DAY 61: GETTING CLEAN

How glorious to watch a bird taking a bath - splashing around and looking like its really enjoying itself.  But that is not the only way birds keep clean.....some take a dust bath, although how that helps them to become clean is a mystery to me.  The third method is known as preening, where they use their beaks to transfer oil thoughout the length of the feathers.

For us as human beings, there's nothing nicer than a long hot bath or shower,
but an even greater cleansing is getting into a right relationship with our Creator though His Son, Jesus Christ!

DAY 60: THE CHURCH LOUSE

            

   

The Scottish poet, Robert Burns, was sitting in church one day and happened to notice a louse (insect) roving around the bonnet of a well-to-do lady, probably sitting in the pew in front of him.
This inspired him to write a poem to the louse, which translated from the original language reads as follows:

Oh would some Power the small gift give us
To see ourselves as others see us!
It would from many a blunder free us
And foolish notion
What airs in dress and gait would leave us
And even devotion!

The poet is chastising the louse for not realising how important his host is, but then reflects that, to the louse, we are all equal prey, and that we would be delivered of all pretensions if we were to see ourselves through each other's eyes.

Likewise, the scripture in the picture above reminds us of the importance of being doers of the word and not just hearers.....or we will become those who have no awareness of  who we really are and how we should behave in the light of eternity.  

DAY 59: TEAMWORK

Why do birds fly in V formation? Scientists have determined this serves two important purposes: Firstly, it conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of it, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turns being in front, falling back when they get tired.  In this way, they can fly for a long time before they have to stop for a rest.  The V formation enables adding at least 70% greater range than if each bird flew on is own. Secondly, they are able to keep track of each bird in the group. The brilliance of teamwork!

DAY 58: INSTINCTIVE THIEVERY

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I'm sure you could put quite a few words to this cute picture!

If birds lived by more than instinct, one could imagine the set up for this little heist: like, you three kids distract the next person who comes along by looking really hungry and being your cute irresistible little selves, and I will do the real business of the day.....get some bucks!  

DAY 57: USE YOUR TALENTS

"USE THE TALENTS YOU POSSESS, 

FOR THE WOODS WOULD BE VERY SILENT 

IF NO BIRDS SANG EXCEPT THE BEST." 

Henry van Dyke

Most people are very slow to recognize their own giftings and need others around them to encourage and fan the flame.  But each one is responsible for what God has given, and this where another quote by Henry van Dyke is relevant:                                                                                                         

"It is better to burn the candle at both ends, 

and in the middle, too, 

than to put it away in the closet 

and let the mice eat it.” 

“It is better to burn the candle at both ends, and in the middle, too, than to put it away in the closet and let the mice eat it.” 

DAY 56: EXTROVERT/INTROVERT

There's always one in any group.....the show off, someone who just has to stand out! It's uncanny!  But often they don't even realize they are doing it.
I think the reason is that we've all been wired differently - varying abilities & talents, different experiences of life, people with and without hang ups. Some find it easy to express themselves, others have difficulty opening their mouths in company. But of course we can all learn from each other and help each other along the way. 

DAY 55: THE ROADRUNNER

I wonder how many people remember The Roadrunner? It was quite a silly cartoon we used to see at the movies in the days when it was called bioscope and you got more than just a few adverts, forthcoming attractions and then the movie.  Heck, I even remember the days when you got a 'news reel' (before South Africa had TV....stop laughing!)

Anyway, to get back to the Roadrunner, all I can really remember about him was that he would  appear very suddenly on a highway with a 'beepbeep' sound, and disappear just as suddenly, but managed to crack everyone up in the process. Doesn't seem very funny at all now!!  

DAY 54: KLAPPED!

The innocence of the life of a bird. If the statue were to come to life he would sustain the biggest klap of his life!

Life is a bit like that sometimes, though, isn't it?  Everything is going along just fine, then out of the blue, it all goes pear shaped quite unexpectedly!  I could give you a few examples, but I'm sure you have enough of your own to be going on it with right now.

However, it's not really about what happens to us, but how we handle it that counts.  When we read in the bible 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me' we need to take on board that it is referring to 'enduring all things' because of the indwelling power of God.  

So the next time you get klapped (very descriptive word, don't you think?) - get up, dust yourself off, and keep your eyes on the strong Saviour. 

DAY 53: HE'S MARVELOUS!

With all the buzz about the new Prince of Cambridge, one thinks back to what it felt like when a baby arrives.  I've had that privilege three times personally, and then by remote control, when my three grandchildren arrived.  So far......

