Judy and Davey

Nenagh Castle tower

Nenagh Castle tower standing 100 feet in height is a reminder of the first castle built by the great Butler family around 1220.


When the Normans came in the 12th century, a powerful warlord established himself here at Nenagh. The warrior, Theobald Fitzwalter, who occupied the lands and began the building of the castle. Appointed to be the Norman king’s butler, Theobald adopted Butler as his surname and was the originator of one of the greatest families of Ireland. He died in 1205, years before his grand castle could be completed.






An effort is being made currently in Nenagh to preserve and restore the tower and castle grounds.

On top of Aran Island at ancient Dun Aengus

Ireland is steeped in history. There are buildings still standing from the 5th and 6th centuries. We visited the ancient ruins on top of Aran Mor on the Aran Islands yesterday. Aran Mor is the largest of the three islands, about 9 miles long and 1 mile wide with 7 “villages” or clusters of houses. About 900 people still live on the three islands.
Dun Aengus, the greatest barbaric monument of the kind in existence, stands on a cliff three hundred feet above the sea. It is a hundred and forty-two feet in diameter, and has two stone walls fifteen feet thick and eighteen high.


Later, we stopped at the “7 churches”, and ancient monastery on the west side of Aran Mor. This monastery was started around 500. It thrived as an austere school for sanctity and learning with as many as 150 disciples at a time living on the island.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01677b.htm

Colored Skys

The sky is a magical canvas as the sun sets over the lake

Sunset on the lake

A sequence of shots while the sun was setting on Medicine Lake

Summer Evenings on the Lake

I'm often driving home from the office these evenings at sundown. I love to drive along the lake. When there is haze in the air, the sunsets are gorgeous over the lake. Tonight the western sky was ominous with an impending storm.

Bud has friends

Bud's neighborhood is full of delights. As the seasons continue there are new sights and sounds to behold. These beautiful wild flowers float gently on the summer breeze.

Bud's Fruit

Back in April we watched Bud emerge from winter's sleep into a spring blossom. Now in early summer Bud has born fruit... bright red berries.

Young owl stops by for a visit

Nature continues to amaze and delight. This young owl sitting on a branch in our backyard today has a fuzzy head with new feathers.
Listen to it screech just after sundown.

Deer in April

It's always a treat when we get to enjoy the beauty of nature right in our back yard.
(Click on the underline above if the video does not start automatically)

Popcorn blossums

Bud is showing off popcorn blossoms .

Bud's in full bloom!

Birds serenade the blossom's coming out party.

My brother the duck

My grandaughter Amelia and I enjoy God's glorious creation on Easter Sunday afternoon. She calls out to the mallard duck, inviting it into conversation with her. This invitation to conversation is evidence that she regards the universe as a community of subjects. She knows what Chief Seattle taught us, "The perfumed flowers are our sisters; the deer, the horse, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the juices of the meadows, the body heat of the pony, and the people - all belong to the same family."
(For video, click on the underlined link above.)

A Month with Bud

“And the day came when the risk [it took] to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.”—Anais Nin























































“And the day came when the risk [it took] to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom.”—Anais Nin

Bud 14

I've got leaves!!



And I've got friends!

Bud 13

The luscious bud is now being serenaded by a robin and a woodpecker.

Spring Pond

The spring pond is alive with the sounds of frogs, blackbirds, ducks, and geese. Watch the video closely and you can see a red fox loping through the back yard above the pond. (Click on Spring Pond above.)

Nap disturbed

This mallard pair comes to the neighborhood every spring to nest.

Last day of lake ice

The ice went out overnight. The morning of April 6 saw clear water and no ice.

Bud 12

My leaves are beginning to surround me now.

Bud 11

Isn't this warm weather great. I feel like singing!

Bird Sunday

At Hennepin Avenue UMC in Minneapolis, we celebrated God's Creation with "Bird Sunday" on April 2, 2006. Here is some of the liturgy from the service. The short video features an eagle, owl and hawk.

Call to Worship (responsive)

We gather as people of faith,

Earthbound yet looking toward the heavens.

Our feet are firmly planted on the soil

While our hearts long to soar.

