Inspirational Weekend - "Contentment" (Photographs of Animals, Flowers, Hawaii Beaches)

"For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  - Philippians 4:11

Happy weekend !  Below are some photographs of mine that may depict and be similar to what makes you content.

Kailua/Lanikai Beaches, Oahu, Hawaii

Haleiwa Beach, Oahu, Hawaii

I personally feel much contentment when I visit the beach.   Just to sit on the beach and watch the surf and listen to its pounding as it reaches the shore is very relaxing to me.   Don't you just love to take off your shoes and dig your toes into the sand?

Of course, in Philippians 4:11, the apostle Paul was speaking of being happy and content with what you have, no matter how meager it may be or how lavish.    Contentment has everything to do with happiness; if you are not content, then it follows that you will not be happy.   I like what Immanuel Kant had to say about it:  "We are not rich by what we possess but by what we can do without."  A similar thought by an unknown author is, "The richest man is not he who has the most, but he who needs the least."    If you are always wanting more, more, more, then you do not have contentment.

This is Lika, my contented cat (spoiled as well).

Contented grazing Buffalo

Maybe a trip to a park with a lake and wildlife makes you feel content.   The above photograph is of Canadian Geese at Greenlake Park in Seattle, Washington.

Or could a cup of coffee and a slice of carrot cake satisfy?

How about flowers?

All of the above things bring a temporary feeling of contentment, but we know true contentment goes much deeper than that and is found only in the Lord.    Like the rose has thorns that can prick and hurt, so many tangible delights often have an unwanted side effect; they can distract from what truly matters.   1 Timothy 6:6 reads, "But godliness with contentment is great gain."   Put first things first; then you can better enjoy life's simple pleasures....with contentment.

Below is a photograph (not mine) for humor:

"Contentment is the realization of what you already have."

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Honey Island Swamp And Its Wildlife - Nature Photography

Honey Island Swamp is located near Slidell, Louisiana, about 35 miles north of downtown New Orleans.   I went with my daughter on a tour boat in 2008 and thoroughly enjoyed the 2 hour trip along this marshland of the Pearl River and the West Pearl River.   It is a 70,000 acre government protected wildlife area.   Below are a few of my photographs of some of the wildlife there.   They also have racoons, wild boar, nutria, bald eagles and many songbirds, as well as black bears; none of which I saw on my trip, however.

Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

I was thrilled at this, my first ever sighting of a yellow-crowned night heron, in Honey Island Swamp.  I was on a tour boat and was only able to take two photographs of this bird before the guide moved the boat away.   This is the only shot that came out.  I intend to paint this scene one day.   

Great Blue Herons like those above are a special treat for me.  You don't see them here in Hawaii; well, I recently found out that there are suppose to be Great Blue Herons on Oahu in a couple of isolated areas that I intend to check out one day.    

There were many alligators to be seen everywhere.   Yes, they did come up close to the boat we were in.   Below is a shot of one of the tour boats.  You can see how open they are,

There was a lot of spanish moss within the swamp, as seen in this photograph.  That enclosure on the water is a protective covering for a couple of boats, which is not easily observed at first glance.

It would be wonderful to go back to Honey Island Swamp in order to capture more wildlife with my camera.    There is one critter there I don't want to see if the legend is true: a 7 foot swamp monster with yellow eyes !!   But you know how these tales can go; much exaggerated and not true.

Thank you for visiting here with me !

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Inspirational Weekend - Where Your Treasure Is

"For where your treasure is there will your heart be also." - Matthew 6:21

The treasure hunter above was up at sunrise at Waikiki, searching tirelessly on the beach for what he could find to claim as his own.   So many people search in vain for material things to bring them happiness; a fleeting happiness that, as time goes on, needs to be replaced by something newer, shinier, fancier, to fill a void they find in their soul.  It reminds me of that hymn by Marty Haugen, "Where Your Treasure Is".....where it says, "All that you possess will never set you free. Seek the things that last; come and learn from me."   There is nothing wrong with nice possessions, just don't let them possess you.   