I don't think anything can compare with the experience, the exhilaration, the excitement, the exhaustion.  It is truly an 'out of the body' experience in every possible sense of the word!  What could possibly match a new life being brought into the world?  No wonder Prince Charles could only say: 'He's marvelous!'. 

DAY 52: RUN CAT!

I must say my money would be on the eagle rather than the cat!

Reminds me of when we lived in KZN and our garden was regularly visited by a number of Hadedas.

As you may know they serve two purposes:

1.  Prevent anyone from sleeping once the sun is up, with their raucous cries 

2.  Totally aerate your lawn, every day. 

Our two cats at the time, (named as follows by Keren.....Sanderina Canderina and Candice Mahogany, aka Sandy and Candy) used to stalk the visiting birds from afar.  It was interesting to watch this playing out...their pincer movement never quite worked and the Hadedas used to look at them much as the eagle is looking at the cat in the picture.  With enormous disdain.  I could never quite figure out why the cats even thought they had a chance.   What would they have done with even one bird in the remote event they could have caught it.

So, my money is on the eagle!

Day 51: HAPPY FACES & OTHERS

Some people have naturally happy or peaceful looking faces, with kindly or sweet expressions.  But not everyone is that fortunate. Like this little yellow fellow.

How does one tell when someone is really happy - well there needs to be some movement around the eyes, apparently....so the smile must reach the eyes.

Surprise is registered with an open mouth and raised eyebrows....but if this expression is held for more than a few seconds, the surprise is fake!

The eyes are probably the greatest giveaway with facial expressions: try these
- the sly wink of just one eye: just joking
- both eyes lifted up: you're a pain 
- sly look to the side: sneaking a look at what you're doing
- both eyes closed: exasperation (or asleep!)
- both eyes wide open, staring: mad at you
- eyelids blinking really fast: trying hard to understand

DAY 50: A BUDGIE NAMED TOM

Today's picture and story, like several I've told, go back to my growing up years
in Johannesburg.

I have always been a cat lover, and as a kid at home, I had a cat and my brother acquired a blue budgie.  He named the budgie Tom, and kept him in his bedroom, in a cage, of course.  He was very keen for Tom to learn a few words, and was advised by the petshop man to teach him one word at a time. So, at every possible opportunity, he would drill the words 'hullo Tom' into the poor
budgie.  To add to the interest, my brother's voice was breaking, so there were a few 'hullo Toms' in a high voice, and then a few in his new low voice!

After some time, Tom actually uttered the magic words.....but alas, he managed to escape from his cage right into the waiting claws of his arch enemy....my cat!

I don't remember whether my brother really ever forgave me for this act of murder.........

DAY 49: SMELLY PENGUINS

THERE'S A FUNNY SMELL ROUND HERE....DID YOU WIPE YOUR FEET OFF, JUNIOR?

The interesting thing about these birds, big or small, is that no matter how cute they come across in cartoon movies, they are incredibly and insufferably SMELLY!  

While swimming penguins will leap above the water, this is called porpoising. This action coats their feathers with tiny bubbles that reduce friction, allowing them to swim up to 32 kph. This enables them to breathe more regularly, evade predators, and some scientists claim they make these leaps above water.....wait for it.....out of SHEER JOY!  I LIKE that!

The other amusing fact is that once a year they have what is seriously called a 'catastrophic' moult. .
This means that their feathers are completely replaced, and while the new ones are growing, they cannot go into the sea, so they have to gorge themselves on food to prepare for the long wait until they can go fishing again.  


What else to say about them.....well here's a little rhyme from a poem book called Antarctic Antics:

"They decided even penguins

Have to take the time to play.

So we go belly sliding,
Ta-tum-tum-tummy gliding;

Down the glacier's glassy side we begin our ripping ride.

And soon we're stomach slipping,

Fearlessly flip-flop-flipping,

Flying sixty miles an hour

Solely fueled by penguin power.

Soaring far too fast to stop,

We shoot off the glacier's top;

Downward through the air we drop,

Landing with a wet kerplop."

DAY 48: MY LOVEBIRD

This photo was taken a few years ago during a week's timeshare break we spent in Plettenburg Bay.  We decided to visit all the interesting places along the Garden Route like the Elephant Park, and the Bird Park etc.

