Winter Visitor: a Northern Junco

We always know when the cold weather is coming for the number of Northern Juncos that appear wanting food from my ground feeder.   The one in the photo below is in a Japanese Maple tree beside the feeder.  He kindly waited in the tree so I could take his photo.

Feeding Under the Light

My last post featured an Anna's Hummingbird sitting on the light which warms our hummingbird feeder.  In this post she has moved to the feeder and then in the second photo she is feeding, not minding the heat from the light.

Keeping Warm

Our winter has been very mild thus far, but arctic air has moved in, we are having our first snowfall, and an Anna's Hummingbird has chosen to rest near the off-on switch on the light which warms the hummingbird feeder when the weather is at or below zero.  It's feathers are plumped up and that helps to keep the little creatures warm as well. Photo taken from inside our laundry room looking onto the deck.

This photo is also featured on my photography blog at WordPress called My Vancouver Island Life.

Cowichan River Trail in Autumn with Proverbs 2:8

The trail beside the Cowichan River is particularly beautiful in Autumn when leaves are blowing in the wind and the trail is strewn with them.  and even though this path is not very narrow, it is a reminder to me of Proverbs 2:8, that God preserveth the way of his saints and keepeth the paths of judgment.

Little Sparrow in a Deodara tree with Psalm 102:7

As the Lord watches over all, this little sparrow was also very attentive to what is happening from his perch in a Deodara tree.

Mist on Icefield's Parkway with Genesis 2:6

 

This photo was taken on the Icefield's Parkway between Jasper and Banff National Parks.  The little trees are stunted from the extreme weather, and the mist was a beautiful sight to behold.  I chose Genesis 2:6 as the verse because to me it was perfect with this photo.

Sleeping Mallard with Psalm 127:2

The photo above of a sleeping Mallard was taken at the local lake.  I loved the circles around his body as he moved with the breeze.  I chose Psalm 127:2 because the Lord loves and cares for all of his creation.

Morning Light in Mossy Trees, and Genesis 3:8

This photo was taken on the path to a place called Sandy Pools at the Cowichan River.  The trees are covered in a moss, and looks rather primeval to me.  I chose Genesis 3:8 as the verse because to me the sunlight pictures the Lord God and the shadows picture Adam and the Woman hiding themselves after their sin.  They who had enjoyed being in God's presence now were compelled to hide, knowing that they had been disobedient.

Ripe Huckleberries with Psalm 32:14

The photograph above of ripe huckleberries was taken on a walk through a provincial park in late summer.  I chose Psalm 92:14 as the verse because just as the huckleberries have reached their maturity and are at their best, so the word of God promises that His saints in their old age will still bring forth fruit, they will be "fat and flourishing"

Lord let me be as one of these huckleberries.

The Beautiful Rising Misty Moon

 

I knew that the moon was nearing full, but it was by chance that I saw it last Friday night, rising seemingly near a fir tree across the road.  To me it was beautiful with its misty look, more beautiful than all the photographs I have taken of a clear full moon.  These photographs are untouched except for being resized.

Genesis 1:16-17 "And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.  And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth." 

It Was a Beautiful Cloudy Morning

Its a photo day today.  Following on the post with the Roosevelt Elk, above is a photo of beautiful morning clouds that I took from our front yard a couple of days ago.  I don't know if the grey areas are smoke, it wouldn't surprise me because there are forest fires burning not too far away and the smoke has been blowing over, but in any event, I loved the silvery clouds and the smoky appearance with the blue of the sky.

So many people never bother to look up to see the beauty that is there.  I urge you to do so, and have a camera handy because the Creation is amazing.

Being Thankful for Three Small Things

Today I am thankful for small things that happened yesterday.  None of them are spiritual, but they are all in answer to prayer.

The first one is that it is raining today..  after a very hot and dry July and August with hardly any rainfall and extreme fire conditions, we had a good rain yesterday and today, with more forecast.  Praise the Lord!  

