Be Prepared As You Watch for Your Opportunity

     When I stand outside and watch a beautiful butterfly gliding up and down, I am anxiously hoping it would land and stay awhile so I could take its picture. But a larger goal of mine has been to capture two butterflies in the same photo. I see pairs flying around quite often but they will not stay in one spot long enough for me to snap a shot whether it be in focus or out. Well, today I got my opportunity and luckily I had my camera in hand. I know they're not flying but oh well, believe me this is good enough!
                                                                             

Summer Azures
Two of the smallest butterflies in North America

     Animals can teach us many things and today they have taught me that one's goal or dream may be possible but you must be prepared. I really don't know how many other chances I may get to photograph two butterflies at the same time. Just as in life, one may not know if the same opportunity will come along again. We must not only wait patiently and be prepared for our opportunity but watch for it.

Observe the opportunity. Ecclesiasticus 4:20

   

Do You Know What This Is?

     While I was out photographing this winter I came upon this unusual stick-branch-young tree standing where two waterflows diverge. I don't like cold weather so that is why you haven't seen any posts from me. But on one sunny, cold day I decided to take a gander and see what could possibly be on the grounds. I had seen this nature stick before but just didn't photograph it or think about it too much. It is pretty unusual to me because I don't know anything about it. I began my research by googling tree with thorns.

     Some of you to nature buffs know exactly what it is! Well, to my surprise, I learned it is called a Devil's Walkingstick. I have heard of that before but never really knew what it was. I think I would like to much rather call it by its other name - Hercules Club. When spring arrives I plan to go out and take another picture of it. 

     I found out that Adams' Country Retreat has something in common with a few Botanical Gardens. One can find this tree on a their grounds also. I know for sure at the Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas and at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis. It is suppose to flower in July or August and have fruits in August or September. It is a great wildlife cover and the fruits are eaten by many types of birds: cardinals, sparrows, thrushes, mockingbirds, robins, rusty blackbirds, orioles, bluebirds and towhees. I also captured a nice picture of a towhee that was following me around while I was taking pictures. He must be waiting around for this tree to fruit. The flowers attract bees and numerous butterflies - which I am happy about because I love watching the butterflies!

A Glorious Morning on a Summer's First Day

    As usual, I was searching for anything to take a picture of. Just as I thought I couldn't find anything new, out of the corner of my eye, appeared a couple of white flowers on a vine. I immediately walked over to where they were. I had seen these flowers years before but didn't pay to much attention to them. I took a few pictures and went in to do my research.

    Their scientific name is Ipomoea purpurea. I wish I knew how to pronounce it. Morning Glories are blooming vines that twine around fences. And that is exactly what they were doing. My research tells me their blooms are there to announce the warmer weather of the summer months. It is the celebration of the dawning of a new day. How amazing since it was the first day of summer.




      Their blossoms unfurl in the morning hours to greet the sun and close later in the day as the sun gets hot. I touched the flower to feel its texture and found out it is paper thin and touching it is not advised. Sadly, it breaks easily and each bloom lasts one day.

    It's reaction to the sun is amazing to me. It shows me the sensitivity of the relationship. No other flower does this that I know of. I went out at mid-afternoon and took another picture and sure enough it was beginning to curl. My research also uncovered that the flowers attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds, which allows them to be pollinated.

 

    In the evening, I captured one almost closed and realized no sun, no morning glory. Its fragile beauty can only be displayed by the giant star in the sky. I have now learned to appreciate this amazing plant. Although it does not need me to take care of it because it has the butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, soil, rain and sun. It is just a reminder that God provides.