We had just paid our entrance fee and gone through the turnstile when this little green lovebird attached itself to me. Determinedly. With great stickability. It ran up and down my arm, round my neck, and down the other arm, all the while chattering and squawking away - I presume it could have been a female as it had a lot to say.  Totally captivating!   It stuck with me about three quarters of the way through the park experience, and then suddenly took off,  not to be seen again.  

I got to thinking.....maybe they had trained a whole team of lovebirds as guides through the bird park?  My little guide certainly stole my heart, and made my visit very memorable.

DAY 47: UNDER CONTROL

DAY 46: ME TOO!

So do I! 
Especially when bringing praise and worship to the King of kings.

I remember the little canary we had as a pet in our family home during my
early years. His name was Caruso, after the famous opera singer back in the day.  My mom used to clean out the bird cage, put fresh water in, along with a bit of carrot and some lettuce, and hang the cage out on the verandah in the sunshine.  Then we would wait for it......

What? 
The song! 
Caruso would sing like there was no tomorrow. 
His capacity for song was so overwhelming.  
It delighted all who heard it.  

DAY 45: GRANDSTAND SEATS

I was recently reminded of an experience we had as a family when our children were quite young.  We lived in a double storeyed house, which had an upstairs lounge.  To our great fascination, we found that a mother bird had started building her nest in a tree right next to the window, meaning we had a grandstand view of the whole process.  

She finished her nest, which was actually a terribly frail structure, then the eggs were laid, and she spent a lot of time sitting on them until hatching time.  Once the birdlings appeared, in no time at all she had them out of the nest and on their way.  But it was a privilege to be able to have a look into the lives of these beautiful birdies.

DAY 44: THE MORE THINGS CHANGE.......

'The more things change, the more they stay the same' - a well known proverb that we've all heard many times.

The official definition:  

The observation that turbulent changes do not affect reality on a deeper level other than to cement the status quo.

Translation:

Changes do not affect reality on a deeper level.

A chair will always be a chair will it not, no matter how many times you alter its appearance?  No matter how much "progress" is made, human society is still pretty much the same.

However true the above may be, we cherish a hope concerning change, encapsulated

 in 1 Corinthians 3:18:

'But we all,with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed (CHANGED!) into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.'

DAY 43: HAVE A GUESS. . . .

On every tree there sits a bird

Singing a song of love
On every tree there sits a bird
And every one I ever heard
Could break my heart
Without a word
Singing a song of love

A song of love is a sad song
Hi-lili, hi-lili, hi-lo
A song of love is a song of woe
Don't ask me how I know
A song of love is a sad song
For I have loved and it's so

I sit at the window and watch the rain
Hi-lili, hi-lili, hi-lo
Tomorrow I'll probably love again

 Hi-lili, hi-lili, hi-lo

I wonder how many will remember who sang this song, and the name of the movie?

DAY 42: KO-KO'S SAD SONG

Song by Ko-Ko in the Gilbert & Sullivan opera 'The Mikado'

On a tree by a river a little tom-tit
Sang "Willow, titwillow, titwillow!"
And I said to him, "Dicky-bird, why do you sit
Singing Willow, titwillow, titwillow'?"
"Is it weakness of intellect, birdie?" I cried,
"Or a rather tough worm in your little inside?"
With a shake of his poor little head, he replied,
"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"

He slapped at his chest, as he sat on that bough,
Singing "Willow, titwillow, titwillow!"
And a cold perspiration bespangled his brow,
Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!
He sobbed and he sighed, and a gurgle he gave,
Then he plunged himself into the billowy wave,
And an echo arose from the suicide's grave —
"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"

Now I feel just as sure as I'm sure that my name
Isn't Willow, titwillow, titwillow,
That 'twas blighted affection that made him exclaim
"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"
And if you remain callous and obdurate, I
Shall perish as he did, and you will know why,
Though I probably shall not exclaim as I die,
"Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!"

DAY 41: TASTING FREEDOM

I am very envious of flight - not of squeezing myself into in a plane seat,which is a necessary discomfort if you want to go anywhere; no, I am envious when I see birds simply lift off the ground into the air, and off they go - how marvelous!

I witnessed another marvelous freedom flight yesterday while we were having lunch on a beautiful sunny winter day.  We were sitting at a table in Big Bay facing Table Mountain across the sea (get the picture?) when a family arrived with two dogs on leashes.  They walked sedately along the pathway, enjoying the great outdoors, when the youngest child, who was holding a daschund (sausage dog) on leash, lost control and the daschund made a break.  

