Imagery by Kimberly

Babies & Blooms

 

xo

Random Observations and Feelings

 

It is getting hot here in Florida, though this morning was not too bad as I made my way around the lake. The humidity has definitely checked in and the condition of my hair upon returing home will confirm that.   ;-)  

I love walking by the roses that are across the street from the lake. They are so beautiful.  I so appreciate those who take care of them.

I could walk this lake 365 days of the year - and I pretty much do - and still not experience or see or feel the same thing.  Every day there is a new discovery.  Every day there is a new loss.  Every day there is a new miracle.

I have learned when to expect certain blooms to appear.  I have learned when the pelicans from Wisconsin will arrive and when they will leave.  I have learned when the bald eagle will be perching atop her selected tree.  I have learned that it is the female duck that has it the hardest on the lake.  I have learned that just like we humans, some feathered relationships are meant to be forever and some are not.  I have learned that the sun seems to shine down from above on a feathered or human soul at just the right time.  

Papa Goose is going through something.  I am not sure what.  He is physically fine but a bit of his spunk is at rest.  This is the first season of new babies on the lake that I have been observing that no muscovy ducklings have hatched.  We have had baby mallards and baby limpkins and baby coots and baby swans, but no baby muscovies.  There have been several muscovy mamas on their nests and Papa Goose has been on watch, but no babies for him to protect.  Perhaps that is it - the reason for his season of melancholy.

Peeps, the goose raised by Mama & Papa Australian Swan, has been branching out on her own.  I believe she is 3 or 4 years old now, and that is about the time that "swan children" become independent.  And, yes, she believes that she is a swan.  She, too, has nothing to do with the other geese.  I often wish she and Papa Goose would get together.  A perfect match to me, but alas I am not in charge.  When their paths cross, they have nothing to do with each other.  Papa Goose broke allegiance with the other geese when they did not accept him.  Peeps only knows of her beautiful swan parents who raised and loved her.  They are living what they have known.  And don't we all?

The key is to also live the moments.  Those moments then also become what we have known.    :-) 

Little Duck is growing up!  Oh my a truly happy ending slash beginning!  He still has his baby quack and his impish personality.  He loves to go fishing before 7 a.m. in the lily pads and I must brag for him.... he is an awesome fisherduck!  He takes a mid-morning nap with his adopted Papa Duck undereath the same tree.  And I love him dearly.

I see the same "lake people" every morning and that brings me comfort. Some speak, some do not.  Some sit, some walk.  I know some of their names and some of them know mine.   I also see some who are there for a while and then they are gone.  I often wonder where they went and if I will ever see them again.  The lake has its own rhythm - or natural flow of related elements as Merriam-Webster would define.  The key words here for me are "related elements."  I cannot begin to describe how much I know this now to be true.

This morning a sweet man pulled up and parked his old pick-up truck beside the lake where he was not supposed to because he did not know.  I was feeding a swan as he got out.  He saw me and said in a soft voice, "Good Morning."  I replied with the same.  He then said, "I have a box of baby ducks and a Mama mallard."  He got the box out of the back of the truck.  It seems he found them trying to cross a busy highway miles away. He was able to gather them up and thought that by bringing them to this lake they would be okay.  I told him my thoughts.... and what I had personally witnessed with regard to these similar situations.  That was all that I could do - share what I knew.  He listened and you could see his angst and sincere concern for the souls he had saved from the wheels of cars and trucks and how he so wanted to do the right thing.  He then placed the box on the ground and decided to let the mama and babies out.  She immediately went down to the lake and her babies followed her.  The man's eyes literally brimmed with tears.  I told him that he had a heart of gold and that he had tried to do what he felt was best. He thanked me.  He stood there for awhile, long enough to see the mama duck trying to escape a male duck's immediate overtures while her babies were swimming as rapidly as teeny tiny babies can to stay safe and beside her.  You could see the man was now worried that he had done the wrong thing.  I told him that he had cared.  And that was really something to be proud of.

He drove away.  In hindsight  I am glad that he did for I knew that his intentions and heart were pure.  And I also saw what happened after he left that he did not.  

I don't know how deep this lake is.  I am not a "fact" person.  But I DO know that the feelings felt here are so very very deep.  The stories are real.  The lives are real.   Related elements.  So so true.  And as someone recently shared this beautiful wisdom with me....

"God knows every feather."

