Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 24:52

"Don't pray for patience!" Our Pastor jokingly admonished us a few weeks ago. Anyone who has ever received an answer to that prayer knows why . . . You learn patience by learning to trust God in all circumstances. The circumstances that teach us best are ones that are clearly outside of our control.

Be careful what you pray for.

Some lessons in patience are more enjoyable than others. I prefer to learn patience from the hummingbirds.

The hummers in my yard tend to be a little camera shy.

Add that to the speed in which they fly and getting just the right shot can be a challenge.

It took me about a week to get these three images. I hope you enjoy!

Have a wonder-filled week, friends!

PS This post is for you, Floyd!
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Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 16:52

Hello, friends!

It's been a busy week but I did manage to capture a few delights to share with you! I know many of you are still under snow and ice. Perhaps a bit of spring gardening will encourage you!

The knockout roses are doing wonderful this year. All my lantana came back and most of my milkweed has sprouted. The Mexican Bush Sage which bloomed through the snow we had in December hasn't shown any signs of green yet and I'm afraid I might have lost it.

     

Ready to plant is more Mexican Bush Sage, butterfly weed and two "pow-pow" coneflower plants - excited for these to bloom! I also planted a few pentas for instant color.

The creeping jenny I planted a couple of weeks ago is doing well despite the high winds we've been having. With gusts up to 30mph here lately, you've got to wonder if the experience inside the birdhouse is a bit wilder than being out on a limb!

Carolina Wren

This Woodhouse's Scrub Jay posed nicely for me the other day.  

I haven't spotted any ruby-throated hummingbirds yet. I wonder if they got a memo about the weather y'all have been having up north?  I'll close with this week's shots of the current Yard Boss.

It's easy to see why they call them black-chinned hummingbirds. One of these days I'll catch him with the sun on his chin and you'll see his pretty purple throat. 

What are you seeing through your lens this week?

Blessings,

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Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 15:52

Time keeps marching on. Spring has tarried long this year for many of you. I wonder, do you wake up and feel like you've tumbled backward through a wardrobe into Narnia?

Fear not. Aslan IS come and spring will, too.

I'm excited to report that I've seen more monarchs already this year than all of last year put together!

This antelope horn milkweed hadn't even opened yet but this guy was doing his best!

There are more wildflowers blooming every day and the butterflies are everywhere!

American Lady and Gray Hairstreak on wild garlic

We had another new visitor to the front yard this week!

The Spotted Towhee!  My pictures are a little fuzzy as he was quite a distance away, hiding in the grass!

I was watching the Cardinals when I spotted his black head and said, "What's that!"

They are native to our area but are not usually seen at the feeders. I suspect this guy was just looking for something different for dinner!

There has been a lot of singing and chasing going on, which is typical for this time of year.

I have more than one pair of Cardinals. Although it is difficult to distinguish at times, the older male has more black feathers on his face. I'm trying to get good pics of all of them so I can get a real count. Is it two or three pair? I'm not sure.

While I was taking pictures of the monarch butterfly (above) the Eastern Bluebird swooped in to say hello. A little while later, a flock of cedar waxwings flew in, hiding in behind the new leaves of the tallow tree. They were gone before I could get a decent photo.

Never a dull moment!

The oak tree blossoms make for an interesting backdrop for our little "yard boss."

What are you seeing through your lens this week?

Have a wonder-filled week, friends!

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Inspired by . . .  Life thru My Lens 14:52

I hope you all had a wonderful, holy week last week. I was blessed to follow Christ's footsteps through His week. If you're interested in reading my thoughts you can find a link to each day's post on the right side-bar.

My front yard has been as entertaining as ever this week! 

For some reason, the Cardinals prefer our dog's water bowl over my beautiful new fountain. Once the repairs on my ancient birdbath are finished I will have a better option for them.

The hummer count is increasing daily! Once the ruby-throats start passing through things will get really interesting. 

Current "yard-boss"

This time of year, you never know what might be passing through. I spotted an unusual bird last week and was able to get enough pictures to make an ID.

It can be a bit challenging this time of year since so many birds are first-year or immature males.

I'm pretty sure this beauty is an immature yellow-rumped warbler (Audobon's).

The map shows them as a winter visitor. So this guy is likely heading north to the breeding grounds in Canada - maybe even as far north as Alaska! 

It's always fun to see a new bird! Think of all the fun I miss when I'm inside working at my desk!

My perennials are coming along nicely in the garden. And I finally got some annuals planted in the porch pots. Geraniums were my dad's favorite, so I always like to have some around. 

This year, I added creeping jenny to the pots on the railing.

What are you seeing through your lens this week?

Have a wonder-filled week, friends!

Sharing inspiration here:
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Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 11:52

Texas is known for its unusual weather but even this forecast is a little ridiculous.

The temps have actually cooled again this week. We did have one, very warm day this past weekend and it was enough to encourage this little guy to stop and say hello!

I hope to see more of them soon! 

I haven't been able to confirm any nesting sites yet but there continues to be a lot of activity at the feeders and around the yard.

The gold-fronted woodpeckers love the peanut suet!

A flock of meadowlarks have been hanging around for the last week or so. Finally, finally, I was able to get some decent shots of these elusive, flighty birds!

These were taken in the brightness of the morning sun and were a bit challenging to edit but I think they came out fair enough. Best of all, you can see the bird's beautiful markings.

What are you seeing through your lens this week?

Have a wonder-filled week, friends!

Sharing inspiration here:
Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Bird D’pot,
Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens,
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Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 31:52

The Dreamer and I had planned a drive on Sunday to capture some life thru my lens that didn't originate in my front yard. A hill country lake, a river running through a state park and some small town vibes were on the agenda. But I just wasn't feeling up to it.

So we stayed home and I have more images from my front porch to share with you this week.

Don't get me wrong, Sunday was decidedly restful. Something which my body needs right now. I always enjoy time working on my embroidery projects (I share my progress on IG) and reading for pleasure. I'm currently re-reading Lawana Blackwell's Gresham Chronicles and enjoying them, even more, the second time around!

A few days ago I caught a splash of color outside my kitchen window.

The painted bunting had come for a visit. We live a few miles from the Guadalupe river where the painted and indigo buntings are more prevalent. I usually see at least one or two painted buntings around. This guy was my first sighting this year.

One of the succulents in the planter my mom bought me for my birthday is blooming. The hummingbirds love it!

My lantana is coming back slowly but surely after being nibbled on by the deer. Thankfully the increased blooms are bringing more pollinators to the yard.

And speaking of hummingbirds. Here are some bathed in this morning's light.

Doing what hummingbirds do best . . . 

What are you seeing through your lens this week?

Blessings,

Sharing inspiration here:
Nature Notes, Through My Lens, Bird D’pot,
Saturday’s Critters, Life thru the Lens,
Wild Bird Wednesday, Our World Tuesday,
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