearby oak provided an unusual beauty from beneath the tree, but only for a short time. It is all about the angle of the light…timing…
…and only a few minutes later, views like this one caused us to pause and once again think of the Creator who created indescribable, astounding beauty, and allows us to enjoy moments such as these!
This dead Eastern red cedar was very big. They grow slow and take a very long time to decay. For that reason, cedar has always been popular for outdoor use. There are a lot of very old cedar fence posts still in use around these parts, including some along our pastures. This makes me think this tree has been here for decades. But what got my attention is the fact that when I rotate the photo right 90 degrees, I get a sense that the cedar has eyes looking at me!
I found this trillium Monday under a group of pines in the front yard where I leave it natural and there is no grass. This is the first one we have ever discovered in the yard. It is a great representative of a “Sweet Betsy”!
If you look closely you will see a gray twig on top of this plant. That twig is floating and the plant is actually underwater. The creek below the house is shallow right now and the water has cleared since we’ve had no rain in a while. One source identifies this as a type of creeping water primrose, a native aquatic to our area. It would likely be invasive in a lake or someone’s pond, but I think there’s no problem here.
This gives a better view of the underwater plant in the previous photo. Watercress is thriving just downstream and has small white blooms.
I ran across more Crossvine, this time twining around a cedar. A lot of blooms are yet to open. This was a new vine to me and was low enough that I could ease in for a close look without a long lens. In fact, this was made with the old iPhone-12 I complained about earlier!
The cowbird is a type of blackbird and one that I am not fond of. I’m sorry if it is your favorite bird. Not the prettiest bird on the block, but that’s not the real problem I have. Cowbirds are parasites. They do not build nests, but lay eggs in the nest of other birds, allowing other birds to raise their young, often to the detriment of the other bird’s own young. Such bad parenting!
We have a white wild azalea that blooms later than the pink ones, and I only find it in one spot, also along the creek and a few yards downstream from the watercress. I had forgotten about it but was glad I decided to take a stroll down a trail that took me by the creek, where I discovered a number of interesting things, all within sight of each other. Another visitor had found the white azalea before my arrival…
…a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth, the first one of the season and earlier than I expected. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. Pam spotted a hummingbird on Wednesday out in the garden, but there’s not much there just yet to keep them around. Possibly it was passing through.
And this was a big surprise too. I showed an invasive last week called Thorny Olive. The shrub was near the river and had no fruit. This Thorny Olive is on the creek bank in a place that we might not normally notice, but some recent clearing of brush and dead trees and shrubs gave visibility. This shrub has the olive-like fruit that is normally found in the early spring. We never knew this was growing here!
Considering an invasive at home that has a fruit that resembles an olive brought to me remembrances of our time in Jerusalem. There are many true olive trees at the base of this mount, some over two thousand years old. They grow in a garden called Gethsemane. The mount at the top is called the Mount of Olives. The area seen here was central to much activity during what we celebrate as Holy Week, as this was frequently traveled by Jesus on His final days leading up to His Crucifixion and Resurrection!
A friend who owns mountain top property placed this cross near the edge some years ago. Whether in the afternoon as in this photo, or at sunrise, it is a symbolic reminder of redemption that is only available because of the Cross of Christ and His Resurrection!
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”1 Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV
Parts of the old city of Jerusalem as seen at sunset from the Mount of Olives.
“He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.””
Luke 24:6-7 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
The cherry blossoms are outstanding! All the spring shots have lovely colors. We got rain today but we’re still in drought technically. Jerusalem looks so interesting but would be a bit too dangerous to visit at the moment. It’s good you got to go when you did. Happy Easter to you and your family. God bless y’all! ✝️❤️Clara
Thank you Clara. We got rain but still most of the state is in a serious drought. First time I can remember that I had to water plants in early April. We hope you are having a wonderful Easter.
Butch and Pam
Wishing you all a Happy Easter…
Thank you Sue. We hope you are having a great Easter!
Butch and Pam
Happy Easter, Butch & Pam, and to your family. thank you for Simple Southern Sundays (and more).
Thank you Rita. We hope you are enjoying a blessed Easter!
Butch and Pam
Good morning Pam and Butch, Gorgeous blooms on your Kwanzan Cherry! Love the capture of the Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. Two of our hummingbird feeders are hanging to welcome any migrating visitors. We saw our first hummingbird last year on April 4th. Wishing you and your family Happy Easter. ✝️🩷
Thank you Mary. We’ve not seen another hummingbird since the middle of last week but it’s about time for them to show up more often. We are beginning to put out a few annuals as we “think “ the threat of frost is over, at least the long range forecast says so. Hope you are having a wonderful Easter!
Butch and Pam
Easter blessings to you and your family. So thankful for a risen Savior!
We have had hummingbirds here for the past week and they are busy at our feeder. I am not a fan of cow birds either or English sparrows. We constantly fight to keep the sparrows out of our purple martin houses.
Thank you Rachel. We know that some birds are a constant problem with where they seem to want to build nest. One of our relentless messy birds are house finches. We do have risen Lord. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
What a glorious blog entry today. I absolutely love seeing your wonderful photographs. I too believe we are so blessed that God would give us so many wonderful things in nature to enjoy. He is so good to us. Thank you for sharing with us. Love the tree’s eyes. So cool.
Thank you Lisa. I wasn’t sure anyone would notice but I felt like that tree was looking at me. Truly we have been given so much to see and experience. God is good. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
As always beautiful photos for a lovely Easter. I send you both all good wishes for a wonderful day.
