Under His Wings

I had been watching for them.  After my first missed photo-op of these beautiful downy-coated goslings, I remembered to take my camera.  A few days later I spotted them at the far end of the pond, in fabulous formation with  mama in the lead and papa bringing up the rear and the little ones gracefully gliding along.   It was too far away and again, no picture.  But yesterday, there they were foraging for goodies near the walkway, all fourteen of them - 14- and oh the protectiveness of the parents...

...goslings, unconcerned looking for goodies...

...goose and gander both so vigilant...

...papa hissing at another goose trying to crash the party...

...an unfamiliar sound brings them all scurrying to water's edge...

...but they don't go in...

I think mama is saying,
 "Enough swimming for the day...you're nice and dry and it's almost bedtime."
 It was beautiful and reminded me of my Heavenly Father who keeps me safely under his wings. 

"He will cover you with His feathers,
 and under his wings you will find refuge;
 his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." 
 Psalm 90:4

A Saturday morning walk

What a welcome treat to have company on my walk today, a new walk on a trail I'd never done before.  I had often gone to their neighborhood park, with my grandsons, but today was special, a challenge as their Daddy said.

...Jared and Daniel leading the way down Bateman Park road...

...to Stoney Creek salmon habitat...

...beautiful bubbling brook this Stoney Creek...

 Today was special because the challenge to the boys was to ride their bikes along this trail.   So we wound our way around and over this creek...

 ...and through an amazing stand of old-growth trees...

...two diverging cedars from one root source it seems...

...a lovely shady glen...

...one tree within another...

...and even a mothering tree...here we can see four new cedars birthed from the decaying
mother tree...nature doesn't waste anything...

The boys sometimes led, sometimes followed, sometimes rode their bikes, sometimes pushed them when the climb got steep.  But such good troopers they were even when the feet involuntarily slipped into the water.

...such fun adventure for Daniel...

and Jared...

...a beautiful day for a beautiful walk in a beautiful park with two beautiful boys!

And today...

... as I stop at the park what do I see through my windshield...

 

...a wedding just starting to happen...

...children enjoying the play structure...

...in the distance, the lake...

...now as I'm walking up a hill I see the same view from the opposite side of the lake and this not through my windshield...

...a few anglers...

...a nervous red-winged blackbird trilling a beautiful song...

...bulrushes along the shore...

...today only one lone waterfowl on that whole expanse of water, a single black cormorant...

...now I've gone right around the lake and... "Here comes the Bride" and her entourage for pictures on the bridge...

...and now as evening falls, another stunning sunset taken from my balcony...

 

 

 

 

"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."  Phil. 4:4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But...

What a marvelous little word the tiny conjunction "but" can be.  In the Scripture I referenced on my last post, I put the period where it belongs - at the end of the sentence.  However, that's not the whole story...there is that redemptive little word "But" beginning the next verse...
"But the mercy of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him,
and his righteousness unto children's children..."  Psalm 103:17
...which takes the sting out of the preceding verse and brings hope and encouragement.
There's so much comfort too in the beauty all around me as I  saw again on my walk today:

Fish Trap Creek

A beautiful, natural park right in my neighbourhood.

Fish Trap Creek is in Ellwood Park and they're both part of the wonderful Discovery Trails.

Even the skunk cabbage is a beautiful addition to the flora in its rich green foliage and yellow flowers.

Split Rail fences are plentiful along the path.

Cultured Rhododendron on one of the front lawns nearby as I wend my way back home.

As I write this I see another amazing sunset from my balcony tonight.  I thank God for the beauty all around me.

...and just another great "but" ...
"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: 
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 
Romans 5:8

Come With Me...

We don't always know what we'll see on life's path.  It's a good thing, a very good thing.   But on my path today I knew I would see some wonderful things since I'd walked this path before.  Come with me and you can see what I saw...

...pretty pink blossoms...

...a grand magnolia tree...

...pure and welcome dandelion in its setting...

...a welcoming path...

... to the left...

... straight ahead...

...I choose to the right...

...and everywhere Canada Geese...

...a picnic shelter...

...a memorial right on the grounds of my condo...what does it say?

... sobering, yet solacing...

...and the flowers, the beautiful encircling flowers....

...delightful tulips...

...and blue grape-hyacinths bordering it all.

"As for man, his days are like grass, 

he flourishes like a flower of the field; 

the wind blows over it and it is gone,

 and its place remembers it no more." 

 Psalm 103:15-16

Marching along...

Well March is indeed marching right along.  Today was our very first day of real spring weather, it seems to me - so welcome, so glorious.  And of course I had to poke around to see how things were coming along...

...Grape Hyacinth (Muscari botryoides)-looks like they took quite a hit from the frost over the past months after an earlier warm spell...

...Hyacinth orientalis....I noticed them first poking through around Christmas time  and was thrilled now to see they survived the winter nicely, about a dozen or so stalwartly making their journey sunward...

But even more heart-warming were the birthdays of two of our dear 

grandchildren earlier this month-

 Daniel who turned 4 last week...

And Megan 8 -

Megan lined up her Webkinz - getting just the right one was part of the fun for her and us on that special day - and card for the shot.

Such precious and special moments 

with such wonderful little people as these in our lives makes our hearts sing...

Happy Birthday to you!
 We are grateful.