Merlin Bird Identification App – You must check out this App created at Cornell University. Just carry it with you on your walk each day or just put it in an open window or outside surface to record birds all around you. We have now recorded 73 different birds in our little corner of the world which is in the country in NE Ohio. https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
#73 is our Leucistic Cardinal which we had not seen until just yesterday (June 7,2023) As many of my followers know, he has been here for the last 4 years and we thought something happened to him since last winter. So glad to see him here once again! We have named him Luke, so it seemed incredible when my son came running to me when he was home for lunch yesterday to tell me excitedly, Luke is Here Again!!!
My watercolor painting of ‘Leucistic’ Luke with regular Cardinal friends.
‘Springtime Melodies’ composed and recorded by L Mountz
I dedicate this page to my dear ‘li’l sis’, Bonnie. Happy Heavenly Birthday!! I think of you every day! I love this photo of you and your beautiful little granddaughter!
What would Spring be without all the blossoms,
All the blossoms as Spring comes into bloom?
Not only white, but many colors that delight;
Some purples, some pinks, some yellows, and, of course, some blues.
Having slumbered through the winter so long
They awaken with new life as they lift their heads,
Open their eyes, then send their sweet scent,
Their scent to sweeten the air ’round their beds.
Birds identified by ‘Merlin’ Ap in this video: Cardinal, Robin, Cowbird, House Finch, House Sparrow, Mockingbird
But, lo, it’s not just the flowers,
For just gaze upon the trees;
Leaves are emerging on the maple, oaks, and beech;
Forsythia and lilacs are ready to burst now!
They all seem to know “Our winter’s rest is o’er;
Time to welcome birds back to our boughs!”
And look! Other trees are turning white, yellow and pink!
As if by magic, the crabs, the fruit trees, and more,
Have been touched by God’s magic wand.
Are covered in blossoms – with blossoms galore!
Trillium, Mushrooms ‘n Violets, LMountz, Watercolor
Oh, how I love the blossoms of Springtime;
They are music to my ears and beauty to my eyes;
They make my heart sing, and make me give thanks;
Springtime splendor is seeing new life! Refreshing new life!
11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.
12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
Seems like just yesterday that Spring finally broke through;
The new growth of Spring brought colors of every hue.
As cold of the North gave way to warm Spring breezes,
Flowers flaunted pinks, blues, purples; and trees, every shade of greens.
Baltimore Orioles at Nesting Time
As birds were so busy constructing their nests,
Everywhere animal babes were being born;
The roses of summer then stole the show;
As seeds in the garden by farmers were being sown.
Hocking Hills Falls
Finally, no longer fearing Covid, folks enjoyed the summer;
Travelling, swimming, picnicking, even parades with drummers!
So many, many things to do before youngsters went back to school.
But those good times have ended and the days will now be cool.
Teegarden Bridge in Autumn
Now we wait for the colors of Autumn to touch the trees;
Then we’ll be busy raking all the falling leaves;
Another season has now passed; Say ‘good-by’ as summer goes!
As heavy rains put my garden ‘to sleep’ and flowers droop low;
Teegarden Bridge in Winter
A time of rest is coming so that all can be reborn, once again restored;
For God gives us assurance; He has promised this great reward.
But not just for flowers, for plants, for trees, but also for you and for me,
New life is promised in nature’s seasons – but also the life of believers.
3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
‘Pansies ‘n Blooms’, is just one of a series of ‘Watercolor Greetings’. There will be an assortment – some flowers, some birds, butterflies, scenes, etc. They are on 10″ x 14″, 140# watercolor paper, folded in half. Painting is 7″ x 10″ and inside of ‘card’ is blank for a written message or a message printed on your computer can be inserted inside. Each painting will be one-of-a-kind and will have a white envelope at no additional charge. Special request scenes, etc. will be available but no requests for copyright material, such as Disney, etc. will be accepted. Cards can be picked up at my home, delivered to those in the Salem-Alliance area or can be mailed at an additional cost. Special requests can be emailed to: artgurl1935@gmail.com
Slide show of some of the cards for my family :
Available Now:
‘Butterfly Dining’
Butterfly Dining
Pretty butterfly is enjoying an afternoon drinking from these lovely flowers. This original watercolor greeting card is 7″ x 10″ (10″ x 14″ folded) and includes a white envelope.
$25.00
Buttermilk Falls, Blue Mt., NY
Waterfalls Original Watercolor Greeting Card Painting
Buttermilk Falls in the Adirondacks, Blue Mountain, NY
$25.00
‘Vase of Pansies’
‘Vase of Pansies’ Greeting Card
A vase of pansies hand-painted greeting card w envelope.
$25.00
‘Secret Garden’ SOLD
Secret Garden Original Watercolor Greeting Card
A stone walk way leads into the secret garden where butterflies flutter about.
