Nature... just this week

I wish I had pictures to show, but I don't. So this is only a 'tell', rather than a 'show & tell'.

Since moving to Iowa, I have been enamored by the beauty and the wildlife. In just this single week I have seen so many new birds. I love to watch the birds. I love that they nest nearby so we can watch their eggs hatch and baby birds grow. I love seeing their first flight, and the thrill, and sometimes heartache, at their success and failure. I love the birds that annually nest in our fireplace vent. Sitting inside, near the fireplace, it brings me a smile to hear the little birds chirping away. And try as Garrett has to dislodge them and shut up their home, they are persistant enough to find a way back in again and again. I love those birds. What a lesson they are ... 'try, try again!!'.

Also in this week, I have taken the boys a few times to play in a creek near their school. They have caught fish, crayfish and tadpoles. One of the tadpoles is the HUGEST I have ever seen. (And I grew up in the country, so I have seen many tadpoles.) This particular tadpole now lives in our kitchen, awaiting his new front legs, meaning he will be a full-fledged frog and get to join the other critters in our backyard.

After playing in the creek one day this week, we went for a walk along a path in a new park. (Realize that our walking paths take you right out into the middle of the trees, bushes, and very high grass, secluding you from the city so close nearby.) As we walked along, we nearly ran into a snake that was obviously enjoying the warmth of the paved path. Since we were nearly back to our parking area, and not anxious to turn around and go all the way back, we 'encouraged' the snake to move back to the grass. (From a good distance, of course.) The boys found a few things to throw towards it, hoping to startle it and get it moving again. Eventually it worked and we were on our way again.

Also this week, I have finally become frustrated enough with my garden theives to do something about it. We have caught two nice (or not-so-nice), fat, brown mice. Certainly there are more, since my cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon, and especially cantaloupe are still being nibbled. We have been watching our largest watermelon grow & ripen for the last few weeks, just counting down the days to 'taste test' time. We decided to wait for this weekend. But I guess that was a few days too long. The mice, apparently, decided to taste test a few days ago. When I picked this beautiful watermelon (unbelievably large!), which had been checked only a few days before, it came up hollow! Completely HOLLOW! There was a shell, a hole, and nothing but the white rind left on the inside. A few seed were left on the ground near the shell. My love ... and patience ... are coming to an end for certain parts of nature!!!

Also this week, there was a cute little toad visiting the garden. He was too quick for me, but the neighbor boys found him a bit later and immediately called Zach over. They DON'T love catching bugs, toads, etc. And Zach DOES!!! He was just one more addition to the critter farm!

During this past week, the boys have begged to stay up past dark every night. It doesn't even start to get dark until after 9 p.m., and I really like getting to bed at a reasonable hour. But I have acquiesced because it is lightning bug season. They love to catch them, put them in a net cage near their beds overnight, then release them in the morning.

And this week, as with every week during the summer, we have been visited daily by the many bunnies that love to nibble the grass and blossoms hanging over the garden fence.

This certainly does not even come near to the living nature that inhabits this area. So I can't say I've seen it all. But I've certainly had quite a few reminders JUST THIS WEEK of God's love for us (not to mention his creativity) in creating so many beautiful creatures for us to enjoy and learn about. And though some of them have frustrated me to cries of despair, I still love the part each of them plays in this beautiful world.

What a wonderful week!