Passing

When the sun sets
it paints its picture best
in the western sky
announcing night is nigh.

Shadows lengthen
as night beckons
stretching eastward
on the grass floor.

Golden yellows and rosy pinks
changing quickly then gone in a blink
as the sun sinks beyond the hill
where the last glimpse of sunlight spills.

The sun has gone down.
Twilight has come.
Everything is golden
as the temps are cooling.

Twilight disappears
for dusk is near.
Time to call it a day
as day passes away.

Colors crisp
now eclipsed
and fading fast
for day is past.

Shades of night are cast
as shadows creep past
blurring the lines
through passing of time.

The last cheeps and coos fade away
at the passing of another day.
Nature's lullaby
as twilight sighs.

Quiet settles in
for night brings
the passing of the day
with its joys and disarrays.

Good nights said by the birds,
now crickets are heard.
Can you hear their strumming?
It's time for slumbering.

** * * * *

Twilight gives way to dusk
as the sun rotates west.
Though not in a rush
it seems to be pushed
as if on a quest
for creation to hush.

Our days are busy from sunup to dusk
with important appointments and such,
with hurrying about always in a rush.
Maybe today there was corn to husk
or you spent the day chasing down the dust.
Tomorrow's to-do-list will bring more fuss.

The day has passed and it's dusk.
A minute to rest from the rush.
But in today's quest
did you shove and push
or did you simply trust
that God has a plan that's best?

Don't let another day pass
without knowing it's a must
to lean and trust
on the Lord much.
Remember, God knows what is best
and has a plan that doesn't rush.

Trust in the lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him
and he will bring it to pass.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Outdoors

Overhead sky-blue sky
and puffy clouds floating by
as the sun dons
a bright new morn.

A breeze stirs the treetops
rustling the leaves atop
where last night's raindrops
are heard plop, plop, plop...

for thunder heard during the night
brought cooling rain to delight,
and sound sleep.
Now sunlight peeks.

Can't wait to get outside
where so much delights the eyes.
A rainbow of flowers
in crayon colors,

fresh vegetables to harvest
will fill a big basket.
Birds serenading
early each morning.

Butterflies come to sip,
hummingbirds seen dip,
bees humming -
it's something!

You won't want to waste a minute,
so let's get right into it.
Get out the wheelbarrow and let's roll.
You know overnight more weeds did grow.

Who would want to stay inside
when there's so much to see outside?
There's so much more in store
in the great outdoors.

* * * * *

I pray you are able to enjoy some time outdoors today.
Hopefully, visiting with some friends you've met along life's way.
Or maybe taking a ride to see
your localities scenery
for God's creation is a wonder to behold -
more awe-inspiring than can ever be told.

Be sure to read the below scriptures from Job
then look for God's whisper, simply behold
the wonder of God's majesty in creation
created throughout each and every nation.
You'll be filled with awe
over what you saw.

He spreads out the northern skies over empty space;
he suspends the earth over nothing.
He wraps up the waters in his clouds,
yet the clouds do not burst under their weight.
He covers the face of the full moon,
spreading his clouds over it.
He marks out the horizon on the face of the waters
for a boundary between light and darkness.
By his breath the skies become fair...
and these are but the outer fringe of his works;
how faint the whisper we hear of him!
Who then can understand the thunder of his power?
Job 26:7-10, 13a-14

Music

Weeding under the shade
rhythm is now made -
rip and tear those weed blades -
"good riddance" is bade.
My work is well paid
for the next few days.

There's a certain tempo as I weed
pulling these weeds full of untamed greed.
The sound is relaxing,
in some strange way calming.
Soothing to my ears, seems so,
but not so for my muscles.

Blue jays keep the beat -
caw-caw, caw-caw greets -
for a yummy treat
in sunflowers awaits.
Caw-caw, caw-caw not pranks
but their way to say thanks.

Bees buzz in harmony,
a welcome melody,
for bees work peacefully
while buzzing happily.
They add to the chorus
while entertaining us.

Overhead yellow finches in flight
on their way to sunflowers bright
add to the song now wrote
though not a word was spoke.
Songs wrote in G clef
attract many guests.

Under the sunshine
the melodic rhyme
of the wind chimes
sings a song
"ding ding dong"
all day long.

Tonight crickets will come out.
They're not quiet. They shout.
Always heard strumming loudly in Bass clef,
seemingly without intermission to rest.
Down by the pond
frogs sing along.

Come winter I will surely miss
the sound of nature's music.
Though other music is heard,
it's not as calming as the birds
or as weeding under the shade -
rip and tear, "good riddance" now bade.

* * * * *

What type of music do you listen to?
Easy listening, jazz, or the blues?
Classical, gospel, hymns?
Rock, operas, show tunes?
Have you taken the time to listen to nature?
Take a few minutes today.  It will nurture.

