The Beauty of the Maine Woods

My favorite lines from a popular movie:


"What you got?"
"Wood."
"What you got?"
"Wood."
"Wanna trade?"


I love those lines from Open Season, as the beavers share their lunch up on the dam.

That is just what I have got here. Wood. Now, I'm not eating it for my lunch, but I sure do love the Maine woods. I love the variations of the color green in the woods and I love the SMELL of the woods. It smells so fresh and almost sweet out in the woods. And nothing compares to the cool dampness of the deep woods on a hot summer day.

As I've mentioned before, I have a little path out in my woods. Around my path, there is one spot were the trees are very thick and low. I was walking there recently on a very hot, humid, and still day - you know the kind when you could just cry for a little whisper of a breeze to blow on your face? As I stepped off my main path to stroll down into the darkness of this little side path, immediately I was hit with the coolness of the spot. It felt damp in there, not the same humid dampness I had just felt, but a cool dampness. It seemed as though it was 10 degrees cooler in there. As I walked along I noticed a little rock about 6 inches by 3 inches in size on the side of the path. Now this rock could actually be huge for all I know, but all I see of it is the aforementioned part. As I saw this little rock, I noticed it was wet, very wet and very cool. Water was all over the surface of this rock, the moss nearby was cool but not wet. It was as though the moisture had come from deep inside the rock itself.

My wet little rock brought to my mind Luke 19:40 "And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Although, my situation that day in the woods was obviously very different from Christ's situation the day this statement was made, this is the scripture that came to my mind as I touched this little rock. You see, I love living in Maine, but I hate it when it gets very humid outside and couple that with 90+ degree weather and I REALLY hate it. Seeing this little rock, though, made me think that if I didn't praise the Lord for this day (in spite of the weather) that this little rock surely would praise Him and was doing just that, well, in my mind anyway. The Lord used a little rock to make a point with me that day. The point is... EVERYDAY has a blessing in it. It doesn't matter what your circumstances are, there is always a reason to praise Christ. It was a reminder I needed.

Look around you today and see what little reminder the Lord has of His Goodness for you and don't miss it, you never know, it might just be a plain, old, ordinary rock.

Powdered Sunshine

Today's treasure presented itself unexpectedly and I didn't take any pictures. Fact is, I seldom take pictures at all. But I digress....
I received a call from a very good friend this afternoon. She asked, "What are you doing right now?" Me: "Sitting at my computer desk." She: "What are you doing for the next little while?" Me: "No plans, what are you thinking?" She: "Meet me and we'll go for a ride and run an errand together."
So... off I went and off we went! It was a short little visit, only an hour or so, but a time of true refreshment. It was so nice to have time alone with my friend amongst busy schedules.
Too often we don't take the time for a spur of the moment visit. Too often we feel we have to plan. How nice it was to "squeeze" in a little visit with a good friend.
What opportunity is presenting itself to you today? Maybe a visit with a friend, a phone call to pray for someone, a chance to help someone in need, a last minute invite for a meal, --- whatever it may be let's not miss a chance to bless or be blessed just because we didn't "plan" on it. Let's enjoy life, every day, every moment, as opportunities arise, seize them.

Because I love to look at pictures on other blogs, I feel the need to post a couple of photos. ~smile

Here is a photo I took of one of my sunflowers a few days ago. It is amazing to me that this huge plant came from just one little seed.

My husband took this picture of a bee enjoying one of our sunflowers:
Doesn't he look delightfully happy? Look at his little legs all covered in pollen. Can you imagine being covered with powdered sunshine like that. It looks so very cheerful to me. Now, can you imagine while this little bee was on his way to do his daily chores he happened to fly by this sunflower but because he was so very busy (bees are you know) he couldn't possibly stop here for a little snack. He had much, much, too much to do! So.... instead he flies on his way and misses all that golden goodness that God put right in his path for him to enjoy.
Let's make a point to not let the little treasures God has planned for us slip away.....

Beatrice

Last Saturday at 4:15pm we welcomed a lovely little treasure into our home.
Let me introduce to you Miss Beatrice Hill, Bea for short (because that is exactly what she is.)




We didn't realize she was to arrive until approximately 2 weeks ago and we are so very happy that she is here.



It is so amazing to think that just a couple of days ago she was still inside her momma. Guinea pigs are born fully dressed (hair) and with their eyes open. Within a couple of hours she was happily nibbling away on some lettuce.

I hope you enjoy looking at today's treasure as much as I do!

A little touch of Lavender

Because I have this blog, I did something today that I almost never do. I went walking with my camera. Usually when I go for a walk it is a meditative time and some little "treasure" will present itself to me. Today I went looking for treasure. I was a treasure hunter and I believe I found gold!! I found this petite little flower in the middle of my path in the woods in a very wet spot. The flower is so small that if I had been in a rush or if I had even been looking up at the trees at that very moment, I would have missed it altogether.




Isn't it a darling little flower? Notice the different shades of lavender and the delicate lines on it's petals.

Note: this flower is only about 1/4 of an inch in diameter. Here is a photo with a leaf near it to give a bit more perspective:




See how very tiny it is? I am so very glad I took the time to go out in the woods today treasure hunting. If I hadn't, I might never have seen this little flower. Tomorrow it could be gone, an animal could step on it or I might be in a big rush to "get my exercise" and pass by it all together.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at today's little treasure. Be sure to take a little break, look around and see what treasure awaits you today.