There are many things that I have treasured over the years.   Of course we all treasure our children and grandchildren, and that is well and good.   But I went to the excess to find something fulfilling to fill the void .....at one point I had over 100 African Violets, not to mention over 50 rose bushes and several persian cats.   I had a full time job and also painted every spare minute and attended various art shows.  All of this going on at the same time.  I get tired now just thinking about all that !

Let me share with you some things I still treasure, but now in moderation.

Frosty Cherry Russian African Violet

Orchids

Fall Foliage

Sunsets and the ocean

Wildlife and beautiful birds

Beautiful Scenery

This is Hanalei Valley on Kauai, Hawaii

We all treasure things such as these.   I am drawn to beautiful things found in nature.  And of course I derive much pleasure from photography and my painting.   But these things do not have control of me like they used to.    I have found not just the temporary happiness through material things or selfish pursuits, but true joy and peace and contentment from the good Lord.   Isaiah 33:6b says "....the fear of the LORD is his treasure."

I say all of that because this world we live in is not the same as it was even 20 years ago.  There is uncertainty about the future and fear in people's hearts.   We need something true to hang on to; something - Someone- we can trust and rely upon.    Let's keep looking up !  

Below is a photograph (not mine) for humor :

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Inspirational Weekend - Photos and Videos to Soothe the Spirit (Flowers, Scenery and More)

"Beauty is everywhere a welcome guest." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe


Here is wishing you a very happy weekend !  I have been very busy painting lately, among other things; rather like the busy bee below: (Yes, I meant to repeat the word "busy" for emphasis!)

I took this photograph here in Hawaii of this bee inside a Cereus flower, otherwise known as the night blooming cactus.  All of the photos on this post were taken by me;  the videos are from other sources.  If you are a flower lover you will enjoy the following video of time-lapses of flowers blooming.   

This was taken from the Makapu'u Lighthouse on the Windward side of Oahu, Hawaii.  It is looking towards Sea Life Park area and Makapu'u Beach and other beaches.

A waterfall at Descanso Gardens outside of Los Angeles, California.    Below is a video of tranquil streams with relaxing music to calm and soothe you.

A beautiful nature video follows which includes soft music.

Sometimes we just need to stop, drop everything, and spend time away from our hectic schedules doing whatever it takes to relax and unwind.   I hope the above photos and videos helped accomplish that with you.  The funny animal video below will make you laugh out loud.  We need lots of laughter in our lives to be healthy.

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Inspirational Weekend - Photos and Videos to Inspire - Michigan Fall Foliage and More

"Lift up your eyes on high.  And behold Who hath created these things......"  - Isaiah 40:26

My intentions for this blog was for it to be inspirational and primarily about nature.   Perhaps some posts were more inspirational than others.   I am going to begin, as of now, to have a special post on weekends to soothe and calm the spirit  that will hopefully inspire you and also to include something to make you smile as well.   The above photograph was taken not far from Jackson, Michigan, and the same is true of  my other photographs shown here.

Even these fall flowers, some of which are fading and dying, can have a special beauty to them in this time of transition for them.   Oh, how people ought to be the same way !  That they, when in times of stress and hardships, let the peace of God dominate their inner being and thereby reflect their Creator in what they say and do and in their calmness of spirit.

Below is a short video showcasing Fall color in Michigan.

Below are more of my photographs:

Have a happy weekend, everyone !   Below is a video that many of you may have already viewed, but I wanted to save it here so here goes...... This is guaranteed to make you smile, even laugh out loud. And a merry heart is medicine to the soul.

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Miracle Baby - Red Vented Bulbul

Baby Red Vented Bulbul

Photograph by Carol Reynolds

Good news !  If you read the previous post (scroll down)  on Monday, June 15, 2015, you will see that some Red vented bulbul adults had built a nest on a palm branch that was dying.  Right after I made that post, on Wednesday of that same week the palm branch fell off the tree.   I felt so bad for the birds.   I had prayed for a miracle to happen concerning the eggs/babies, like for the palm branch to miraculously not fall.    I could not find the branch that fell and assumed it had fallen on a rooftop across from my paitio, which was directly below the dying branch.     