Let it ease away your fears
as you listen with your ears
to creation celebrating
with joyful and glad singing.
Don't you feel better?
Somewhat calmer?

...David would take his harp and play.
Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better...
I Samuel 16:23

Tease

Extra-ordinarily hot spring days budded out the trees.
Unfortunately this may cause some people to wheeze.
Fortunately a little breeze does tease these leaves
as a breeze blowing through the trees might somewhat relieve.

Those hot days produced little rose leaves
and flower bulbs opened, which please.
The bright blooms brought in the bees.
You might watch them, but don't tease.

Some gardeners are scrambling to plant their peas
and lettuces in April, down on their knees.
Beware, though, there still might be a freeze to tease
which causes the earth to thaw and then heave.

In the meantime, these spring days are met with ease
for it's too hot to work down on one's knees.
A glass of iced tea in the breeze
will tease one's tongue and certainly please.

This gardener might go shopping then pay a fee
for new plants, for she's found new plants always please.
When she pays the bill and leaves,
she sees more plants to which to cleave.

Were the plants placed just so in order to tease?
Will she buy more today or leave?
She leaves to sip a glass of tea
in the breeze - a life of ease.

But never fear, she's dreaming, you see,
of where to plant more plant with leaves -
variegated, spiked, fuzzy, wee -
one sunny day down on her knees.

Spring does somehow tease
with flowers the please,
with budding green leaves,
with a sunny, warm breeze,
with buzzing bees,
with new growth to see
from seeds the grow free,
viewed when down on one's knees.

Beware that while some bees
sip afternoon tea,
others will seek sun tea
in the afternoon breeze.

The tea drinker might wheeze
while the glass is heaved.
Be aware or you won't pleased.
The bees do not mean to tease.

* * * * *

Bees
wee
make sweet honey
for you and me.

The words we speak can be like honey.
Words encouraging everybody.
"Thanks for your help," to the cashier.
A note of thanks to someone will cheer.

It's never too late to say "thanks."
"Please" is another word that ranks.
Simple courtesies
as sweet as honey.

Let the words you speak be
as sweet as honey from bees.
Smiles you will guarantee
and someone's heart will be happy.

How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103

Sunshine Yellow

A test of patience each spring is yearly instilled
as we wait 11 months to see the daffodils -
there's bright yellow with trumpet frills
or maybe all white ones will thrill.

Though these yellow blooms last for up to three weeks,
their green leaves from the flower bed will peek
for several more weeks,
looking messy, not neat.

How soon these bright sunshine yellow daffodils are over and gone
but do not fear, yellow dandelions are soon coming on...
and on...
and on.

Dandelions test our patience,
seemingly beyond our endurance.
Many neighbors yearly apply 'weed and feed'
as dandelions are filled with endless greed.

You'll find my yard filled with an abundance
which remind me of God's faithfulness
for that's what dandelion happens to mean,
these sunny blooms among jagged leaves of green.

For many weeks on end, over and over again,
you'll find me (impatiently) digging out dandelions
as last year's dandelions went to seed
growing thousands of dandelions to weed.

I'm reminded of God's patience
and everlasting faithfulness
daily toward me as I weed -
a needed reminder, indeed.

In the meantime, yellow forsythia bursts into bloom,
though if you're impatient you can force their yellow blooms,
by cutting a few canes to bring inside.
Just a week it takes for flowers to betide.

Forsythia, another springtime bloom,
that we patiently await to bloom
bursts into color, a bright sunshine yellow,
reinforcing spring is here - hello!

Let's not forget the sunshine yellow sun
that each spring brightens and warms
the barren, colorless earth
causing new life to spring forth.

Bright sunshine yellow,
such a cheerful color.
Much happiness it brings,
painting the earth each spring.

* * * * *

Patience is a hard lesson to learn,
though often needed at every turn,
for everyday something unforeseen goes awry
causing unwanted suffering, why oh why?

Yet God's Word says those who persevere are blessed.
Something to contemplate during the next test -
and you can be sure one will come,
though hardly ever welcomed.

Instead of worrying,
simply start praising.
The peace of God will again calm your spirit,
then perhaps you'll see God's solution in it.

And you'll find an attitude
of unceasing gratitude
will peacefully surround
though life's many ups and downs.

Asking for God's 'hedge of protection'
will ally many daily problems
showering us with blessings instead.
Just pray this simple prayer before bed.

Focusing on the positive
instead of the negative
will change your perspective.
A blessed way to live.

Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering,
take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered.
You have heard of Job's perseverance
and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.
The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
James 5:10-11

Have you not put a hedge around him
and his household and everything he has?
You have blessed the work of his hands...
Job 1:10

Morning

Yesterday a rain shower watered the earth.
Early this morning you can see new birth
for pretty flowers and green grass appear
after yesterday's shower disappeared.
Yesterday's falling rain worked its magic.
Listen, there's water babbling in the creek.

