Life

So tiny, so fragile are these little eggs

hidden so well in the grass.
Great care and love went into their nest
hoping that danger shall pass.

A symbol of life, of new beginnings
this solitary egg may be.
Yet to the mother bird, it is seen
as her precious baby.So she builds her nest wherever she finds
seclusion on this great earth.
She takes her time to ensure it's safe
for she knows her cargo's worth.

She lays her eggs with their thin shell
into her woven nest.
She keeps them warm till the time is near
and lets her body rest.She protects her eggs while she waits
Keeping an eye on prey.
Swooping on those who come too close
in an attempt to keep them at bay.

Finally, the eggs bring forth life
and a song the mother hears.
A sound so sweet she hopes to hear
for many, many years.

Sky

It is amazing what you can see out here at the ranch if you just look up. The sunsets seem to last for hours out here without the tall buildings to obstruct our view.

Tonights walk began about 8PM and the sun was still setting a half hour later looking something like this:















and a bit later like this.












And finally, we said good-night to our beloved flag and the sky.






The sky isn't just beautiful at night either. There is something new to see every day:

From large looming solo clouds...







to unusually compounded "egg-crate" shaped ones.





But, sadly, I have yet to get a photo of the sunrise. I have seen it though and it spectacular! One day I will not be on a baby's schedule again and can get up for my morning coffee with the sun rising as my tapestry to examine. But until then I will leave you with a different piece of art that is truly amazing not only for it's symbolism; but also it's rarity. Enjoy! One day I will also invest in a nice camera so that these photos are better.

Creatures

All God's Creatures Big and Small! Here are a few of the critters we find around the ranch these days. This is our "little horse" as we refer so lovingly to our red Dobe. He is quite majestic in appearance and his gait greatly resembles that of a horse. He is well loved!


The little dog is our "Lady" although she thinks she rules the roost, she appears to be "David" from the Biblical story, David and Goliath, when she runs next to our "little horse".




We also have the "big girls" which consist of a black and rust Dobe and a black lab mix. So, we definitely have the Canines covered out here.


As for other domestic animals, we have a four felines that are learning what life is like to be wildcats after living in the comfort of our previous home in San Antonio. They have adjusted well but it is rather difficult to get photos of them.
We have a dozen or so cattle with several babies and one old horse. It is a small herd, but they are thriving well. We have lost only one calf that was born prematurely this year and we only have one cow that hasn't dropped her calf yet. After changing bulls and having a dry spell, it is nice to see some babies again!

Now for the fun stuff!
Ok so maybe these aren't THAT fun! The ants are in full force. The rain has helped them travel and spread all over. We have so many fire ants that I hate being outside too much.








The red ants as seen to the right aren't so bad but they are definitely multiplying!

As we venture outdoors, there are many sites to be seen if you take the time to look close enough. Here are a few.



From the "shady leaf, or stalk" ...








to the great sky above, we find His creatures here below.









Some creatures are mildly dangerous...






while others are quite delicate.








Some are protected by a hard shell...




while others find protection in the trees. Or at least they hope to find it there, much to the chagrin of our dogs.