Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Admiration

I have a great admiration for nature as expressed below with the common house sparrow.

This House Sparrow preferred to nest in a natural site such as this hole within the dead tree in lieu of a  manmade structure such as eaves or walls of buildings, street lights, and nest boxes.  The tree is rooted on a sandy beach with tidal salt water.  Although the sparrows are not fish eaters, they find plenty of insects in the area.

I would visit this sparrow and its family just about every day and take a series of photos.  This day I noticed the junvenile made its maiden flight out of its nest to perch on a nearby beach shrub.  It wasn’t a graceful landing but it was able to cling to a twig.  I could hear its squeak and see its eyes searching for its Mother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not far from the juvenile the mother watched protectively, and to assure the young juvenile it would sing encouraging chirps to let it know she was nearby.  She seemed to say I fed you and gave you sheleter, now it is your time to learn to fend for yourself.  I will teach you to hunt for food and  be aware of the dangers of life.  Through time you will go,  bring life and teach your young.

At times we overlook these  little birds in admiration of the scenery.   We hear their joyful singing but miss seeing them due to the blend of colors that surround these small birds.

I hope this brings excitement, joy and happiness.   Comments are encouraged

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/admiration/

The Fish Hawk’s Catch

About seventy yards above the waters’ surface this osprey hovers like a helicopter, its yellow eyes focused on its prey.

With a sudden-feet first plunge its talons open like claws.  The bird of prey hooks its catch and off it flies with his fish. 

The osprey is a hawk known as a fish hawk.  Its primary food is fish but will search nearby fields and swamps for rodents, snakes and other reptiles as a last resort.  They build their nest out of sticks and debris placed in a tree, on rocks, or telephone poles.  I often see nests built on day-markers and channel-markers.  The male delivers the fish to the female on the nest who tears off pieces to feed to the young.

Hope you all enjoy !!!!  All comments are welcomed

Photos and writing by 1kayaker.wordpress.com  (Richard Smith)

 

 

 

Daily Prompt: Earth

I am one of many thousands that believe that all the universes and our little planet earth was created by God.  I know I was put here on earth to be a servant to God.  One of my jobs is to provide a well kept planet.  I am thankful my little area of earth is filled with an abundance of healthy colorful trees, mountains and plants.  The air and water meets the standard healthy grade as per our Government.

It saddens me to see people in other countries wear masks to protect their lungs from the polluted air.  The water not safe to drink due to high levels of poisonous chemicals.  Plants are tainted with harmful substances that is unfit for human consumption.  Animals dying by poachers in order to provide for a sinful need.  Depletion of fish due to illegal means of catching.

If I were to see God now, I think I’d see tears of sorrow and disappointment as he looks out over earth.  A planet he created with love for our pleasure, contentment and unselfish needs.  This is not the first time he has seen greed take the place of his blessings.  All He ever wanted from us is to worship, love, obey, be righteous and give Him all the thanks and glory everyday, a simple request.  How easy it is for greed to devour our earth.

Photo: by 1kayaker.wordpress (Richard Smith)

We must not be careless as we fullfill this charge.  Like the creator, we should care for the earth responsibly and lovingly.

Earth

Undying Love for Life

It is great to know you are alive.  I can feel your breath and hear you breathe.  Your breath is like a feathery touch as it blows gently against my skin.  The slow back and forth sway of the thin branches creak with each inhale and exhale of your breath.

Your eyes open slowly.  A beam of white light spreads above the darkness on the horizon.  Patches of light fog filters the white glow.  As the sun rises and the fog lifts, a bright, clear, new day begins.   It’s like you are smiling and happy to see me.

The sweet smell of life is all around.  The potpourri of pines, persimmons and the musty scent of rich soil permeates the area.   Drips of morning dew glisten on the patches of grass like a gentle mist sprinkled down from heaven.

The choir of birds sing their chorus of melodies of joy as their day opens.  It is like angels singing praise and worship as you watch over your children.  Thank you Lord for my life, it is a pleasure to serve you and do your will.

