Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Hudson River Triangle


I'm trying out the new feature at Ravelry that allows me to share a project page with people who are not members of Ravelry. Let's see if this works.

I finally finished this shawl in April. I thought I posted the pictures here but apparently I only put the pictures up on Ravelry.

If you click on the link. It will take you to more pictures and details about the pattern, yarn, needles, etc..

Friday, May 14, 2010

Great Horned Owl in Madison




We took a trip to Madison today for a vet appointment. Little did we know we'd be seeing a female Great Horned Owl. There were two babies somewhere but we couldn't find those.












Same picture. Just zoomed in.














Another shot. And if you can't see her. I've zoomed in again on the next picture.

Digital cameras. Just amazing. Even considering this is a relatively cheap camera.
















Spooky!

More bird pictures

My daughter's pictures from the Bird Banding/Bird Fest Saturday May 8, 2010




Birds in waiting













Banding in action














Woodcock











Yellow-headed Black Bird

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Lutheran Study Bible

I have the hard cover version of the Lutheran Study Bible (so do the kiddos). But when it was announced that we could get the LSB on Kindle I was pretty excited. Irrationally excited, according to my children.

I love my LSB, but I don't like carrying it around out of the house. Or trying to pack it for the Higher Things conference coming up and carrying it around there. It is just too heavy for me. My back and neck hurt normally and then to add that weight. Well, I'm not a kid anymore. I could and did haul ~60 lbs of books in my backpack in college but that was a long, long time ago.

Now I've got the whole LSB in my purse when I go out. Tucked neatly on my iPod touch. Along with the Book of Concord on one app. And the Large Catechism on another (Stanza)...that one I can book mark and annotate. And about 50 other classics on various apps...oh and all of Shakespeare. Plus iBird (way cool!), music (or course!), games, etc. Can't wait until the hymnal and prayer book can be added to my iPod touch. Oh my. Just checked Amazon. The prayer book is already available on Kindle. I probably should have got bigger than an 8G iPod.

The first question people ask me when they see the Bible on my iPod is "How small is the print?" I then show them how the font size can be easily changed to suit the individual's needs. You can change the color of the text also. I like the sepia.

~

Bible Class

We studied Psalm 124 last night in Bible class.

Our Help Is in the Name of the Lord

1 If it had not been the LORD who was on our side--
let Israel now say--
2 if it had not been the LORD who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
3 then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
4 then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
5 then over us would have gone the raging waters.
6 Blessed be the LORD,
who has not given us as prey to their teeth!
7 We have escaped like a bird from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken, and we have escaped!

8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.



And here are the notes from the Lutheran Study Bible (CPH) for verse 7:
Imagery of earthbound people nearly drowned in the flood (vv4-5) is followed by a comparison of people to birds caught in the subtlety of a snare. The flood's danger is open and frightening; the snare is hidden and tempting. But God delivers from both extremes.

And the final note for the entire psalm:
We need this psalm's reminder that our strength and safety come only by God's hand. We are in danger from flood and snare, the overwhelming and the enticing. But God is faithful for His name's sake. He rescues us so that we will continue to bless and call on His name.

Lead us safely, Lord so we may always give glory to Your name. Amen.




This psalm really came to life for me after this weekend and seeing the birds caught in the "snare". It truly is "hidden".












Our strength and safety come only by God's hand.

He rescues us so that we will continue to bless and call on His name.

God gets us out of the mess we are in.

Want to see what happens when I try to help or struggle as God is getting me out of the "snare".








I get stuck worse than I was at first.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Bird Fest 2010


We enjoyed the bird fest this weekend.

We got out of bed two days in a row (at 5:15am!) to attend the bird banding demonstration. It was our most favorite part!

These pictures are from Sunday, May 9th, 6am. We only had an hour and a half before we had to leave to get ready for Sunday school and church. On Saturday we stayed for 3 hours. Unfortunately my camera's batteries were dead. So no pictures on my camera Saturday.

They netted and banded 100 birds Saturday even though the weather was cloudy, cold, and windy. Sunday was calm and sunny but not as many birds moving.







































Tree Swallow
















Yellow-Rumped Warbler














Yellow Warbler

























Common Yellow Throat

(Not to be confused with the Yellow-throated Warbler.)