This was a glorious Thursday morning with a wondrous breeze making porch perching perfect. Sat on the porch swing till it just got too hot. Brought out the box fan but gave up mid-afternoon. I lasted longer than Penelope did, though. As we southerners say, “Man, it’s hot as all get out. I’m burning slap up.” I love southern expressions, specially when you want to say, “Go to Hell,” but you say sweetly, “Bless your heart.” When that starched up, beauty parlored old lady fussed at me during Covid for going down the wrong side of the aisle in Walmart I sugar coated, “I’m sorry. Bless your heart.” I was just thinking how attractive she was, then she started fussing at me. Shocked me she could be so vicious. Made me think of Granny in the Tweety Bird cartoons when Granny would take the broom to Sylvester the cat.

My yard has been so full of birds today. I wrote down the different ones I saw — cardinals, titmice, wrens, downy woodpeckers, a hairy woodpecker, a rose-breasted grosbeak, bluebirds, chimney sweeps, a red-headed woodpecker, three hummingbirds, doves, a blue jay, and chickadees. My youngest son found a beautiful owl feather. I heard the hoot owls but haven’t seen them. Filled up the feeders and the finches fought all day over the perches on their favorite feeder. I think the purple finches just enjoy the excitement of a good argument. The birds visiting the bird baths preened their feathers in the hot sunshine and I enjoyed watching them. The blue jay has become a regular visitor, drinking from the bird bath and eating sunflower seeds from under the feeders.

I greased the squirrels two favorite bird feeder poles and they all tried twice to climb up the pole before they gave up. The squirrels were so funny sliding down the greased poles. A little purple finch sat on the squirrel slinky and enjoyed a carnival ride up and down the pole.

As I walked Penelope I noted the miniature wildflowers in the yards, so tiny they would fit on a pencil eraser. The colors are glorious — pale lilac, mauve and periwinkle — only the watercolors of God could paint so beautifully. If you saw me stumbling around the yard today I was not in the hooch, I was trying to photograph the little wildflowers while corralling Penelope. I took her back to the play pen on the porch and when I went back to where I saw the little flowers I could not find them. I think I got one picture that wasn’t blurry, maybe not.

Bible scripture in Luke encourages us to consider how God clothes the wild flowers. “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin.” God cares for the tiny flowers and the songbirds reminding us that when we put our trust in God’s provision, he will provide for us just as he provides for them. Isaiah 61:11 says, “For as the earth bring forth its bud, as the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.” The earth and the gardens are fertile and productive just as God’s grace helps our faith spiritually flourish.

I love this verse from Psalm 104:24, “What a wildly wonderful world, God! You made it all, with Wisdom at your side, made earth overflow with your wonderful creations.” The Lord covered our earth with his beauty and the modern world spins too fast to enjoy the blessings of his creation. I watched a ruby throated hummingbird enjoy flittering around my sunshine yellow petunias, drinking the nectar, and thought what a magnificent painting God has created with his watercolors. From my porch swing I looked at the cotton candy clouds in the deep blue sky, the song birds multicolored plumages, the bumble bees black and yellow stripes, the cheerfuly tinted dandelions interspersed with the tiny lilac wildflowers, all the greens of the trees leafed out, the snow white magnolia blooms, the vibrant pinks of the rose buds, all gifted to me from God’s paintbrushes. Isaiah 45:12 states, “It is I who made the earth and created mankind on it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts.”

Another of my favorite quotes, “The simplest of simplest things make me happy,” Erica Fernandez. Life travels so quickly. Take a moment today to slow down and marvel at the earth’s beauty. Get off the interstate and enjoy the blooming spring from a country highway. Look out the window at the red light and do some cloud watching. Show your children the birds’ nests and the tiny lilac wildflowers, smell the perfume from a gorgeous magnolia blossom, listen to the yard symphonies. Go outside after supper and watch the sun roll down the horizon and marvel at the “starry hosts” in the night sky. Thank God for the many blessings on this planet we call Earth. God made it beautiful just for us.

“Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.” — Rachel Carson