I am so thankful for that.  Amen.


xo

Birds of Light

:-)

Home of the Brave

It was so hot. We were moments away from being allowed to hug our soldier for the first time since he had been deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan. He had not yet been released to us as final instructions and thoughts were being spoken by those in command. All we wanted to do was get to him. I remember shaking as I tried to study what I could see of his face as he stood at attention in line. I also tried to focus on him with my camera from my seat in the first row of chairs set up for families in waiting. I remember how I felt when I zoomed in on his worn shoes, or boots, or whatever the Army calls them. I instantly was overcome with a tidal wave of thankfulness that my son was home and that his feet were safely and firmly planted on the ground. American ground. Yes he was home. Home to the land of the free and home of the brave. It was not a given that he would make it home. My hands shook as I clicked and my Mama's heart beat fast. And then I allowed myself to breathe deeply. It had been months since I had done so. Moments after this picture he was in our arms. OUR soldiers serve our country with all that they have to give of themselves. We civilians can never know what all they endure. And while we may not be able to know we ARE able to support. We can thank them. We can love them. We can fight for their right to peace too. 


God Bless America and all of those who serve so bravely and give of themselves in order to protect us and our country.

 

So Sweet

:-)


xo

Season Finale

I watch very little television, yet I know that this is the time of year for season finales.  And it is the time of year here on the lake for the hatchings of baby swans to come to a close too.  As always, it was a magical and moving experience to see these little souls - especially with their mothers on the nest while they were together.  I hope you enjoy these random images that I have shared and feel free to click to view in large and save if you would like.  You gift me every day with your sweet presence not only here but also in my heart and I want to gift these to you.   

This image, though it was taken last year, sums up for me the peaceful love the baby has for its mother.  

I hope you have a beautiful day.


Love always,

Kim

 

That's a Wrap

One little baby wrapped in angel wings on Earth.


xo

Growing Up

Ahh how sweet and wonderful life can be!  Little Duck is growing up and doing so beautifully!  I could not believe how much he grew in one week while I was away.  He isn't fully grown and his quack still sounds like a baby quack but he is so on his way.  He naps with his Papa every afternoon underneath the same tree.  So so sweet.  And he isn't the only little love who is growing up as you can see.  Miss Summer Lynn with her tiny piggy tails is as cute as ever.  And yes, of course, I am biased.  ;-)  She is such a light in our lives.  Speaking of light, whenever I ask her where is the light she points up.  I was so happy to capture her doing so right when the early morning rays from the sun were shining down on her.  One of those moments that made my heart sing.

Here's to many more growing up days.  They are priceless for sure.

 

Love,

Me

Happy Mother's Day!

 

I hope that you have a beautiful weekend and a very Happy Mother's Day! Big hugs and all my love to each of you!  

 

 

I will be back in about a week.  'Til then, may your days be filled with sweetness for you are so deserving!

Love,

Kim

 

Baby Bliss

xo

Sometimes….

Sometimes we just need to be in the moment.  Do you know what I mean? Sometimes we need to really really be in the moment - whether it be a moment of blue skies or darling ducklings walking by.  Or a moment of wind across your face or the sun in your eye.  Sometimes we need to silence the worrisome thoughts in our head and put to rest any burdens in our heart.  If only for a moment.  

 

:-)

The Lake Runneth Over

There is not a day that goes by that I am not so immensely grateful to have so many souls around me to love.  Human souls.  Furry souls.  Feathered souls.  I love so many within a few blocks from my home.  And beyond.  

I count YOU as a soul that I love.  To share "my" randomness with you makes it all the more SO beautiful.  It is like my heart ripples..... the joy and yes, sometimes the sorrow that I live and feel, ripples to you and your sweet, compassionate, generous, and wise hearts blessedly ripple back to me. Like-minded souls are never alone. We are here in spirit for each other. Sometimes in the flesh. Sometimes in the universe. The lake and my heart runneth over right now.  We had two May Day swan babies join us in our world yesterday! To see them and to hear them - well, let's just say at 7:00 a.m. as I stood alone at the nest with them I cried.  Not a boo-hoo cry but the kind of cry when the tears well so fast and slide down your cheek and you have to keep blinking to see.  I know that some would not understand my reaction.  And I know that some would probably shake their head and most likely think - "Get a life lady!"

Oh but if they only knew.  I have the sweetest life because it is filled with LIFE.


And it is a life that treasures YOU.


Right Little Duck?  Our lake and hearts runneth over....






For each of you.



Love,

Kim