For the Birds

While perusing a newly-discovered site of e-cards -dovercards.com - I checked out their selection of bird cards.  There were only a few prints, but of those 6, 4 of them were Texas coastal birds. (5 if you count the turkey, but you're not likely to see one at the beach.)  Of those coastal birds, 1 is rare and 1 has staged a comeback.

When I was a child in the mid-1960's, there were only 17 Whooping Cranes left in the Aransas area, the Brown pelicans were gone, as well as the Roseate Spoonbills.  Fortunately, the latter two were able to abide elsewhere.  The problem with the birds disappearances?  DDT.  The pesticide ran off the fields in

 rainwater, into the bays, and into the food chain.  The effect it had upon the birds was to weaken the shell so that it broke long before the chick was ready to hatch.  The disastrous effects of DDT upon the wildlife, particularly the birds, was documented in Silent Spring by Rachel Carson in 1962.  This was the beginning of the Environmentalist Movement and ultimately led to the banning of DDT in 1972 as well. 

 

Today, there are two colonies of Whooping Cranes; an Eastern colony, and the Aransas Colony,  which is the only migratory colony, and  migrates from Canada to Aransas, a journey of about 2,700 miles.  I believe the latest count of the Aransas colony is 190, so they're still considered endangered.  Interestingly enough, a Whooper from the Eastern colony took a side trip to Nashville recently.  For this Texas coastal girl, that seemed very out of order!

Also, in my childhood, I remember the seeing the pink flocks of Roseate Spoonbills, and thrilled at the explosion of color in the marshes or along the shoreline.  They're back, too, but not in the numbers that I remember.  It's not as unusual, however, to see them as it is the Whooping Cranes.  The Brown Pelicans are back, and the White pelicans have just decided to move in en masse.  I guess Florida got too crowded for them.  The stately Blue Herons never left, and probably never will.  They are an amusing bird to watch - especially when they are teaching their young how to feed, but that's a blog for another day.

Time Out

Time out!!!!  This months-without-a-rest existence of mine  is taking some time out.  And not a moment too soon.  My escape destination is back to my roots, back to the South Texas Gulf Coast, where the wintertime sky and water is beyond beautiful.  When the only colors to be seen are blue, pink, khaki, and green, all laid out in the long, soft strokes of God's watercolor brush, you can only sigh and begin to relax those neck and shoulder muscles which have been held tense far too long.  A little family time, a little boat-and-fishing time, a little stroll the beach time, reading, BBQ, TexMex and Bluebell time.  It IS time!

He Who Shuts the Lion's Mouth

Her Dancing Day

Today shall be my dancing day

I would my true love did so chance

To see the legend of my play,

To call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, my love.  Oh!  My love, my love,

This I have done for my true love.

Then was I born of a virgin pure,

Of her I took fleshly substance;

Thus was I knit to man's nature,

To call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, my love.  Oh!  My love, my love,

This I have done for my true love.

In a manger laid and wrapp'd I was,

So very poor, this was my chance,

Betwixt an ox and a silly ass,

To call my true love to my dance:

Sing, O my love, my love.  Oh!  My love, my love,

This I have done for my true love.

Then up to Heaven I did ascend,

Where now I dwell in sure substance

On the right hand of God, that men

May come unto the General Dance.

Sing, O my love, my love.  Oh!  My love, my love,

This I have done for my true love.

Having taken a slight liberty with the traditional English carol "Tomorrow Shall be my Dancing Day", I am posting today in honor and memorium of my dear and sweet cousin, Cindy Lou Torres Owens, whose heart's desire was to dance.  To dance vibrantly and beautifully through life and then into the arms of her Lord and Savior.  This she did today, where she now dances with the one who loves her best, Who came as man and as man to die, to make a way for us

 to dwell with Him, the Lord of the Dance, Who lent her to us for all too short a time.  

Boys, oh, boys!

Hmmm...... Gilbert contemplates that perhaps getting into the sugar bowl wasn't really what he should have done.  But, Nana would've loved to be there to ask him - once again - for "some sugar".  That would've been a sweet kiss!

Meanwhile, Patrick rides his bouncy seat-pony and chases down any stray bad guys.  He's even got his black hat disguise in hand!

Up is Down

"Exertion, self-denial, endurance, these make the hero, but to the spoiled child they connote the evil of nature and the malice of man."    ~ Richard Weaver (1910-1963)

Just another reason why some can declare that the day is night, and the night is day.

Seas of our Souls

"And it shall be said,

"Build up, build up, prepare the way, 

remove every obstruction from my people's way."

For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy.

I dwell in the high and holy place,

and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,

to revive the spirit of the lowly, 

and to revive the heart of the contrite.

For I will not contend forever,

nor will I always be angry;

for the spirit would grow faint before me,

and the breath of life that I made.

Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry,

I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,

but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.

I have seen his ways, "But I will heal him;

I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners,

creating the fruit of the lips.

Peace, peace, to the far and to the near," says the Lord,

"and I will heal him.

But the wicked are like the tossing sea;

for it cannot be quiet, 

and its waters toss up mire and dirt.

There is no peace," says my God, "for the wicked." 

~ Is. 57:14-21

As it is said elsewhere, "If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, surely the raging waters would have swept over our souls."  Because of the great mercy and lovingkindness of the Lord we are not swept away in our sin.  He who is mighty, He who is Holy could destroy us for our consistent backsliding, but instead He says, "I will heal, I will lead, I will restore, I will comfort, I will heal."  Not only that, but causing our very lips, the lips so prone to sinfulness, to become fruitful, and to give us peace.  

Why is it that He grants mercy to us sinful children of men?  Because he notes a contrite heart, and a lowly, humble spirit.  "A contrite heart He will not despise."  But, "He opposes the proud."  

So, there is peace for the one with a contrite, lowly spirit.

But, what about those who just won't let it die?  Won't forgive?  Won't forget?  Want to see the ugly details hashed out again and again?  They are like the tossing sea, constantly stirring up dirt and mire.  And for them there is no peace.