Nest Eggs

Forgive me Father for I have Sinned

Last week had a severe electrical storm with extremely heavy winds that pulled up trees, throwing them onto houses and cars.   It also left many in thousands in New Jersey without power for several days.  I was a more fortunate than many as to only losing one small tree and without power for 24 hours.

This week when the weather cleared, I decided to up root the tree and rid it's mangled leaves and branches.  Two house Finches were chirping up a storm and flitting about the fence near me.  Well, upon chopping the branches up, I noticed this nest with one egg in it.  This is the nest of the angry House Finches that return every year to start a family.

Looking down, I saw two smashed eggs on the ground and one still in tact.  Placing the uncracked egg in the nest, I placed the nest into a different tree in hopes Mr & Mrs FHouse Finch would find it.  Unfortunately that wasn't the case and the two Birds abandoned the nest.

I feel bad for what I did and now the House Finches will not have a family to raise this Summer.  My wife tells me that they will build a new nest and start anew.  I hope this is true.

Stephens State Park

Because everyone deserves a State Park in their name!

Angels are Closer than you Think

Angels are Closer than you Think

Angels are always around us, even when we have our doubts.  As they are around us, some rarely are in tune with their messages as we live in the present and conscious state.

A few signs that an Angel is present and watching over you:

• Feathers:  Finding them where normally they wouldn't be found.
  
• Numbers: Patterns of numbers are sure signs that an Angel is trying to communicate with you.  11:11 or 444 are perfect examples.
  
• Rainbows:  If seen when there clearly isn't rain is a true sign or their presence.
  
• Scents:  A sudden sweet, pleasant aroma of flowers coming from nowhere is known to have Angels present.
  
• Feeling like you are being touched:  That tingling sensation running up and down your spine is one way an Angel tries to communicate with you.
  
• Light Flashes:  Usually seen just outside your peripheral vision is a sign that Angels are near.

Angels are here with use, if you believe it or not.  Have the faith and communicate with an Angel!

I Walk Alone

Sometimes I have to be positive for no good reason!

Smile

Smile

Even if it's Plastic

It's going to be a beautiful day!

Metro-North 4093

Racing the river is the Metro-North GP40FH-2M No. 4093.  Her stately stature hauls along steady as she pulls a line of NJ Transit Coaches.  Catch the train on time will get you there by nine.  My timing was perfect to capture this beauty of a beast! 

Sudden Change

A day to have Fun

Leave to the Village

A turn for the Worse

Spun with a Spillage

A sudden Event

Changed lives Forever

All in God's hand Now

In hands so Clever

A life that is Taken

And a life that is Spared

Taketh their Children

As if never Cared

A plan that is Set

Of what we not Know

So young to have Gone

Before they could Grow

We all bow our Heads

With tears that are True

Lives have been Taken

That we never Knew

My heart too cries Out

For I was once There

Many Years Ago

In God's hands with Care

The poem above took only minutes to write for it warrant to be dedicated to the two lives that were lost in a devastating school bus crash on Route i80 early this morning while on their way to a field trip.  It was over forty years ago when I was caught in the same scenario being in a school bus coming home from a field trip and struck by a dump truck.  Though today was less fortunate as a Child and Teacher are now in God's hands.  My heart cries out to all those who are suffering now.

Love & Prayers to family and loved ones!

Bats in the Belfry

BATS IN THE BELFRY

What is said insinuates that your brains are dusted and filled with cobwebs and Rats infesting your garret as you must be advised to lock down or you will boil over.  You are deliberately placing yourself in the Bug-House and completely off the rails as you veer where one should not be.

You are diabolically vicious, and that brainstorm of simple dialect from what we refer to as Webster is altogether incomprehensible.  Hallucinations of what is seen of happenings that aren't taking place.  Yet, despite that you are literally crazy is by all means not considered very complementary.

The day we all Die

If we lose the Love

If we lose the Respect

When start to Hate

When we start to Banish

That is the day we all Die

Mother Nature's Beauty

Mother Nature sure knows how to add Emotion and Drama into her work!

Simply Gorgeous!

Tadpoles

Some places will never be abandoned!

Love for All

Look through her eyes and what do you see?

Hearts that dies and a souls that are free

Bliss in the future that she foresee

Love for all, for all eternity

No Mausoleum Monday for Me

The time has come for vigorous training as I need to get back into shape.  Broke out my Cross Country Ski Simulator from the back of the closet and wiped it clean of dust.  Cranked some high octane tunes and glide away!  Feel the burn begin.  I'm giving myself a month to get back to where I was.  This is my commitment!

Otherwise I figure I'd be featured on a Mausoleum Monday as Forsakenly Departed if I don't get my body back in shape!  Ha Ha Ha!

Paper Hearts

Once I was so Beautiful

Now this fake world Dies

The flowers fall Apart

Laying smothered in this Perd

Remembrance fades Away

And I drowned into this Dirt

Plastic hearts and paper Hearts

I'll cut yours Out 

I'll make you wish you never loved Me

A Bridge Between to Counties

An old wooden trestle, narrow and true that spans across two counties and is still in operation letting vehicles cross it on a daily basis.   This bridge connects Morris and Warren Counties of New Jersey and provides access into the Union Cemetery where the legendary Tillie Smith lays to rest.

Take a drive or stroll over a bridge built over a century ago with her original stone abutments and rickety wooden deck.  See you there!

Overgrown by Nature

Wherever the seed falls, it will take hold and flourish!

Eastern Coyote

The early morning arrives with a lone Coyote traipsing through the back yard.  It's been a while since we have seen one of these precious animals known as the "Eastern Coyote" and pleased to know they are still around in the New Jersey Skylands as their numbers have grown from less than a 100 to more than 3,000 in Garden State alone.  My wife was fortunate to capture this gorgeous creature on her iPhone through the window screen.

What's sad is that we heard three gunshots a mere few minutes after capturing this image.  I pray they were only warning shots and not for the kill.

Family Day

It's rare that my children and I are home at the same time

So we took advantage of the beautiful weather hiking outdoors

A nice day to go hiking with my kids

Trees are starting to bud and leaves emerge

Not sure what this is

River still flowing from the thawed snow and heavy Spring rains

Wherever I go, someone loves Steve!

Still waters run deep

He we are!