Wednesday Treasures: Things I See!

Good Morning Friends! Today is Wednesday...oh it is also "Hump Day"

I told Mommie that even though I already showed you this picture last week, I wanted to show it to you again today, because this is "Hump Day", and we are not allowed to go more than 15 miles per hour to get over this big "Hump"! I thought that was a funny way to tell people there was a bump in the road.

Instead of any particular "treasures" in our house, I wanted to show you some things I've been seeing here and there this past week.  They are special "treasures" too.

This is a bouquet of beautiful Easter Lilies that are in the courtyard at our church.  My big sister, who I call "Auntie Rose", made this pretty arrangement of (silk) Easter Lilies  to decorate at our church for Easter.  When Mommie told me what they were, I said, "Easter Lilies? That's MY name!"   Oh how exciting! There are beautiful white flowers with my name on them to celebrate Easter!!! I didn't know that!! That makes me very happy to know that I can be a part of the flowers that help make Easter day so wonderful!

And speaking of beautiful flowers...

that lovely red rose bud in the Secret "Memorial" Garden finally bloomed.

Isn't it just gorgeous? And it smells so heavenly!

Mommie cut it and brought it inside so we can enjoy it every day. She said it smells "heavenly" because it is a gift from my big brother Matthew in heaven.  This is from the bush that was planted in the memorial garden after he went to heaven, and then when Mommie and Daddy moved here from that house they brought it with them, and Mommie finally got it planted in the ground and this was the first blossom after it got planted.

Just in time for Easter!!  Mommie says this rosebush always blooms for special occasions.

Speaking of special blossoms, I will have to wait until the sun come up to show you how our Amaryllis flowers are starting bloom.  So I can't finish posting this until after sunrise.  Don't let me forget!!

Meanwhile, when we went for a walk I saw this very unusual looking grasshopper!

I think he looks like a creature from outer space! What do YOU think?

I could certainly see him as an alien monster on one of those scary movies that I don't like to watch, couldn't you?

And then, if that wasn't scary enough, here was another strange looking creature:

This caterpillar had fuzzy looking brush like things sticking out all over his body.

Mommie said not to touch him because he might sting me and that would really hurt.

We aren't sure what kind of caterpillar he is...Mommie said he would turn into some kind of moth most likely, and maybe not a good one, but we let him go wherever he was going.

Now, I don't know if you can see what is going on in this picture or not, but if you look down under the chair on the ground on the left, you can see a cat crouching down, trying to hide under the chair.  He is watching that Canadian Goose who is standing under the bird feeder.  The goose is being very, very still, because he probably knows the cat is there and he doesn't want the cat to come after him. The goose was having a little snack of bird seed that is on the ground. And he is also watching over to the island across the pond there in front of him, where his mate is sitting up on the shore near the left tip of the island where you can see those posts sticking up out of the water.

She has been spending a lot of time there, and we think she has a nest! Oh! I hope so! I hope so! Wouldn't it be wonderful to see some baby gooses (goslings, Mommie said) some day? They are safe on the island so this cat can't get to them, because cats don't like to swim that far.

It is hard to see the goose, but she is in there, sitting on her nest! Oh! I do hope she will have babies, don't you?  That would be the bestest Easter present ever!

Oh! Guess What!  While we were writing this post and after the sun came up a whole big flock of geese landed on Still Waters Pond, and our resident goose couple chased them off...well, the male one did, and the female sat back in the water safely away from them while her mate chased them away:

There was a lot of honking and flapping of wings like they were under attack!

Mommie was excited to be able to take these pictures!

And off the intruders flew!

And once again everything is calm and peaceful on Still Waters Pond...for now...

Mommie said that Easter is all about new life, and that is what we are seeing a lot of these days. Flowers blooming, trees are getting their pretty new bright green leaves and little plums are growing,

And I've been helping Mommie water our plants that we planted so they will grow and be pretty:

And HERE are the Amaryllis blossoms that are open so far this morning!  I didn't forget!! As soon as the sun came up we went outside to see them. Aren't they amazing?