$25.00
SOLD ‘Butterflies ‘n Blossoms’
Butterflies ‘n Blossoms
A Swallowtail and some small butterflies enjoy blossoms of Butterfly Bush
$20.00
‘Pansies ‘n Blossoms’ SOLD
Pansies Original Watercolor Greeting Card Painting
Pansies ‘n Blossoms
$20.00
‘Lily w Berries ‘n Daisies’ SOLD
Lily ‘n Daisies
A Bouquet of Lily with Daisies Hand-painted Watercolor Greeting Card w/envelope
Size 10″ x 14″ unfolded; 7″ x 10″ is the painting;
$25.00
‘Summer Lilies’ SOLD
Lilies Watercolor Original Greeting Card Painting
Two orange lilies with buds
$20.00
Cardinal ‘n Yellow Blossoms SOLD
Cardinal Original Watercolor Greeting Card Painting
Who melts the snow and brings back the joys of Spring?
Our loving Lord!
Who makes the trees come alive with blossoms and leaves?
Our loving Lord!
Who gives new life to the plants beneath the earth?
Our loving Father!
Who makes the songs of the birds who sing to each other in the tree tops?
The same loving Father!
Thank you, God, for the treasures you unwrap in the Spring of the year.
Thank you for the joy you give in all we see and hear;
Thank you for causing our hearts to melt at the beauty we see;
For all that we hold so dear, You hold the key!
11 See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. 12 Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. 13 The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”
What does the Bible say about Spring? This season is a time of warming weather and nature coming back to life. As flowers bloom and animals are born, we are reminded of the innocence and beauty that exists in this world and that there is new life all around us. As Christians, we are given new life and new mercies every morning. Spring provides a wonderful reminder to us that we should be living a full life and leaving the old dead parts of life behind. There is always hope during the coldest, darkest winters of life. Spring will come and new life will come forth!
‘The Garden of Gethsemane’ composed and recorded by Lois Mountz
The Garden of Gethsemane
There was a garden called Gethsemane,
Amidst the twisted olive trees;
A place where Jesus found great peace of mind,
And paused to pray on bended knee.
A quiet place where He could talk with God
Of the burden placed on Him this day;
And as angels hovered by His side,
In anguish He knelt and prayed.
What a Savior was He To bear that rugged cross for me;
What a wonderful Savior was He;
With a Kiss He was betrayed
Then by soldiers taken away
From the Garden of Gethsemane.
In this serene and peaceful place,
Jesus left His friends to kneel and pray;
Pray to God, His heavenly Father,
To lift the burden of this day;
In this place of comfort, This place of rest,
He surely knew His Father’s will;
That He must face the angry crowds
And bear a cross upon that Hill.
What a Savior was He To bear that rugged cross for me;
What a wonderful Savior was He;
With a Kiss He was betrayed
Then by soldiers taken away
From the Garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus Prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Image by Sedmakova
‘The Garden of Gethsemane’ composed and recorded by Lois Mountz; images from pixabay
Matthew 26:36-56English Standard Version
Jesus Prays in Gethsemane
36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.” 37 And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch[a] with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on.[b] See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.”[c] Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant[d] of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
Yes, the warmth of the sun said ‘Come out and enjoy!
There are things to see on this sun-shiny day!
And there’s fresh, warm air to breathe
As you go on your way!
There was still ice on the neighbors pond,
Some even blown up on the shore;
The last blast of winter covered everything in ice
But will melt tonight when the rain begins to pour.
I saw first signs of Spring beginning to appear;
Some plants already starting to grow;
Chain saws devouring limbs that had fallen,
Children playing games in our great out-of-doors.
Redwinged Blackbirds are already returning,
And Robins and Canadas will soon be back;
Farmers are already preparing their fields,
For the crops that they need to ‘stay-on-track’.
I needed ever so much this ‘Breath of Spring’,
After weeks indoors – never to leave;
For being inside the house all winter long
Has, indeed, given me a good case of ‘Cabin Fever’!!!
‘Coming Soon’ Oil Painting, L Mountz
Primavera—an Italian word that metaphorically means rebirth, and literally means Spring. Usually, Spring symbolizes themes of rebirth, renewal, and a fresh start. It’s also associated with love, hope, youth, and growth.
Rekindling your Faith
There are times we lose our way, disheartened to the point that we lose our faith in God. Things may not go as planned or our prayers may not have been answered right away. But, may these Bible verses for Spring assure you that although God delays, he never forgets. He has better things for you according to His Will.
The season of Spring brings hope. Let this be a start of rekindling your faith in the Lord Almighty. It is the time to renew your faith, and acknowledge His presence. Trust in Him, and you will prosper. Recognize Him again, and wait for His light to shine upon you. Let us believe in His blessings—both visible and invisible. Follow His words, be righteous and loving, and do good deeds to others. Let Him lead you to the right way. That’s the essence of Spring. (From ‘gatheredagain.com’)
Hosea 6:3
“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hebrews 11:3
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith, we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”
Psalm 85:11-13
“Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. Yes, the Lord will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.”
A Little Art, Music and Poetry by Lois Mountz 