The next one is that one week ago my trusty old computer froze up.  I was upset, didn't want to buy a new one, thought it was the end of my blogs.  But my husband thought it was worth it to take in the tower and see what was going on.  We found out that the hard drive was toast, and my old XP had seen the end of its days.  But yesterday I got my tower back with a new hard drive and Windows 7 installed, its a little different from what I was used to, but it is so much faster, and best of all, was $100 cheaper than we thought it would be to have it repaired.

The last one is that we finally saw one of the elusive Roosevelt Elk that inhabit the town of Youbou at this time of year.  We have driven there many times and have only seen hoof prints down by the waters of Lake Cowichan.  But yesterday we tried again, and I prayed a little prayer for one animal sighting.  Husband drove down a road we had never been on before, in a residential area, and there was a bull elk standing in someone's front yard.  He looked like he had recently shed the velvet, and was carrying some netting on the edge of one of them.  As we watched from the car, he walked up to the front door and proceeded to eat the flowers in a planter box, then he headed down the driveway towards our car on the street and walked right past the car.  It was thrilling to have him so close.  Here are some photos. 

 

Beau with 1 Samuel 16:7

 

 

The photo above is of our Shih Tzu Beau.  When we look at Beau we see a cute but very stubborn and demanding toddler in a dog costume but we look on his outward appearance.  I chose 1 Samuel 16:7 because I am positive that God would see Beau very differently than we do.

Storm Clouds at Sunrise with Psalm 19:1

 

These beautiful storm clouds were photographed one Summer morning at sunrise.  We had a good thunder storm later in the day.  I chose Psalm 19:1 for the verse as to me the color and shape of the clouds really do declare the glory of God.

Little Orphan Deer with 1 Corinthians 1:27

 

This little sweetheart was photographed in Spring on a road in Cobble Hill on Vancouver Island.  Her mother was nowhere in sight, so I believe that she was an orphan.  How she made it through the winter is a miracle because she was very thin.  She walked down the road towards our car, and then went into a yard and began eating the new Spring grass.   I chose 1 Corinthians 1:27 as the verse because it just seemed fitting.

The Creation: St. Mary Lake and Psalm 36:6

 

The photo above is of beautiful St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park, Montana.  

The Adversary

 Yesterday was a rather trying day.  I was extremely agitated, didn't quite know why,  that old adversary impressed on me that I was wasting my time blogging God's word, that I should delete everything and forget about it.  But my husband said "where do you think that is coming from?" and that I was only sowing seed, it was not up to me for results.  Good encouragement, so I will continue on, and the Lord will send who he will send.  So if you are sharing the Word of God, and it comes to you to quit, remember where it is coming from and continue on..

 

The Creation: Sleeping Mallard

 

The photograph above of a sleeping male Mallard duck was taken at Somenos Lake.   Mallards are common ducks, but they are endlessly interesting and entertaining to me.  Its a lesson for us that the animal world lives for the moment, takes things as they come, whether good or bad. 

For the believer its Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

The Creation: Majestic Elk and a Foolish Photographer.

Jasper National Park used to be a great place for an animal lover to visit starting in late August.   That is when the bull Elk rutting season begins, and it was not unusual to see many bull and cow elk near the townsite, as there were many cow elk with their calves spending the summer in the campsites that are near the townsite.  Every evening, as dusk was setting in, we used to go and park the car near the underpass that leads to town.  It wasn't long before this particular bull arrived on the scene with his cows.  The lighting isn't the best in this photo but you can see how huge his antlers are.

However, there are always foolish people around who just have to get as close as possible to take their photo when waiting in the car with a good telephoto lens produces better results.  In the photo below, this fellow decided to try and get closer and right after I took this photo the bull chased him away.  This man was very lucky that he wasn't gored, or stomped to death, but I do think that the reason he wasn't is because this particular elk is so used to cars and people because he chose to hang around the townsite... 

We haven't been to Jasper since 2010, so I don't know if the elk are still so easily seen.  I do hope so.

The Creation: The Raven

The photo below of a Raven on an old post was taken at the Cowichan Estuary.  I have seldom seen them on the ground, and when I have, they were impossible to photograph as they are wary of people.  Sometimes from a distance Ravens and Crows look similar but close up the Raven is much larger and has a completely different head.  They are often seen souring above. I counted myself blessed to have been able to photograph the regal pose of this beauty.