Nature – Page 3 – Skelton Sketches

Free for the beholding

Posted on October 10, 2013 by lindaskelton

I popped down to the old Townsite this afternoon just to snap up some of the autumn glory shining there…

I normally just drive by, but it’s good sometimes to break with routine and make a point of stopping to get a closer look at what’s really there…

Beauty enough to open a gallery… all here for the beholding.

And then there is THE river for which our ‘city’ is named…

Though it’s among the shortest in the world (some say it comes in second place), it’s not short on loveliness…

And I am glad I stopped to gaze…so I could share with you this glorious gallery.

–LS

Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD upon many waters.
(Ps. 29:2-3 KJV)

Crow Feats!

Posted on October 3, 2013 by lindaskelton

I went for a walk around the block this morning. The crows are out front celebrating their annual walnut feast. All the kin have come for the street party. Nut meats are in various stages of being extracted from their shells. Every crow has a nut—in his mouth, in freefall, or propped between his feet for picking. Clever crows.

Several years ago I had hoped to document this event with photos, to no avail. (See my blog post here) Likewise this morning. It is small town media at its best; you just have to be there! And so the seasons go round with comforting familiarity at this strangely unfamiliar stage in our lives, when our nest is empty and not yet filled again with purpose…

But the best I can do for photos today is to refer you to some folks who really do have the equipment to catch these clever birds at their finest tricks!

Not just cracking walnuts:

Crow cracking nuts in traffic…

But also spearing grubs for dinner! (Don’t miss this one!):

Crow spearing grubs!

Hope you’re enjoying the changing of seasons wherever you are–

–LS

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.
You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. (Psa 145:15-17 ESV)

Little mop, who made thee?

Posted on July 31, 2013 by lindaskelton

She came ambulating along with mincing footfall across the breakfast table unannounced, beelining for nowhere in particular, a stirring ‘crumb’ of a creature. A little mop automaton, interrupting our conversation by her singular appearance. Where had she come from? The cereal box? Yikes! The bouquet of blooming oregano? (hopefully!) Where was she headed? She didn’t know. But her likeness to a miniature mop spared her from being squashed on the spot!

What a marvel, this tiny creation. How endlessly creative is our God. I am reminded of this charming poem by William Blake:

Little lamb, who made thee?
   Does thou know who made thee,
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o’er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?

   Little lamb, who made thee?
   Does thou know who made thee?

   Little lamb, I’ll tell thee;
   Little lamb, I’ll tell thee:
He is callèd by thy name,
For He calls Himself a Lamb.
He is meek, and He is mild,
He became a little child.
I a child, and thou a lamb,
We are callèd by His name.
   Little lamb, God bless thee!
   Little lamb, God bless thee!
               –William Blake, 1789

And so, I blessed the little ‘mop’ by escorting her on her way outside. Farewell little mop.

[If you should know what this creature really is, kindly do not tell me. I’m sure I should not like to know I have some creepy creature’s beguiling offspring running around my house just waiting to morph into some sleek centipede or earwig or something and infest my pantry! For now, I’ll just marvel at the wonder of God’s design in such a little ‘mop’….]

–LS

And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Gen.1:25

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
–Cecil Alexander, 1848