FLOWER KISSERS!

The cowboy was sitting outside relaxing reading the newspaper this morning, when he kept hearing a real fast fluttering noise. It was our new visitor.......a freindly little feathered friend. She worked her wings so quick it made a sound similar to a smoothly running engine. This minature wonder weighs only 2.2 grams! She is a mere 2 inches long, her heart beats 500 beats/minute! and she can fly a quick 25 MPH!

To feed her young she eats 500 insects a day, plus kissing each flower she comes in contact with for that sweet nectar! the feeder also contributes to her energy needs.

To prepare for the coming family, the female is in charge of bldg. the nest, of course!
She uses twigs, lichens, leaves, and anything soft she can find to pad the inside for a comfy warm bed to raise the babies in. Two eggs are normal for the first time family, and the nesting experience is only for 21 days!, then the babies have to be nudged out to fly! A hummingbird will beat their wings 80 times/minute, and breathes 250 times/minute! Babies practice fluttering their wings even before leaving the nest. Just like us, they play and can't wait to try testing those wings for themselves!

The male stays busy protecting the territory and local nectar supply, which is Wilshire Farms porch, for now......until moving day comes and they pack up to leave. (migration) This little male was ferocious in dive bombing any opponent contending for a sweet taste of this food. He would often fly into their path and even bop into their face! We counted 6 at one time trying to get close enough for a quick drink, but he was standing guard, or should I say winging guard!

What magnificent little miracles of nature...........God continues to totally amaze and impress me with the uniqueness of His creation. I can't imagine what He must of been thinking when He created the little "FLOWER KISSERS " but it shows even the smallest of life forms working perfectly and intricately where they find themselves in residence. It just so happened to be here. Isn't God good? He places such examples to us and if you don't slow down to observe them, you can miss them.

We are sometimes just like those little Flower Kissers, rushing here and there in our busy lives.

Thank you, for the sweet little Flower Kissers, Lord. Only you can make such a perfect little design as that.

Fred and Ethel are BACK!!!

Wow, talk about surprises!!!! I was sprawled out all over the couch Sunday afternoon lazily reading the paper when I hear a tapping at the front door. I really wasn't sure if it was the wind or some branches blowing across the glass of the window, so I ignored it for awhile, and went back to my reading.


Then, there it was again, a specific tap, tap, tap, on the front glass storm door. Thinking that the old cowboy must have his hands full of something, and couldn't open the door, I jumped up to swing it open.........lo and behold!!! What a surprise I had!!!! My dear little friends had returned..........................


Fred and Ethel were back!

Yep, he stepped forward swaying his long neck back and forth giving me a spring greeting, for which I was thoroughly impressed! Of course, every year for the past 5 or 6, we have been the spring home for Fred and Ethel, who come from far away to labor at making a home (nest) for the future little goslins. It is so fun to watch them swim around, flying here and there searching for just the right things to build their soft home with. It must be truly an adventure to be able to fly here and there spying all the colors of the world in your life~


So, here it starts, the beginning of another circle of life. It can be harsh though...one year the bull snake grabbed several of Ethel's eggs before we could intervene. As it turned out, Fred was making the loudest form of racket and hearing Ethel screeching at the top of her little Goose lungs, I came running with a rake to ward off the bullsnake..ugh But, it was almost too late she had already lost two eggs and one was really cracked and stressed.


The next couple of years she managed to get her eggs to maturity and even took alot of time and effort teaching them the ins and outs of swimming. It is quite an accomplishment with all of the tornadoes, thunderstorms, coyotes, and other dangers around.


However, you guessed it again, the snapping turtles picked off the little things while swimming in a row following their mother, Ethel.... oh my poor thing.yes, lost her brood this time one right after the other. I can't remember exactly how many survived, but it was not too many...ugh. let's hope this is a better season for Fred and Ethel. I will look forward to informing you of their adventures as it unfolds!! We have managed to remove out of the pond, all the snapping turtles this year, and with Fred and Ethel, patiently await all those dastardly culprits who may be plotting harm to our sweet little family, who keep returning to us.

New Beginnings!

Hi,
Now that it is into the middle of the second month of 2008, thought it necessary to give an update on what is going on in this new year! So far, Randy has started a new job, Matthew and Tamera came to visit for a few weeks during the holidays, and now we have started some new projects! Randy is working for Coil Tubing Services, and loves it! Who wouldn't? He gets to buy people lunch, take them fishing, hunting, skeet shooting, deep sea fishing, and play golf! They catch is one small problem, they have to purchase "coil" tubing! No problem for Randy, he is the world's greatest salesman. He has me sold anyway! teehee!

Matthew and Tammy came to stay for a few weeks during Christmas and New Years. They were on "home assignment" from the mission field in Crimea, Ukraine......

We followed them to Texas and slept in the travel trailer at night just to be close to them. Never imagined that I would have a child grow up and be so hard to keep up with! ha! We enjoyed every minute we got to spend, and as usual tried to be sponges, soaking up every minute we could together. It brought laughter and happy times. It is like we were never apart really, being able to just pick up and continue our relationship and past conversations like nothing has happened these past few years to separate us. We have determined not to let the miles and distance become a factor in our relationship, and thank God for e-mails, skype, and cell phones, we don't have to! All in all we are thoroughly humbled by the way they seem to just sleep anyplace, go without meals, accept any and every situation they find themselves in. Talk about the apostle Paul, our Matthew and Tammy come very close to him the way they are able to adapt and accept each situation they find themselves in! Surely God will honor their beautiful attitudes and how they "sacrifice" for Him.

To be honest, I tried to put a few pounds on Tammy, but she was true to self, and watched everything closely! One funny subject kept popping up in the kitchen, she would say "Mom, you need to toss that milk out!, it will be going down soon...." where she is from they have no additives, or perservatives. She has gotten used to shopping at market everyday and buying food fresh. It made our food look sort of bland, and tasteless to them, but we at least are able to shelve it and keep it for several weeks! ugh! what is wrong with this picture?

We are back into our lives again, after "shelving" our projects while they were here. The house is quiet and different, but the memories remain in our minds and hearts. We share so much through Jesus Christ, and He has been able to comfort me alot lately. After they drove off for Illinois, Randy and I boohooed like little babies. It wasn't as much for the departing, I think it was because I know what the lonely days and nights will be like for us without them around. Alas, we press on toward the goal, though and don't take anything for granted. We have so many blessings to thank God for, we don't want to waste anytime being sad........but, tell that to a mom's broken heart! This is a new beginning for all of us. May God supply all our needs and show us His grace to plow through!~