Sometimes there is so much to share that there is not enough time. If I wait a day before posting, then what do I do with the gifts God showers me with tomorrow? In cases like this, surprised with a serendipity to beautiful to ignore, I just have to go ahead and post a second time. There is no other solution.

WHAT HAPPENED? This morning, in the middle of our devotions, something caught my eye and I looked beyond Rebekah and into the garden.

“Rebekah,” I whispered, “turn around very slowly, and look at the bird feeder. Do. Not. Make. Any. Sudden. Movement.”

Meanwhile, I reached for my camera. The bird, much to my astonishment, stayed put. It is a rose-breasted grosbeak. It’s a mountain bird, rare here in the eastern end of the Piedmont. I’ve been hoping to see one since the day we moved to North Carolina.

My sequence of photographs is going to be from his first peek from behind the feeder, all the way through to “Here I am and I’m proud of how I look” a little later.

Then, while I had the camera out, I grabbed a few more of the other visitors.

Enjoy. Rebekah and I sure did. It was like seeing a shooting star or a dolphin. We are so grateful, and absolutely delighted with God’s good creation.

Peace – DEREK

Hello. Mr. Grosbeak!

Rose-breasted grosbeak

Rose-breasted grosbeak about to take off….

there he goes!

Rose-chested Grosbeak

red-headed woodpecker

Eastern bluebird

nuthatch

mama cardinal

daddy cardinal

finch

gray cat-bird

squirrel-bird!

cardinal

not sure – may be grosbeak’s mate