Red and Yellow, Black and White

They are Precious in His Sight,

Jesus loves the Little Children of the World.

Many of the early settlers in the Fort Wayne, IN area
came from Germany.  My mother's ancesters were some of the
original pioneers who located just southeast of our city.
 In more recent years
the US government has sent us many refugees,
and the faces in our community now
reflect many different nationalities.

Last week, our church, Southwest Lutheran,

from Fort Wayne, IN held an

International Vacation Bible School.

Bethlehem Lutheran, an inner city church

provided the place and many helpers.

And this group from Faith Lutheran came

all the way from New York state to provide many

group leaders and helping hands.

I have helped with this VBS for the last few years

taking pictures and just wanted to share
some of the beautiful children and young people.

Show us the Way to Go Home - We're Tired and We Want to Go to Bed

Each Spring or early Summer we have some little visitors.

Often they come in the middle of the night to raid any remaining bird food and also to empty out my flower pots just in case a seed might have dropped in one of them. They also must take a bath in the water I have set out for the birds, because the next morning it is usually the color of mud.

Last night towards dusk my husband called me upstairs--Two babies were out on their own without their mommy.

"Wow! " Look at this place. I think we hit the jackpot."

"But...but...There's something big over there watching us."

"I think we need to go UP."

"This might not be a good idea."

"I'm as far UP as I can go."

"Mom!  We need help!"

 "I'm tired....Maybe we should just take a nap till Mom comes looking for us."

"I smell something to eat."

"Just what we were looking for."

"Oh, oh.  There's that light flashing at us again."

"Maybe we can scare it off if we look like a "two-headed monster."

"How do we get out of here?"

 "Could it be this way?"

"It's scarry, but I think DOWN is the right way to go."

"Here we go."

 "Will Mom ever come to get us?

to Show us the Way to Go Home."

"We're Tired and We Want to Go to Bed."

Tulip Tree

For as long as we have lived here,

we have had Tulip Trees growing along the top of the ridge

behind our home.

However, it wasn't till several years ago

when we remodeled our kitchen  and had a better view

of the higher parts of the trees that we discovered

our Tulip Trees did actually bloom.

I guess we weren't looking up.

Tonight as we we were eating our supper

was the first time I saw them blooming this year.

The blossoms are fairly good sized;

but they blend in so well with the leaves,

they are very easy to miss.

The Tulip Tree is Indiana's state tree;

and while we have really hard clay soil here,

they seem to grow well.

Something a Little Lovey Dovey

A Couple of Sweethearts have been Visiting my Deck.

The Mourning Doves generally prefer to look for food on the ground,

but lately this couple has been getting brave

and checking out what the other birds

have left behind on the deck.

I was watering flowers today

and saw this spot of color flutter out of them.

Such fragile, irridescent beauty!

I think it is a Damselfly.

Of course, the following visitor

sometimes wears out its welcome.

So far this year the squirrels have

been better behaved than last year.

So far.....