God's Heart to Mine

A friend of mine posted this video on her Facebook page. I am on dial-up, so I knew it would take a while to load (3 hours for 3 minutes of video!!) but somehow I knew it would be worth it. http://www.wimp.com/babymoose It absolutely is!

“Speaks right to my heart…”

This is a perfect example of God’s beautiful, amazing creation and I believe His heart. "Old Mr. Webster could never define, what’s being said….”

I hope you don’t have to wait 3 hours for it to load. If it does, mow the lawn or something while you wait. That’s what I did. Then I watched this over and over, while I rested with a “smile on my face”.  ;-)

Alison Krause and that mandolin aren’t too bad either. ;-)  I know you will enjoy it, too…

Baby Killdeer Update

Last night as I got ready for bed, I went to the window, to take one last look at the moon, beautiful and full. As I stood there looking out my bedroom window, I heard the call of what I believe was the mama killdeer. It was the steady cry that I had been hearing all spring, when she would call her babies to come if a possibility of danger approached. I thought it strange to hear her at that time of night and it concerned me a bit. I lay in bed, unable to sleep as I listened to the steady chirp of Mama. It continued for the longest time and I found myself praying for those little babies and their mama as I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke this morning, the first thing I did, was run out to the pasture to let Skeeter out and check to see if Mama and her babies were still in Skeeter’s field, which has been their home for several weeks. I knew in a moment from the silence of the morning that they were gone.

I didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried. I suspected the previous night call had something to do with it. Either she was mourning the loss of her little ones, or she was calling them to a hopefully safer location. Either way, I missed the presence of the little birds.

Later this afternoon, as I was nursing my dangerously sick garden, I heard the killdeer’s call. Sure enough, she was further out in the hay pasture, now; and though I couldn’t see her or her babies I was somehow convinced they must all be there. I continued to work in my garden listening to what had become the familiar warning call of the mama killdeer; and pretty soon, I heard the caw, caw, caw of a crow.  I looked up to the blue, summer sky, where he was circling above the pasture; and I was sure he was after my baby killdeer. As I continued to watch, there also appeared a red tail hawk. Oh boy, no wonder mama moved her babies. I was fascinated though, when I realized these two were in battle. I supposed they were battling over those babies that they both knew were there below trying to hide amidst the tall, green, Timothy Hay. The raptors dove at one another, and flogged each other with their wings, when pretty soon another crow came for the purpose of joining in battle, it seemed. Then even further in the sky, I observed what appeared by his flight to be another hawk. The hawk remained silent as he battled, but the crows continued their caw. There were four birds now and I was surprised that the crows were able to maintain strong through out this little skirmish. I would have thought the hawks could have easily overpowered or scared away the crows. It didn’t take long however before each set of birds flew off in separate directions.

It was fun to watch; but what I liked even better was the fact that this battle between these strong, aggressive birds of prey probably kept my baby killdeers safe for a while longer as they diligently strive to survive.

Baby Blue and Killdeer, too!

A week or so ago, as I went to let Skeeter out to pasture, I heard a bird start loudly chirping.  I knew the bird was close, but I couldn't see her.  As I let Skeeter out, and started to walk back to the other gate, the call started sounding again; this time a bit more aggressively.  I realized this was a warning call, so I stopped to look to see what it was.  The chirping stopped.  I paused for a moment but I didn't see anything, so I started walking again.  As soon as I did, the chirping resumed. This time I kept walking; but as I did, I turned my head over my shoulder to see a mama killdeer calling to her babies while they ran obediently to her.

So sweet.  My folks were visiting, so I went into the house to tell them about it.  My mom told me, that sometimes the killdeer will feign a broken wing, to lead a human (or any type of threat) away from her babies. I only saw two babies that time, but my dad later went out to take a peak and reported that there were four.  My dad loves wildlife and asked me if he could take one of the babies home.  I am only guessing that he was joking.