This morning the bright warm rays of the sun
chased away the gloom from the wet rain.
Together they work in harmony
to grow pretty flowers and greenery.
If you take a deep breath,
you'll smell earthworms in the earth.

Ones spirits lift
as the fog lifts
for creation in all its glory
seems to be somewhat in a hurry
to get another day underway
as the darkness quickly slips away.

The sun removes the remaining shadows
as morning peeks over the willow.
Yesterday rain everything fed.
Today a cloudless sky overhead.
It's the dawning of a new day today
seen in the morning's waking sun rays.

Morning brings
many blessings.
Is that why birds sing
early in the morning?
Perhaps they don't want to forget a one
for their song is one of thankfulness all day long.

Do they have a lesson
to teach us humans?
To look for blessings
instead of stressing
over what we have no charge of
but to trust in the Lord above.

* * * * *

Whatever a given day may bring
God is there with you in everything.
You are not meant to carry your burden alone
for God will be there with you, by your side all along
to comfort, strengthen, guide
when you in Him abide.

My devotions this morning were from I Corinthians 13
where Paul talks about "faith to move mountains".
That means believing faith to trust God to meet whatever our needs.
God is waiting to lift whatever burden when you in prayer plead.
If your mountain is physical, financial, or relational,
let God move your mountain for with God all things are possible.

He is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.
II Samuel 23:4

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

..faith that can move mountains...
I Corinthians 13:2

Games

Next to the compost pile
a hole or burrow or tunnel.
What furry creature resides there?
Quite possibly there's a pair.

This something only comes out at night
after I've retired for bug bites
chase me inside early each night
after the sunset becomes twilight.

He eats to his heart's content
from the compost's content
fortunately not realizing
fresh vegetation grew in the garden.

My neighbor told me it was woodchuck.
It might have been a ground hog.  Just my luck.
I needed to come up with a plan quick
to scare off this varmint, to outwit.

This woodchuck
did not chuck
any wood
that I know of.

He did, however, chuck
many, many rocks
with his nose and head somehow
that were wedged in the burrow...

for every morning those rocks
were again up on top.
He had come to chow down
some time before dawn.

Last evening's parings
he thought were for sharing.
Content he was
with peach skin fuzz.

Rather a woodchuck or a ground hog, I do not know.
I do know I'm thankful he has left town, though.
Hopefully he became
tried of playing the game...

of my wedging rocks in the burrow
then his emptying the tunnel
with his nose,
I suppose.

Woodchucks
do not knock,
they tend to invite themselves.
Gardeners might cry 'help'...

for lettuce and peas
and corns and beans
are no longer seen
in rows of green.

Ground hogs
don't jog
but can be seen
in fields of green...

where into their tunnel
they quickly burrow
after eating
from gardens.

* * * * *

Oh the joys of gardening.
Everyday something needs tending.
Oh the joys of aging.
Everyday something's aching.

Dedicated gardeners won't let a few aches
keep them from their morning-to-evening date
with what's waiting out behind the garden gate
for every morning new surprises await.

Wonderment is found so don't be late
for everyday miracles await.
The miracle of food upon your plate.
Awe over the assortment God did create.

Amazement over delicate flower blooms.
Everyday a rainbow of new blooms perfume.
There's much in one's garden to see and admire.
To talk about, gardeners never seem to tire.

And tomorrow they will be back again
to finish yesterday's chores in the garden.
A gardener's work is never, ever done
rather the gardener be man or woman.

Here's some words of wisdom direct from Solomon.
I think he spent some time working under the sun.
Isn't that what gardener's do -
work under the sun after the dew,,,

has dried upon the grass
for there's always another task
that awaits.
Don't be late.

A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink
and find satisfaction in his work.
This too, I see, is from the hand of God,
for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?
To the man who pleases him,
God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness...
Ecclesiastes 2:24-26

I know that there is nothing better for men
than to be happy and do good while they live.
That everyone may eat and drink,
and find satisfaction in all his toil -
this is the gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:12-13

I realized that is good and proper for a man to eat and drink,
and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun
during the few days of life God has given him -
for this is his lot.
Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions,
and enables him to enjoy them,
to accept his lot and be happy in his work -
this is a gift of God.
Ecclesiastes 3:18-19

I commend the enjoyment of life,
because nothing is better for a man under the sun
than to eat and drink and be glad.
Then joy will accompany him in his work
all the days of the life God has given him under the sun.
Ecclesiastes 8:15

Bunnies

Despite hound dog, one day in the herb garden a bunny's nest is found.
A few weeks later cute little brown baby bunnies are found.
One day these bunnies chow down fresh vegetables they found.
Gardeners don't like having bunnies around, bunnies found.

