“The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips. Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Proverbs 16:23-24 ESV
Happy final Sunday of April! It was 9 years ago this week that we made our first trip to The Swag in North Carolina. It has become an absolute favorite. We have visited a total of 6 times, and when I pulled out this throwback from that initial visit, thoughts of going again prompted some serious discussion!
It has been so dry that the clematis vine started looking like a dead bunch of twigs before I took notice. I started watering daily and I would say we have had a revival of sorts…the clematis cluster!
A spring breeze provided a viburnum snowfall, as Queen EM strolled by, adding grace and beauty to what would otherwise be an unremarkable scene with petals finding their resting place in the grass!
Beavers are opportunistic and don’t mind building right beside the highway. A creek that is spring fed has been helpful to the beaver clan in what has been a very dry March/April. The problem the beavers may have is that this backs water up into the drain area of a storm water retention pond which is part of the highway drainage. If and when it starts raining in normal fashion, the Highway Department may notice and see this little construction project as posing a problem.
This is WL’s birthday week. Last week we had a day of shopping, eating, and spending the night at our house, a tradition we started with each grand. Wyatt got to choose where he wanted to eat, and as usual, Chick-fil-A was his choice. Afterward, he wanted donuts, so Krispy Kreme was our next stop. We had so much fun with this little man! Daniel is too young now, but we pray that we can hang around and someday be able to do this in February (Daniel), March (Emma), April (Wyatt), and May (Ella Mae)!
I was on a walk at the wildlife park when I looked ahead to see something orange moving up a tree trunk. I had read that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were the number one selling candy, but I had no idea that squirrels loved them too. Finding a comfortable spot on the limb of a cottonwood tree, this guy was not in the least disturbed by my presence…and I was close!
Don’t plant a River Birch near your house. A large tree leaning out over the roofline is not the best of situations, but an invasive root system that can damage a foundation is also a definite problem. After cutting the tree, Richardson Land Works met the challenge of digging up the remains. And “challenge” is an understatement. The roots were so extensive that all the plants and shrubbery in this section had to be removed, the only exception being a lone camellia bush! Everything you see are roots, with the under side of the main root ball in the foreground!
Crimson clover once covered a large part of our back pasture in the spring, but for several years has not shown itself. I planted a section last fall with a mix of wheat, oats and clover and we are seeing crimson clover once again.
If a situation arose whereby the only means of escaping immediate danger was to climb the nearest tree and this was that tree, a dire situation it would indeed be. This is the largest honey locust that I am aware of around the house and the thorns are unbelievably numerous, growing directly out of the trunk as well along limbs. The thorns extending from the trunk are as low as chest high, being a danger even to a passerby!
I was reasonably sure that the bristly locust just down the trail would be in bloom last week, and it proved true to the normal mid-to-late April timing. Such a beautiful bloom…
…but it is still a “look but don’t touch”. Not long thorns like honey locusts, but bristly is no doubt an appropriate name!
We have watered daily for a while which is not normal for April. This led to my discovery of a second, lonely, forgotten, and unfound Easter egg. On Easter I was the primary egg hider with a little assistance from the grand’s daddy. Now I ask you, which of these two “egg hiders” is more likely to place an egg so well hidden and underneath a thorny rose bush? One of us is more prone to make things easier for little eyes and little hands than the other…it is the very natural way of things!
With the egg discovery comes another interesting matter. We did not have great success with growing apricot drift roses, with limited nice blooms and foliage that was less than attractive…this after fertilizing and other measures to help the plants. After a few seasons, I removed the plants by digging them up. However, roots apparently remained, and now we have rose bushes once again. But the latter are doing so much better than the former?? So once again, we are tending to the roses, as well as finding lost Easter eggs.
Apologies for what appears to be a dull black and white photo of junk from long ago. This is the top of a cell tower about five miles from home on an overcast afternoon on Friday. Among all the wires and such, take note of a large bundle of twigs and vines resting atop all the paraphernalia. This tower stands near the highway that we travel regularly. I had seen what appeared to be an Osprey flying near the tower one afternoon on my way home.
A nest is well camouflaged among all the panels and wires and I doubt very many people are aware that it exists. It is very difficult to see, and who spends time attempting to observe the beauty of a cell tower, especially the stuff at the top? Because of private property and the height of the tower itself, I couldn’t get as close as I wanted but decided to hang out at the tower gate and watch and wait. I saw a little movement and knew a bird was on the nest, Shortly an Osprey circled and landed. After a moment the bird on the nest departed, carrying a fish that had apparently been provided by the other bird. If you look closely you can see the bird on the nest, and on the left, the other bird is taking leave, carrying a fish. You can see the fish and especially the tail fin. I think one future parent just brought lunch to his or her mate!
After making a circle and soaring below to a platform on the tower, I did get verification, with a closer look of the bird and lunch! I had to drive out a side road and back onto the shoulder of the main highway to get this shot. The river is close and a couple of small nearby lakes provide good fishing.
The sky over Lookout Mountain behind the barn sometimes looks like oil on canvas.
Have a colorful and delightful week! We will celebrate another birthday later this week, so that means more cake!
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Wishing you and the grands a great birthday week. We’ve gotten a little rain this week with more predicted for the coming week. Praying you get rain as well.
What a lovely scripture and walk with you all this morning…so many interesting notes and photos…I always learn a new fact or ten!
Enjoy another celebration of your beautiful grands…and more cake too! Hoping there’s a trip to your favorite, the Swag, in the near future!
Happy Birthday to Wyatt! I love how the grands are spoiled during their birthday week. I hope you get a chance to visit your favorite Swag vacation spot again. Have a beautiful week and thank you for the ending photo and beautiful verses.