I love birds. The songs they sing as the sun rises fill my heart with joy. Watching them fly from feeder to feeder in my yard is one of my greatest pleasures. Birds often give my spirit an instant uplift of hope.
Recently, while visiting Creamy Acres, a farm and garden center located near my home, I expected to see the normal barnyard animals. While we walked among the goats, rabbits, chickens and calves, a piercing cry suddenly alerted us to the presence of the exotic. When we located the source of the sound coming from the top of the farmhouse porch roof, we were astonished to see the magnificent plumage of a peacock. Sometimes small surprises and pleasures can fill a whole day, and even beyond, with joy. In my own life, unexpected blessings, like the sighting of a peacock on a porch roof, bring a sense of hope, even if many of my circumstances at the moment are dark.
“‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—”
~ Emily Dickinson
The first stanza of this poem by Emily Dickinson is a favorite of mine. The rooftop peacock (the ‘thing with feathers’) is still perched in my soul, the remembrance giving me a bit of wind beneath the wings of my spirit.
I also cherish the multitude of hope-filled verses within the pages of the Bible, and use as an example this verse in Isaiah that compares hope with the image of an eagle. God bless your day with hope.
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” ~ Isaiah 40:31
MINDING MY P'S WITH Q 
I am glad you could visit and your heart was filled with joy seeing small animals and having the opportunity to commune with nature.
Did you go with your grand sons ?
Susie
LikeLike
Yes, we did go with the boys and they enjoyed it. Thanks Susie, I’ve missed you. I’m glad to be back blogging once more and will visit your blog as soon as I hit approve and reply, Kathy
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been lazy too – a feeling of nothing to write about. Summer has hit us hard already and I am not enjoying the hot days. I am just waiting for September, when the days get cooler.
LikeLike
We are in a very cold, wet season this year. We are all waiting for it to get warmer. Nothing much is growing fast yet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kathy, I am actually wanting some cold wet weather here- but this is a desert. I guess I have to be thankful that I am alive when so many plants and animals are not.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A desert location would be hard for me since I have lived most of my life in cooler climates. To see plants and animals lose their lives to the heat would be very distressing. At times we will have heat waves here that are very dangerous to people, especially in the cities. I hope you find some coolness today Susie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have been praying for rain- sometimes I can just see Elisha praying for rain in the desert and I think the same about me- I need rain so badly.
Susie
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh Susie, I hope some raindrops will fall soon. Kathy
LikeLike
Pingback: Eating Like A Refugee | The Ration Challenge | Ramisa the Authoress