I watched the killdeers for the rest of the week, but continued to see only two babies.  Last night, however, when I went out to bring Skeeter back in from pasture, I saw the mama; she stood up as she saw me coming, and when she did, from under her wings ran four little baby killdeer. I couldn't believe they all fit under there!  Of course, I didn't have my camera, but I sure wish I had.  This morning, mama and her four little ones have moved to the larger pasture.  I wanted to go shoe them back into the pasture in which they were originally, as I worry about their safety.  But I realized it was best if I don't mess with mama's plans, even if I thought it would help.

I have been keeping an eye on the bluebirds as well. They will always be my favorite to watch. Yesterday, the mama bluebird also decided to let her babies fly for what I believe was their first time. It was the first sunny day we have had for sometime, and I had been thinking the babies might be almost ready to try their wings. I was glad that I had decided to keep our cat, Tiger, in the shop for the day, since what I suspected had really come to fruition. Tiger will have to stay in there a bit longer now, as all these fledglings are learning to adjust to their new world and surroundings. 

The bluebirds bumble around a bit as they fly the first time, and they don't want to get too far from mom.  They have one single chirp that they use as they call for their mama when they get too far from her. For the most part however, they all stay close.

I watch all these little creatures, and I somehow start to believe that they belong to me - that it's up to me to ensure their safety and take care of them.  I guess that is partially true, in-so-much as I believe God gave them to us for our enjoyment, and expects us to be good stewards of all He has given us. So I will try to do my part without getting in the way. One thing is for sure; Tiger will remain in the shop a bit longer, and no, Daddy; you can't take one of the baby killdeer home.

Skeeter Bug

Meet Skeeter.  He's the newest addition to our family.  He is an 8 year old, Appaloosa gelding.  Friends of ours from Cowboy Mounted Shooting found him for Matt, and I think Skeeter and Matt are going to be just about perfect for each other.  He came with the name Skeeter, but the previous owners also gave him an alias of  "Big Dog".  They said he would need a little work neck reining, but I don't think that's quite it...it's more like attitude.

However, we have already seen that Skeeter is extremely trainable.  Already he more than willingly comes when we call and it didn't take long for Matt to get this big guy's attitude in control at meal time.  It seems Matt has rode him enough, now, that he is not trying the bucking that he tried with Matt initially. I honestly think it was just a matter of us getting to know him; and he getting to know us.  It almost seemed like he wanted to like us before he would work for us.  But I can see the bond has started.  Matt is trying to ride him as much as possible, but with all the rain we have been having he missed a week or more, and when Matt went out to ride him yesterday, Skeeter didn't even try to buck or balk as he had done previously. 

He still has a few issues - he doesn't like his feet picked up for cleaning, trimming or shoeing.  That isn't going to make Jake happy, but we have been steadily working with him and he is getting better all the time.  It will come; I think in his heart this horse wants to please.  He is not a gentleman in the way that our Lady was a lady, so he will be a bit more of a challenge for Matt, but I know it will be good.  Sometimes Lady seemed like a delicate, little princess with the endurance of a race horse; Skeeter is like a big, brawny farm kid, with maybe more muscle than brains....but he will do anything for a treat. ;-)

I think Matt is going to have a great time training him; though he may not be ready for mounted shooting this season, I know they will have a lot of fun trying.  I can see the bond is already there.  I know it is for me.

Gardening Joy

It rained again today. It just doesn’t seem to want to stop! I gave in early this spring and started doing everything I need to do in spite of the spring showers.  I’m trying to enjoy my garden once again, as I didn’t get to garden last year because of the store; but it’s been a little difficult to find that gardening joy when it's raining. We ended up tilling in the rain, planting in the rain; then, planting a bit more in the rain. I gave up on waiting for Mr. Sun and planted my potted plants in the rain. Rick sprayed the fields barely getting the required 6 hours of dry weather, before the rain clouds appeared with an almost torrential down pour.