Colors of Spring

The Jonquils are in full bloom, and brings so

much color to yet an early Spring. 

 Very soon the Lilacs will be in bloom if we do 
not get a heavy frost before they are ready.

I will be so glad when the Hummingbirds arrive.

Poems

Grandmother's Pantry

Grandmother's pantry was never bare,

Always plenty of good things to eat there.

Homemade cookies and candy so yummy,

Sure tasted good and filled my tummy.

Grandfather would come in,

And then he'd ask,

Have you seen Little Mary,

I gave her a task.

Oh, she'll be here,

Grandmother would say,

Just give her a minute

She's on her way.

He didn't know,

What I'd been doing.

At least I didn't think so.

But Grandfather was grinning.

He knew all along,

What I'd been up to,

I'd come out with a song,

Grandfather, there's work to do.

Let's get it done,

Just me and you.

Before you know it,

We'll be all through.

Written By MJ January 6, 2008.

Grandmother's Swing

My Grandmother's Swing

Where we'd sit for hours, 

To hear the birds sing,

And watch  as the fledglings soar.

She'd swing so slowly,

My head upon her lap,

Ever so slightly,

While I took my nap.

I miss my grandmother's swing,

From so long ago,

I was so young,

And she was growing old.

My grandmother's swing

Has long since gone,

Along with my Grandmother,

But not for long.

For I will be with her,

In her arms once more,

My head upon her lap,

And we will soar.

Like the fledglings

Learning to fly,

We'll be in Heaven,

She and I.

Written By MJ January 06, 2008

Friends Are Angels 

Anonymous

  

Our friends are like angels

Who brighten our days

In all kinds of wonderful

Magical ways

Their thoughtfulness comes

As a gift from above

And we feel we're surrounded

By warm, caring love

Like upside-down rainbows

Their smiles bring the sun

And they fill ho-hum moments

With laughter and fun

Friends are like angels

Without any wings

Blessing our lives

With the most precious things  

Butterfly Poems

A Heart That Has Lost The Will To Sing,  

Is Like A Butterfly With A Broken Wing. 

The Mourning Cloak Butterfly

There is a little butterfly,

That lives the whole year through.

You've probably never seen him,

So you never really knew.

This is a special butterfly,

Whose body does not freeze.

He sits while the sun warms the earth,

Before he is set free.

He brings us joy filled with hope,

That soon Spring will be here.

Look about you when you are out,

For he may be fluttering near.

He is winter's butterfly,

Dressed in browns, 

Trimmed in gold,

What a beauty to behold.

So if someday you happen to see,

A butterfly fluttering ever so free,

Among the snow capped bushes below,

The Mourning Cloak Butterfly you will behold.

Written by Butterfly Mariel

1-25-2009

Be Good Stewards of our Planet

Be Good Stewards of Our Planet

We, the people of this planet, have been given the great honor of protecting our home, to conserve our fauna and flora. However, too many people have plundered and raped our home planet to the point that much of our natural landscapes have been forever altered with scars left in the terrain that to this day remain ugly to the eye. The land needs to be reclaimed, healed, replanted with plants unique to the region. Our tropical forests, and woodlands need to be protected as they are the natural air purifiers for our planet. Grasses, wild flowers, and trees native to the regions are vital to the climate and moisture so needed to keep our planet Earth healthy. 

Please do your part to conserve the only home we have in this Galaxy. If we live on the land and protect it, it's flora and fauna we will enjoy the benefits of our home planet forever. We must stop destroying our home  not only our lives but for those who come after us. The Europeans came to this country, stripped the land of it's natural resources, and many starved to death from lack of food due to their greediness. Please, do not let this happen again. 

Butterflies

Metamorphosis of butterflies and moths is one of the mysteries of Nature. The ability of these insects to change from the crawling caterpillar to the flying adult is almost magical. 
Many people are so awe inspired by the metamorphosis that they believe that butterflies and moths could never have evolved over millions of years without a God behind it. 

Butterflies

Butterflies are beautiful things

Fluttering through the air on gossamer wings.

Flirting with the blossoms of nature's bouquet,

Telling the world everything is okay.

Make Your Own Butterfly Nectar

Making butterfly nectar at home is easy! All you need to do is mix 1 scoop powdered orange Gatorade with 2 quarts of water. Mix thoroughly and pour desired amount into a shallow plastic dish. Place an absorbent material inside the dish such as a brand new plastic kitchen scrubber. This will create a place for the butterflies to land! Pieces of rotting fruit such as bananas, grapes, and apples may be added to the mixture, but beware, this can attract unwanted pests such as ants and wasps as well!

Feeders may be placed by flowers in a garden, and the solution should be changed daily. Extra mixture should be refrigerated in a tightly sealed container until next use

Trees

This is a picture of the front of our courthouse in Lamar, MO. 
the county seat of Barton County. 
As you can see, this was taken in late Spring or early Summer
 when everything is still lush and green. All the foliage 
tends to get dull and brown when it gets hot and dry.

