Awesome Goldfinches

 

                                                   Awesome Goldfinches

Outside our front door was a wonderful sight – a male goldfinch was sitting on one of our Astilbe plants. His beautiful gold color was startling. As we watched, a female goldfinch flew to one of the other Astilbe plants and seemed to be watching the male. He didn’t chase her away so perhaps they were a couple.

They sat there together/apart for several minutes until we had to go out. Then our movement disturbed them and they zipped off and we haven’t seen them since.

A sight like that is breathtaking. I remember hearing once that we should look for awe in each day. That is how I felt about seeing those beautiful birds. It was awesome and started my day with enthusiasm to be on the lookout for the incredible possibilities that nature might offer – if we are open to seeing them.

Directions for growing Astilbe plants:  

https://www.thespruce.com/growing-astible-plants-1402833     

Nature's Jigsaw Puzzles

 

Nature’s Jigsaw Puzzles

I love doing jigsaw puzzles. Recently, I was given a thousand-piece puzzle that showed lots of birds, which I also love. There were robins, cardinals, hummingbirds, bluejays, and sparrows all enjoying the field of wildflowers that was the puzzle’s background. So colorful. I sat down and got to work.

The puzzle wasn’t easy. It took me lots of days to finish but while I was working on it, my backyard seemed to have its own bird puzzle. There were robins flocking on the birdbath out back looking for a drink. A bluejay flapped them away so it could take a bath. Crows piled onto the grass, cawing as they searched for seeds. I heard chirping as I put the pieces into their right places, which felt like the real birds were encouraging me to work on the puzzle.

I am letting the finished puzzle stay on my dining room table for a while where I can see it when I walk through the house. I appreciate getting the bird puzzle as well as Mother Nature’s actual variety of birds. Both are gifts that I value and enjoy.