He ran his little legs off with such a look of hilarious delight at getting free. He dipped and weaved, he swerved and almost did cartwheels with happiness.  What a picture of fun and naughtiness!  He was actually a very good dog, because after the wild show he put on, he returned to his family and submitted to discipline once more. I had to restrain myself from applauding.......

DAY 40: IMITATION

Some things are planned, and some things just happen.  
That's life.
But setting a good example in all things needs to be a lifestyle.  

No one in the kingdom can get away with 'that's just me, 
take it or leave it.'  Well they can, of course, but disciples of
the Lord strive to walk a different path. With a sense of humour!

DAY 39: WHY A BIRD SINGS

A BIRD DOES NOT SING BECAUSE IT HAS AN ANSWER.

IT SINGS BECAUSE IT HAS A SONG.

The joy of the Lord is not happiness that is dependent upon our circumstances.

For instance, enough or plentiful = happy face :-)

Not much or not enough = miserable face :-(

Joy is more than a temporary emotion that fizzles at the drop of a hat,

because it is the product of a heart that is at peace.

DAY 38: THEREBY HANGS A TALE!

This is the MADAGASCAR PARADISE FLYCATCHER.
What a beautiful bird it is.  
But I wonder if it ever struggles to live with such a long tail?

Some of us are like that....we are saddled with long tales that we carry around like baggage - and wherever we go, we take our long tales along.

Breakthrough is possible though - we can cast all our cares onto the Lord by His direct invitation, because He cares for us.  

DAY 37: BAD HAIR DAY

We've all been there.  Some of us simply live there. Bad hair day.  
Yuck!
Sometimes seriously bad, out of control. Other times just a bit off, slightly.

Isn't it weird that two days or so before your appointment for a haircut, it suddenly starts looking really good.....

But rest assured, YOU are MORE than your hairstyle.  And what's inside you is infinitely more important than what you look like, hair and all (or lack thereof).

Like our fine feathered friend pictured above, we can walk in confidence that he/she/we are totally unique and precious.....'God don't make no junk.'

DAY 36: CRASH & BURN!

This pic looks like the poor young eagle was doing a dive to catch some food on the wing, missed, and crashed!  And is now feeling quite embarrassed and discouraged.  Much, I guess, like Sabine Lisicki, who crashed in the Wimbledon ladies final today after her fabulous defeat of Serena Williams (well, where have you been the last few days, then?)

My heart really goes out to Sabine, and all who have the crash and burn experience, as it really hurts.   And all we can do is pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down, and start all over again, and remember that the mercies (kindness and unmerited favour) of God are NEW EVERY MORNING.  Tomorrow is another day.

DAY 35: ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

Tweety bird is all kitted out for a game of tennis in honour of Novac Jokawitz's awesome win in the semi-finals at Wimbledon this afternoon. It took almost 5 hours against a most fearsome, brilliant and crafty Argentinian opponent, but he did it!  I was glued to the TV set the whole duration of this epic match, and can only wonder if the finals can possibly measure up? 

The other special aspect of the match was the fact that although they were opponents, the two men conducted themselves with such great camaraderie and sportsmanship.  Admirable, in my opinion.

DAY 34: YOUR SCRAP IS BETTER THAN MY SCRAP!

                                          



These four teacups being supervised by the little bird represent the great
afternoon I spent today with three friends doing scrapbooking.

But we didn't just scrap.....we laughed, joked, had a super lunch, stuffed ourselves with chocolates, koeksusters and tea and coffee!  It's a lot of fun getting together with our stores of the paraphernalia that goes with scrap-
booking- the best part is digging around in other people's treasures and being able to use stuff you never thought of buying for yourself.  

DAY 33: BE STILL

The peace of God which passes all understanding - something that descends upon the troubled heart that is totally above our comprehension, except we know it is real.  

How do we navigate the storms of life, pain, sorrow, disappointment, discouragement plus many other equally tough things?  We keep on keeping on in the strength of the Lord.  There is an ongoing whisper in the soul that repeats this line:  'be still and know that I am God.'

So you and I can be still. 

He has it under His control. 

Oh yes!

DAY 32: 'YES DEAR!'

I just love this little piece of art which conveys so much to me! Like, the one on the left has to be the female of the pair, getting shot of the five thousand words we females are said to store up per day.  This would especially apply to the stay-at-home mothers who either have no conversation all day, or only get to chat to their children; when dad arrives home, it all gets unloaded into his willing or unwilling ear - all he needs to say from time to time is 'yes dear.'

The bird on the right is not even doing that......he's totally gone off into catatonia!  

DAY 31: HOPE.....