And lots more are going to open in the next few days, hopefully in time for Easter!!

These are all signs of new life at Easter time.

But the best of all is this: Jesus came back to life after those mean people killed Him on the cross.  He arose from the grave on Easter morning and didn't stay dead in the tomb.  

And so because Jesus lives, we will also live if we believe in Him.

Mommie said that is the most important thing to remember about Easter.

I am glad that Jesus is living today.  Even though He had to go through some very bad and sad things before He died, which Mommie said we will talk more about in the next few days, we want to always remember the good news that Jesus is alive today!

That's very good news!

 

Wednesday Treasures with Lily Grace

Good Morning Everybody!! I just woke up and Mommie said because it was so cold here today (36 right now), I could put my clothes on over my jammies to help keep me extra cozy and warm! Have you ever done that before? Mommie said when she was a little girl they always had to wear dresses to school, even when it was really cold.  But they allowed the girls to wear pants under their dresses to keep warm.  And so that is what I am going to do this morning! I have my pretty little purple dress on over my jeans and over my jammies!  And I feel all toasty and warm!  

Mommie said that today is Wednesday, and that normally on Wednesdays she likes to write about some special "treasure".  She said that since I came along, her writing schedule has changed all over the place and she is doing things a little differently than before, but that we can still do something about a treasure today too. She said that I am a special treasure! That made me really happy in my heart!

Also, remember yesterday we decided to do the "Joy-Dare" challenge to count and write down three special gifts each day?  Well, today we are supposed to look for "three gifts found in writing".  Mommie said there are so many it is hard to choose just three, but we decided to look in that special book that is sitting on the little tea table above and find some "treasures", and here's what we found: 

(from the book, A Cup of Hope, by Emilie Barnes)

Mommie thought that was so nice, and that it was a kind of "treasure", to know that right now there is "somebody" who loves you.  She said, of course, Jesus loves you all the time too, and that we should never forget that! 

And then Mommie found this card inside the book. Apparently Mommie's sister gave this book to her for Christmas and this was a Christmas card from her to Mommie. Mommie said this was a "gift" and a "treasure", and it really meant a lot to her, so that is why she kept it.  I haven't met Mommie's sister, "Aunt Doris" yet, but I hope to very soon. I hope that she will love me too! Mommie said that once she sees me she will wish she could take me home with her too!

Here is what is written on the back of that special book "A Cup of Hope", by Emilie Barnes:

Mommie said that Bible verse above is also a gift, written to us in God's Word to encourage us and give us hope and joy.

Mommie said it was okay if we had more than three things written to share today, because three is just a suggestion, not a "rule". We can write as many as we want!

This special little sign was a gift to Mommie from her new friend, my new "Auntie Pamela".

She made it especially for Mommie because she said that they are like "two peas in a pod"! Two Pamela's, both have reddish hair, and both love little dollies like me!  Auntie Pamela has a special little Barbie doll that she like to make clothes for too! And she made that darling hoodie for me yesterday, plus other nice things.  So Mommie said that they are like "two peas in a pod".  I think I understand what that means...do you? Isn't this cute?

We sure do have a lot of fun here, don't we?

Well, here's some more fun for the day.  Mommie has introduced me to the little family in Pamela's Victorian Cottage. I hope to get to know them better as the days go by. This morning they came outside to find that some mysterious visitor had decorated their house with Valentine's hearts and lights!  Mama was quite perplexed as to who could have done such a thing, but the children love it and want to find this mysterious guest...

I couldn't wait too long to pop up and tell them, "It was me!!"  They were so surprised and happy and I hope that they will all be my special friends!

Mommie reminded me that "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26)

Well, we hope you have enjoyed this happy Wednesday Treasures day!  I don't know yet what the rest of the day will be like...but stay tuned for more adventures!

Love,

Lily Grace