# 124 Best Laid Plans

So I have had someone clearing the lot next door. It sure looks different. One of the things I did was to take down all the bird houses I had around. I stacked them all on a table I had out in the yard. To my surprise these two showed up this weekend and took a shine to one of the boxes laying on its back on the table and started bringing nesting material. Go figure...they must be some kind of well built house if they can't even wait for me to put them up! I am not complaining, I love to get out and shoot these beautiful birds. They are close to the house so I have plenty of cover and they do not seem as wary. I doubt they will finish the nest but you can bet those boxes will not get moved until the BIRDS decide what they want to do.

Psalm 103

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,

# 123 Hospitals

I spent some time this last week with one of son's in the hospital for a major surgery. Thank God for a very positive result! It is hard to be picked and poked on by those who are there to help you heal. The doctors and nurses could not have been better; but you end up feeling like you are being pulled apart. We are blessed to live in an age when medical knowledge is superior. It always still amazes me though, that man can cut you wide open and God will start the healing process immediately. I doesn't hurt to be young and strong either! My best council is to keep a good attitude. I always tell the story that I used myself in cancer recovery: if you have a bad day...make it a GOOD bad day. Break a dish if you feel the need.(then you have to clean it up) Yell and scream if you want and get the "why me?" out of the way. and make it a good...bad day. Then make up your mind you had your bad day, now get busy having a good day. I never allowed myself to have two bad days in a row. Sometimes I had three bad out of five days...but never two in a row!

27 

Proverbs 27

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,

    for you do not know what a day may bring.

# 122 A Cane

" At the end of every life there is a cane"

This quote was from my mother. I am not sure if it was life observations or personal experience that gave her this wisdom. Her cane is one of her personal items I have kept these many years.

 I may need it one day!

I spent the weekend west of Ft Worth at the Acton Nature Center selling books and talking to people about birdhouses. There were lots of canes and walking sticks in attendance. I saw proof that as we get older we appreciate things around us even more. I have expanded here more than once the benefit of slowing down and enjoying simpler things. That being said it was a busy couple of days for me. I did manage to work in a nap one day that helped considerably! Book sales of my  Woodcrafting for Birds and Wildlife, have gone very well at the event and  in general the past few weeks.

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,  they comfort me.

# 121 Stay The Course

It has been almost 2 years to the day that I sent an application to Texas Parks and Wildlife requesting to open a new Paddling Trail on Lake Conroe north of Houston. We are closing in on the final stages of approval! I hope by this summer I can post some pictures of the grand opening. I made it out this weekend for a nice paddle to look at the route once again. It is one of my favorite things to do. 

Glide quietly on a smooth stretch of water and fish a little and enjoy God's creation a lot!

I am excited to have as community partners; Texas Kayak Fisherman, 37,000+ avid kayakers and fisherman, and the US Forest Service who manages the land around the launch site.

I am sure I will be posting more information in the future.

If you are interested in the Paddling Trails or TKF just click the links for more information.

If you are committed to a project, stay the course, take the time and see it through to the end.

 I heard good things come to those who wait!

Psalm 27

11 

Teach me your way, Lord;

    lead me in a straight path

    because of my oppressors.

12 

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

    for false witnesses rise up against me,

    spouting malicious accusations.

13 

I remain confident of this:

    I will see the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living.

14 

Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord.

# 120 Simple Pleasures

The weather here was warm this weekend, in the high 70's. The visiting goldfinches do not seem to mind. I spent a couple secessions sitting in a bush in the yard photographing birds. simple pleasure..until it comes time to edit. When you are able to capture a shot like this one it is a thrill ( at least to me) I thought this was a female finch but upon further review I realized it was a new bird for my life list! The bird in flight is a Pine Siskin.
I have  more than once advised here that you should slow down and enjoy God's creation. I did just that. I hope you will make some time this week to do the same.

Psalm 46

7 

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

8 

Come and see what the Lord has done,

    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 

He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields[d] with fire.

10 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

# 119 Woodcrafting

I am working on marketing my book "Woodcrafting for Birds and Wildlife" for the next couple of months. This was my first published writing..self published with the help of Jim Stevenson. I have contacted a few Master Naturalist and Audubon groups so far. The book has been very well received . I think it is well written and I  KNOW it is well researched!

If you don't already have a copy e-mail me or you can just order one from Amazon!

Woodcrafting for Birds and Wildlife

Our mission is to help you provide safe accessible housing for birds and other wildlife.

If you build it they will come!  Whether you are building or buying a birdhouse, Woodcrafting for Birds and Wildlife, provides the most detailed information on a safe home environment.  The continuing loss of habitat has created a nesting bird crisis including other wildlife.  If you are serious about helping nature, birds and wildlife - this book is for you.

We believe there is not another book on the market that provides as much expert research and helpful details as found in the Woodcrafting for Birds and Wildlife. 

       Our book includes breeding and nesting information for over 40 species of birds and wildlife.

·         All of these species will nest in man made structures.

·         This book has been written with the best interest of the birds and wildlife in mind.

·         No fancy hard to follow plans, just solid, safe, and practical information.

The joy and excitement of watching a new family grow in shelter you provided is priceless.  The birds and wildlife will thank you in their own special way, by showing off their new families.

Genesis 1

20 And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

# 118 Walk a Mile

This time of year the Goldfinches show up around here. They are a hungry bunch migrating south. I also shot a short 1 min video of them on the feeder. Check it out at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j-cM9Z1Ghs

My thought for this week is the old quote 

"You can't really understand someone until you walk a mile in their shoes"

Most of us..Me in particular... are too quick to judge other people based on very limited information!

It is something I work on all the time. Our hard heads get in the way most of the time..

Take the time to take a breath this week and consider what someone else around you may be going through. They may be facing a struggle at home or maybe coming to grips with a medical decision. The golden rule always works pretty well!

Mathew 7

9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

# 117 Beat Up

Hail damage in the forest.

The leftover hail 12 hours after it fell, and temps were in the 40's. How big was it when it fell!?

I went for a walk in the woods with a friend last weekend and he asked how many cameras I had! Huh only TWO!

I got a fit bit for Christmas so I have been working my way up to the 10,000 recommended steps. I ended up at 11,800 for the day. Now I know for some of you that is not a big deal, but consider some 95 days ago I could not walk to the mailbox or put on my own pants. That step count was just over 5 1/2 miles Somewhere on one of our stops for a drink of water my friend mentioned the beauty of God's handiwork in the woods. He did not know the extent of my surgery so I filled him in on the gory details. When I finished I told him he was walking in the woods with one of God's Miracles!

Most days that is the way I feel..Just Blessed!

You are too.

Luke 6

41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

# 116 Happy New Year!

2016 here we come!

I hope you have set a few goals for yourself this year. Find a place and write them down.

 I looked back on my simple list from a few years ago and it was three things.

 Read, Write, Speak.

I will change the order but they will remain the same for this year. When I do all three of these I feel like I am sharing some of what I learned along this road of life.

 I may add "fish more" to the list for 2016! 

The shot above was taken last year on my trip to Matagorda. 

Nothing like the sunrise from the kayak seat and a quiet conversation with the Almighty.

Give God a chance to speak to you.

Matthew 6

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.