Thank you Jeanie. We did have a wonderful afternoon with the grands with nice weather too. We hope your day was delightful and that you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
The Captain and I attended Sunrise Services early this morning, and came home to a brunch I had prepared. I couldn’t help but marvel at our beautiful sunrise, the birds singing and the cool breezes coming off the Gulf Coast….and our Pastor’s words of the empty tomb. “He is Risen! just as He said.” The disciples were surprised…when they should have already known…but we. in our human form and nature fall short. However, It is never too late, now is the accepted time, tomorrow is not guaranteed…today is the day of salvation and how wonderful that we can come just as we are. 2 Corinthians 6:2
Thank you Butch and Pam for your lovely photos and for your steadfast faith as we strive for that moment when we can hopefully say as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 … “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” and perhaps hear the words of our Lord and Savior from Matthew 25:21 “well done, good and faithful servant.” Blessings and Hugs on this Resurrection Day.
your Sister in Christ.
Thank you Kari and thanks for sharing those verses as good reminders of what we look forward to. We wonder how those disciples missed it yet in our humanness we do the same thing. But Grace is amazing. We hope you had a joyful Easter and have a delightful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Easter, Pam and Butch! HE is risen, Alleluia! And what an Easter miracle to wake up and learn the missing pilot was rescued. The picture of the hummingbird moth is amazing! I’ve never seen one before. The hummingbirds are back her, along with clouds of pollen. We are in total agreement about those pesky cowbirds! Hope your Easter is wonderful with the family and involves some good eating!
Thank you Roxanne. Eating always seems to be a high calling and today was no exception. We agree, the rescue of the pilot on Easter Sunday was something very special. Our pollen has dropped off a little the last couple days. We had rain last night, which we badly needed, but a beautiful afternoon today. We hope your week will be a delight!
Butch and Pam
Happy Easter to you both and your family. Stunning sunrise and I love the the Kwanzan Cherry. The lighting was perfect for the shot.
Thank you Karen. We are glad we were able to get photos of the Kwanzan and things like our snowball. Wind and rain last night brought a lot of petals to the ground. Hope you had a wonderful Easter and have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Full of information as usual. Many of your pictures are of things I have no idea of. But I do know and love the pictures of Jerusalem and I thank you for showing them today. Some day we will all get to see our King, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ return to those very streets. HE IS RISEN. Our pastor told us that today April 5th is the actual day that Christ was resurrected many years ago.
Thank you Alice. Sounds like you enjoyed a blessed Easter, we did as well. We have also seen where some evidence from more sophisticated research suggests that April 5 was the actual day of Jesus resurrection. But for certain, He did rise. We hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at your photos of Jerusalem. Especially the one taken from the viewpoint of the Mt. of Olives. I can just hear the anguish in dear Jesus’ voice as He cried, “Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem! How oft I would have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chicks, and you would not!” And where He said that they knew not the day of their visitation! You can just imagine the hurt and sorrow in His voice, as He knew they would reject Him and put Him to death, not realizing their Messiah was right there in front of them, longing to save them! I am so thankful for all He did to purchase our redemption and make a way for us to dwell with Him for eternity! Thank you for sharing your wonderful photos. I hope you all had a wonderful Resurrection Day!
Thank you Cheryl. We would love to once again travel to the Holy Land but it seems that a peaceful and safe time to make that journey eludes us. And we aren’t getting any younger. As you point out, perhaps the next time we make a visit we will be enjoying a new heaven and a new earth. We had a great Easter and hope you did as well! Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Hello Friends! It has been a while. I took a month-long break from the Blog World, but I have returned.
I had to visit you both right away! I hope all is well, and that Easter was wonderful for you.
I enjoyed seeing all your signs of spring. Sweet Man and I just talked about how we miss seeing the trilliums. Thanks for sharing yours.
That sunrise was gorgeous! God loves to paint, doesn’t he?
Have an incredible week!
What a beautiful sunrise shot! Wow. The Kwanzan cherry is glorious and I am so glad that it survived the frost. The pictures of Jerusalem are beautiful and I love the shot of the Clearwater Hummingbird Moth – I don’t believe that I’ve ever seen one of those. We don’t have cowbirds here but they sound just as nasty as the Magpies that we do have. I hope you had a wonderful Easter and wishing you a lovely week ahead.
Thank you Kim. Oh those magpies, I’ve seen plenty of them out your way and most people that ever spoke about them to me would agree with your “nasty”. We have two kinds of hummingbird moths that we see here in the warmer months. The one I had in the post looks very much like a bumble bee, but slightly bigger, while actually smaller than a hummingbird. Easter was a blessing. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
A most informative post Butch. That sunrise & the clear stream water wow!
Your Cowbird sound like the Cuckoos who do the same parenting style but their chicks once they hatch actually push the host bird chicks out of the nest to their death, assuring they get all the food & attention from the host parent birds! Very nasty indeed.
Your Cherry blossom is breathtaking & the wild Azaleas as well. I hope you both had a blessed Easter weekend.
Blessings to you both, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. I’m about to read about the Cuckoos. The host bird chicks don’t always survive when cowbird chicks are present so these do sound very much alike Jennifer called magpies nasty and the cowbirds certainly are…guess their are nasty birds everywhere. It has been very dry here but a Saturday night rain and wind took a toll on cherry blossoms and a few other early bloomers. Easter was great. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Wishing the two of you an abundance of God’s blessings, joy and hope, even if this is a little late!
Thank you Mary!
Butch & Pam