We gather as people of faith,

Celebrating the winged ones and their Maker,

Who connect land and sky,

Who teach us of freedom,

Who remind us we are held in God's protection.

As we worship today, may we be lifted by the soaring of the Spirit.

HYMN TO THE BIRDS

By Thomas Wright

Glory to you, O God of all creation.

Who from the dawn of swirling galaxies,

Wrought teeming life from chaos and commotion.

Creation’s song goes on with each reprise.

You send us birds, aloft in every nation.

Soaring on high, our eyes are drawn to heav’n.

On wings of song, flocks welcome each new season.

Bringing fresh life, renewing hope within.

Nighthawk and owl, befrienders in dark places.

Falcon and eagle lifting spirits high.

Swallow and raven call to open spaces.

The lowly sparrow rests within God’s eye.

Just as the hen, her brood is watching over,

God cares for you, and will not let you fall.

So let us join our hands and work together,

Treating as sacred this terrestrial ball.

May the Maker of the yellow beak, the black bird, be with you.

May the Maker of the broad wing, the brown thrush, be with you.

May the Maker of the fan tail, the white dove, be near you.

May the Great Bird of the wide skies descend upon you.

— John-Johansen-Berg, England

I pray to the birds because I believe they will carry the messages of my heart upward.

I pray to them because I believe in their existence, the way their songs begin and end each day — the invocations and benedictions of Earth.

I pray to the birds because they remind me of what I love rather than what I fear.

And at the end of my prayers, they teach me how to listen.

— Terry Tempest Williams

Offering our Blessing

Flitting, soaring, wading,

nesting, feeding, bathing, guarding, chirping, migrating,

Blessed be the birds of creation.

In the jungle, forests and gardens,

on oceans, plains and peaks, high-rise ledges and dark barn beams:

Blessed be the birds of creation.

Hatched and cared for in our homes, learning to talk and perch on us, singing gladly to the music of our lives:

Blessed be the birds of creation.

Found injured, healed, and set free,

given seeds for winter and water for summer, nesting boxes by roads, sanctuary for others:

Blessed be the birds of creation.

Flitting, soaring, wading,

nesting, feeding, bathing,

guarding, chirping, migrating:

Blessed be the birds of creation.

— Betty Lynn Schwab

Bud 10

It feels sooo good to stretch out after spending the winter cooped up in that tight bud, shivering in the cold.

Bud 9

Now that I've rubbed winter's sleep from my eyes, I feel like stretching into the freedom of spring.

Bud 8

The winter coat is opening! 50 degree days are working their magic.

Hymn to the birds

Our church is celebrating “Bird Sunday” this week and I was asked to write a new hymn for the occasion. I have just finished it and am eager to share it. Verse four is the capstone. This is a hymn to ongoing, evolving creation, to God's gift of birds, and it calls all people to work together to care for our planet. Enjoy.


HYMN TO THE BIRDS
By Thomas Wright


Glory to you, O God of all creation.
Who from the dawn of swirling galaxies,
Wrought teeming life from chaos and commotion.
Creation’s song goes on with each reprise.

You send us birds, aloft in every nation.
Soaring on high, our eyes are drawn to heav’n.
On wings of song, flocks welcome each new season.
Bringing fresh life, renewing hope within.

Nighthawk and owl, befrienders in dark places.
Falcon and eagle lifting spirits high.
Swallow and raven call to open spaces.
The lowly sparrow rests within God’s eye.

Just as the hen, her brood is watching over,
God cares for you, and will not let you fall.
So let us join our hands and work together,
Treating as sacred this terrestrial ball.

The tune for this hymn is VICAR, by V. Earle Copes. It is # 178 in the United Methodist Hymnal. You can play the tune below.

Bud 7

With temperatures predicted to be in the 40's and even up to 50 degrees for the coming week, this may be the last time we see Bud with his winter coat on. You can see that he's about ready to burst forth.
Any day now.

Squirrel accepts challenge

This squirrel is taking on the challenge of defeating my squirrel-proof feeder. He is not easily discouraged, as you can see.

Bud 6

With temperatures rarely above 37 degree all this week, my poor little bud has chosen to remain indoors waiting for warm weather.



This morning I heard blackbirds, chickadees and cardinals.