Painting & Blog  by:  1kayaker  (Richard Smith)

 

April: Macros in the Garden

 

Hope you enjoy, this is my contribution for April.

Black eye Susan flower with a fly

smallbluegreenflowers.wordpress.com

 

 

Signs for a disaster?

Are we over-crowded with signs?

It amazes me how drivers can drive safe with all the distraction of signs.   Within a 3 mile stretch of road my view is a colorful collage of objects.  Signs that want us to stop, yield, pedestrian crossing, deer crossing, children at play plus many more safety and precaution signs.  Don’t misunderstand me, I realize we need safety guidance.   Then there are the neon and bill-board signs that spell out the daily specials, storefront names, etc. These signs seem to intermingle with the safety and precaution signs.  Now we have the eye sore signs that pop-up like weeds along the side of the road to indicate who to vote for during an election period.  My eyes are weaving in and out of the signs like a drunk driver.

 I can’t forget the speed limit signs and traffic lights that I may overlook as I read the signs.

Keep safe and don’t text while driving, we have enough to read while driving.

Disaster

Carolina Wren: Bird

The first week of Spring the air is crisp and cool with a nip of early morning frost.  Buds erupt with yellowish green shoots, the ground opens to show spikes of green leaves, the birds shrill chirps and tweets bring life from the still quiet of the night.

With my camera and tripod, I follow a deer path that leads me to a sunlit patch to photograph my little piece of paradise.  I hear the song of the Carolina Wren.  This is South Carolina’s state bird a small bird, with a loud voice, that fills the woods with its high volume of songs.

Although its name is Carolina Wren, it has been wintering farther and father north.  It covers most of the East Coast and inland.  It’s interesting to watch as it forages through the forest ground its tail will point down and when it sings the tail points up.

I spotted this Carolina Wren camouflaged against the fallen, tan, reddish, and yellow leaves. Its distinctive long, slender and down curved bill scatters the leaves like a toss salad in search of spiders, thousand legers, and beetles.

Thank you for visiting

 

Daily Prompt: Newspaper

What will make the American newspaper survive the fast pace of technology?

Breaking news is instantly at our fingertips. Seconds later an updated version is splashed across the screen. We no longer need to wait for the delivery of the morning newspaper to our front door, by then it is ancient history.

Many readers still like the thin long, wide, crisp paper to hold.  To read a column you have that option to fold it to the article.  If you are on the go just fold and tuck it under your arm.  Newspapers are flexible, recyclable and the print is made from pure vegetable oil.  If you lose or tear a newspaper it is no great loss; unlike a cell phone, computer or tablet.

A newspaper will fade, yellow and turn into compost.   Micro-chips and its’ devices are not bio-degradable and will exist in the archives of landfills for hundreds of years.

Newspaper

Daily Prompt: Green

I finally made it to the top of the summit.  It took me a few minutes to catch my breath.  Eagles soared beneath the Cerulean Blue sky.  The yellow rays from the afternoon sun made the meadows below turn into an emerald green grassy field.  That luscious green backdrop made a setting for an array of reddish flowers sprinkled throughout the country side.  Looking to the other side of the summit the blue skies and yellow-orange sun filtered through the large body of transparent green water.  The waters’ ripples looked like sparkling crystals scattered throughout the surface of the mint green water.

After a mix of complementary colors of blue and yellow, green emerges for today’s daily prompt.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Green

Daily Prompt: Faraway

Faraway is a word difficult to visualize its definition.  I remember when I’d take a trip with my parents I’d ask them how long will it be before we are there?  My dad would say, “20 more miles.”   At that age of 8 to 11 years old, I had no idea how far is 20 miles.

Faraway is like a football player intercepts the football on the opposing team 20- yard line.  He needs to run 80 yards to get the touch down.  80 yards is not far, but if you have 10 big guys chasing you it is faraway.

Like the word time, it is not always determined by seconds, minutes, or hours.

As my wife prepares a desert and she knows I am not a cook.  I ask, “when will the cookies be ready” I get the answer, “as soon as the dough rises and I still have to bake it.”  I am right back where I started.

How is the distance of faraway measured?

Comments are welcome

Faraway