Sun Kissing Sky

If I hadn't looked up from the computer at just the right moment,

if I hadn't glanced out the window framing a world glowing pink,

if I didn't let it lure me outside,

I would have missed this,

a sunset that kissed the whole sky.

(Colors are untouched, straight from God's palette.)

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things.

~ PSALMS 119:18

Once upon a time there was a lake...

After months of blue skies and drought here in the Texas Hill Country,

we've finally had rain... and rain... and rain.

Our small pond has filled up, spilling over into the creek below our house. 

The larger ponds... ours and those upstream... are no longer grassy fields, 

but reflective pools for the surrounding trees. 

But the photos below were taken within the past few weeks, 

even after inches and inches of rainfall.

They're of branches of Lake Travis... well, of what used to be branches of Lake Travis.

It's just a matter of time now... I hope it's just a matter of time... 

before the water makes its way to these grassy fields and rocky slopes, as well.

How much more rain will it take?

What is joy? It is a bird...

This little guy posed for me outside my kitchen window yesterday. 

I can't remember what kind of bird he is

beyond CUTE!

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come."

-  Chinese Proverb 

"Hope is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul,

And sings the tune without the words,

and never stops at all."

-  Emily Dickenson  

Last week a wave of robins washed over the Hollow.

I was able to snap quite a few of them munching on juniper berries.

I guess we were just a stop on their journey...

The next day they were gone.

That's the second wave of robins we've had in so many months!

"Spring would not be spring without bird songs."

-  Francis M. Chapman   

"The sound of birds stops the noise in my mind."

-  Carly Simon

blue oaks

   leafed out -

    robins back

-  Mike Garofalo, Cuttings

"Be grateful for luck.  Pay the thunder no mind - listen to the birds.  And don't hate nobody."

-  Eubie Blake 

"I hope you love birds too.   It is economical.  It saves going to heaven."

-  Emily Dickinson 

What a sweet surprise to spot these Cedar Waxwings mingling with the Robins!

"To me, the garden is a doorway to other worlds; one of them, of course, is the world of birds.  The garden is their dinner table, bursting with bugs and worms and succulent berries."

-  Anne Raver 

Yesterday Tom reported seeing a raptor flying through the Hollow, bigger than a hawk but smaller than a Bald Eagle. 

Perhaps a Golden Eagle? 

I can only hope... and have my zoom ready.

"What is joy?

It is a bird

That we all want to catch.

It is the same bird

That we all love to see flying"

- Sri Chinmoy   




Contributed to 

Wisdom via Dove and Merton

Wishing you all 

a sweet Valentine's Day!

Let someone feel the love in your heart!

"In the center of the shopping district, I was suddenly overwhelmed with the realization that I loved all these people, that they were mine and I theirs … even though we were total strangers." 

~ Thomas Merton

Whispers of Spring

Imagine me right in between Max and Belle up there, running alongside them.

That's how I feel these days... rush, rush rush, with deadlines and ever-growing to-do lists chasing me.

I've had to neglect my blog-reading (and of course, house-cleaning), but I'm still taking time for my morning walk with the puppies and my camera, 

so thought I'd share a few random shots from the past few weeks.

I snapped the one above 

because it represents two seasons crossing paths in what should be a third... winter.

See the autumn leaves?

Now, zoom in and see the hint of buds on the nearby branch. 

Everything is confused by this balmy weather!

Belle gazes at me like this quite often, standing completely still, 

sometimes tilting her head, trying to figure out what the heck I'm doing.

Notice her new pink collar?

Robins have taken over the neighborhood for the second time in  just a few months.

It's funny because I don't remember ever seeing any around here before, although we had them every spring in my Houston-area neighborhood when I was growing up.

At least I think these are robins! 

They have a touch of yellow under their wings you can't see in this photo - I'll post more later. 

They're very unafraid of the camera!

Don't these leaves look like they're dancing?

I love walking on foggy mornings, when the mist gently veils the hills.

I'm not sure what this is that grows on branches... moss? 

Lichen? 

Whatever it is, I love it and have taken zillions of photos of it.

I'll spare you by just posting one.

Green things are popping up out of the ground. 

My favorite old tree can finally see its reflection again, thanks to the recent rains we've had.

A close-up of our flagstone path that leads to our front porch. 

Tom built it himself, (hernia #3, I believe) and even transplanted this green moss (lichen?) between the stones.  

Those tiny golden cones scattered about were washed from the juniper trees and can no longer wreak havoc with my allergies, hallelujah!

Hope you enjoyed these bits of morning walk randomness!

Sunset on Clear Lake

Dinner with friends Sunday night.

Through the window, I could see the sky turn gold.

I could feel the magic of a sunset on the water pulling me.

So when my host suggested I walk out to the pier to capture it on my camera...

I didn't argue.

How strange this fear of death is! We are never frightened at a sunset. 

~ George McDonald

Every time you wake up and ask yourself, What good things am I going to do today?, remember that when the sun goes down at sunset, it will take a part of your life with it. 

~ Indian Proverb

The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire. 

~ Pamela Hansford Johnson

It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream. 

~ Bern Williams

The sunrise is God's greeting - the sunset, his signature. 

~ Unknown

Peace... is seeing a sunset, and knowing who to thank.

 ~ Unknown