TREES

        by: Joyce Kilmer (1886-1918)

        I think  that I shall never see
        A poem lovely as a tree.
         
        A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
        Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
         
        A tree that looks at God all day,
        And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
         
        A tree that may in Summer wear
        A nest of robins in her hair;
         
        Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
        Who intimately lives with rain.
         
        Poems are made by fools like me,

        But only God can make a tree.

Country Life

Life  In The Country

If one has never lived in the country, never walked through a meadow, through a forest, or listened to all the animals, then one has never experienced the thrill of nature. The cheery songs of the birds singing while dawn is breaking, watched with wonder as the forest creatures scurry about looking for food, keeping track of their little ones, and the way the leaves of the trees dance in the breeze.

Listen, no road sounds to distract one's most precious thoughts, just imagine how peaceful it is. Our forefathers knew all about nature, how it would affect them on a daily basis. They watched the animals for signs of a change in the weather, the seasons. Listen, do you hear it? Can you hear the grass growing? Can you hear the new leaves erupting from the buds? Be careful, or you will miss the blossoms unfurling as they break free of their buds. Listen, watch, or you might miss it.

As with every thing, nature also has a dark side.....one must be vigilant about their surroundings. There are things living in nature that should be avoided or treated with a great deal of respect.  As long as one considers the importance of respecting nature they should be safe.  Be aware of the animals who reside in nature such as snakes, insects, spiders, lizards, bees, both honey bees and bumble bees which gather Nectar from the flowering plants to take to their hives. Then those with a sensitivity to poisonous plants will need to watch out for poison ivy, oak, and some certain other plants. Some varieties of Sumac can be poisonous. Then, there are the skunks who really dislike having their space invaded. You also might encounter Coyotes, Bobcats, depending on your location you might see Cougars, Bears, and other spirits of the forest.  So enjoy yourself but remain alert so you can take in all the sights and sounds only found in nature.

Being born and living most of my life in the country, I am country through and through. Country life, however, isn't for everyone. The dirt roads are terrible during wet weather, so dusty in dry weather, impassible after a heavy snow storm. 

The stench of organic fertilizer, cattle feed lots, hog lots, chicken and turkey houses can make one not want to venture outdoors. But the rewards far out weigh the negative. Looking out and seeing the new calves, and foals by their mother's side, nudging them to nurse. Many see this as they travel the highways on their journey across the nation but it is not like being there watching them frolicking in the pasture playing tag. In many ways they resemble children at play. 

Tilling the fields for new crops, the gardens for this seasons fresh fruits and vegetables. I love the fragrance of fresh mowed clover hay, honeysuckle on the vine, all the flowers as they burst into bloom, so many sweet fragrances tickle the senses.

One has to experience it to understand the love one has for country life. 
Hopefully many will be able to get a taste of this life during their lifetime, even for a short time.

As you encounter the countryside driving to your destination, take a look at the houses and barns that are decaying and crumbling down.  Some of them are still relatively new but they lost the love that made them a home when they were vacated by the family that had lived there.

You see, a house is just another building until it is filled with love, then it becomes a home.


Bless This House 

Bless this house, o Lord, we pray.
Make it safe by night and day.
Bless these walls so firm and stout,
Keeping want and trouble out.
Bless the roof and chimney tall,
Let thy peace lie over all.
Bless the doors that they may prove
Ever open to joy and love.
Bless the windows shining bright,
Letting in God's heavenly light.
Bless the hearth a-blazing there,
With smoke ascending like a prayer.
Bless the people here within...
Keep them pure and free from sin.
Bless us all, that one day, we

May be fit, O lord, to dwell with Thee. 

Favorite Things

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

There are many things I love and these are  some of my favorite things.
Fairies, Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Song Birds and every other bird.
Vultures are not pretty by any sense of the word but they have a very important job in nature. For if it were not for these birds, and all predators
there would be nothing but insects and microbes to devour the carcasses of dead animals left lying around. 

My interests also include domestic animals, farm animals and our furry and feathered friends,  wild animals, exotic animals, and yes, fish. 

I love flowers, trees, and every growing thing although many must be respected for they can cause severe problems.

Mythical creatures, fairies, elves, mermaids, and all kinds of lovely creatures. Many extinct creatures have been recreated according to the artists interpretations and some are quite beautiful. However, there are many I would not want to meet in this life.

So my blog is all about the things I love and things I enjoy doing. I hope you will enjoy your trip through my world for it is just beginning.



Fairies

I've never seen a fairy,

Though I know they must be there,

For I've seen the signs they leave,

Almost everywhere.

Footsteps in the garden,

Paths in the grass,

Why can't I see them?

Oh, well, alas.

I've never seen a fairy,

Though I know they must be there,

For they leave gifts for me,

Almost everywhere.
April 6, 2014