Gardeners frown and find ways to deter bunnies they found
with fences or netting put around or box traps they found.
Chasing bunnies around and round might deter bunnies found.
Telling the hound dog to chase, sometimes works, the gardener found.

Sound might scare the bunnies away for awhile, it's found
but soon they bound around town without a sound, again found.
Hound dog gives up chasing around and round, gardener found.
Though a welcome sign is not found, bunnies again are found.

A plan:  hot pepper flakes sprinkled on the ground for bunnies found.
With frown, gardener bought by the pound in town where he found.
Here comes bounding bunny, though no sound on the ground can be found.
He nibbles on red hot pepper flakes down on the ground found.

Bunny bounds around and around.  With a big frown he's found
bounding round and round until right out of town he's found.
Bunny goes up the hill and down and is no longer found.
Gardener no longer wears a frown.  He sits down, where he's found.

* * * * *

Hopefully you chuckled over the misadventures of bunny.
When I composed this little rhyme, I did.  I thought it was funny.
Laughter is good medicine, we know.
It helps to lighten our sorrows.

May all your bunny troubles be solved this quickly.
You'll find a sense of humor eases burdens readily.
The burden may still be there
but humor lessens its wear.

Worry will take a back seat
when laughter and smiles greet
for a smile makes one feel better,
content, blessed, joyous, happier.

Sit for a minute and close your eyes,
concentrate and paste on a smile.
Don't you somehow feel better now?
Content, blessed, joyous, happier?  Wow!

Our mouths were filled with laughter,
our tongues with songs of joy...
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we are filled with joy.
Psalm 126:2-3

A cheerful heart is good medicine.
Proverbs 17:22

Hummers

When hummers come,
to watch is fun.
They dip,
then sip.
Zip zip!
Wings flick.
Gone quick.

Visiting the trumpet vine
at set times while the sun shines
into red clusters they dip,
from trumpet flowers they sip.
When hummers zip quick
do they wear lipstick
on their lips?

Who knows, they're quick.
I've seen them sit
on the fence for a minute.
As soon as I approach - zip!
Off quick
they went.
Zip zip!

They'll be back soon
when bee balm blooms.
Several will dine
all at one time
in citrus-scented blossoms.
Who knows where hummers come from.
You know they're here when you hear their hum.

I'm delighted they remember me
and I'm glad when hummers I see.
I hear one now.
There he is - wow!
Dip.
Sip.
Zip zip!
Gone quick!

* * * * *

Be sure to take time from your busy day
to enjoy God's great creation today.
Creation was designed with you in mind
because God, the Creator, is so kind.

Whether it be birds singing
or hummingbirds zipping,
God created birds for our enjoyment.
One of His many blessings to us sent.

The birds of the air nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
Psalm 104:12

Supply

For breakfast robin redbreast dines on a worm
readily available after last night's rain storm.
Did she know that God would supply
with more than money can buy?

A yellow finch feasts on dried blue-it seeds.
Soon more yellow finches join in for free feed.
It sounds like a party atmosphere.
Their song of thankfulness always cheers.

Sweet chickadees come to dine
under the evergreen pine.
A smorgasbord of treats await
supplied by their Creator, who's great.

A flicker, speckled with an orange head
and a black beard, dines on bugs instead.
He's seen climbing for breakfast in a tree up high
where perhaps the best tasting bugs reside.

Titmice with their little crest
search for seeds that taste best.
God lovingly caters to their personal needs
furnishing an endless supply of weed seeds.

Papa blue jay seeks his breakfast
from a buffet of birdseed, hear him sass,
for his caw-caw is heard near and far
perhaps telling everyone he scored.

Canadian geese overhead fly
perhaps off to the lake to fish.  Bye-bye!
Wherever they land they know God will provide
for they've learned God has an abundant supply.

* * * * *

Each sunny morning, "It's a Wonderful World" is heard
outdoors from happy, contented, chirping songbirds.

Isn't it amazing how God supplies
breakfast each morning for birds that fly
just as God supplies our needs
and many of our wants, indeed.

Yes, there will be lean, hard-to-understand, times
when you wonder if the sun will again shine
but these lean times are when we learn God is faithful.
This head and heart knowledge is better than pearls.

Knowing that God has a good plan and purpose no matter what
is much better than playing the odds or wishing for good luck.
Know that God already has a solution in mind
and He's never late, His plan will unfold in His time.

Next time you wonder what is God up to,
think of the early morning birds who
do not worry, who start their day happy
with a song of thankfulness quite early.

Look at the birds of the air;
they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:26

Hope in God,
who richly provides us with everything
for our enjoyment.
I Timothy 6:17

He has shown kindness
by giving you rain from heaven
and crops in their season;
he provides you with plenty of food
and fills your heart with joy.
Acts 14:17