The parent bulbuls began a flurry of activity for the next few days and I assumed they were building a new nest to the left of my lanai (patio) which was out of my sight.   However, they seemed to be flying low and all their activity was more towards the ground.    On the following Monday I was surprised to see a baby bulbul in my ficus tree on my lanai. !!  I was so happy.   My  prayer for a miracle had been answered.   Perhaps the nest had blown to the ground in a soft spot of some vegetation.   There was no sign of any other babies.   

The above photo was taken of my lanai from my living room window.   I stayed off the lanai pretty much to give the birds privacy while they were occupying the area.   My ficus tree in the background was where the baby bulbul first made its appearance and I watched the parents flit back and forth to feed the youngster.   

Adult Red Vented Bulbul

This photo gives you a better idea of the bulbul's coloring, etc,.  The previous photos of the adult bulbuls were taken looking towards the bright sky while the birds were in the palm tree and therefore did not give a good light to see details of the birds.     They were not too shy when I sat on the lanai and took their portraits.   

I am so glad that at least one baby bulbul survived.   Below is another photograph I took today.  The baby has a much stronger and louder chirp now than it did on this past Monday.   Also, it can fly better and made it into the higher palm branches today.

Baby red vented Bulbul in palm tree

I am very glad I was wrong and that the adult birds were not building a new nest after all like I had previously presumed. .  Life goes on.   I love happy endings !!

Red Vented Bulbul - Drama on Oahu, Hawaii

Red Vented Bulbul in Palm Tree

Photograph by Carol Reynolds

Red Vented Bulbuls (pycnonotas cafer) are quite common on the island of Oahu.  They are considered a harmful invasive species as they wreck havoc on gardens and fruits and causes over $300,000 damage annually to orchids here.    There are several orchid growers on this island.   Red vented Bulbuls eat other things besides flowers and flower buds; they also eat fruit and vegetables as well as insects and even small lizards.   I took the photograph above from off my patio (they are called lanai here in Hawaii).   There is a big drama going on above in the palm trees just beyond my lanai.   See photo below.

Anyone familiar with palm trees knows that when they have orange and/or brown "leaves" that that means it is dying and will soon fall off the tree.   Can you see the bulbul in this tree?  A pair has built a nest on this dying palm leaf.   It was green when they began the nest.    Look below.

See the nest ?   At this point I believe there are only eggs in the nest, because the male and female take turns sitting on it and there is no constant back and forth like there would  be if the eggs had hatched and they were feeding babies.   

I wish I could do something to help.   I called the number for a bird/animal rescue place, and the woman said nature would just have to take its course,   These were probably young parents and they will have to learn the hard way to build their nest somewhere else.   Nesting season lasts a long time and soon they will have a new nest and new eggs. 

The photograph directly above gives you a good look at the Red Vented Bulbul's nice crest.

I took all the above photos this morning while on my lanai.   Later in this post is a video by someone else from You Tube, showing baby bulbuls being fed by the parents.  I wanted to give you a little more information about this aggressive bird first.     They are just a tad over 8 inches in size, and so far are found only on Oahu and the big island of Hawaii.  They are an alien introduced species to Hawaii and were originally from tropical southern Asia, as in India and Burma and China and I believe Pakistan as well.   The male and female bulbul look alike.   

On Oahu there is also found the Red Whiskered Bulbul, which are a bit smaller and, in my opinion, a lot prettier as they are lighter in color.   

I hope, after the nest falls , that "my" bulbuls stay near my area.   I enjoy their beautiful songs and their comings and goings.   They chase smaller finches and other birds away from what they consider their territory.    

Below is a video of bulbuls,     Enjoy !

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