Nature Seens...

I forgot to tell you all what came in my yard on Friday morning. I was wiping off the table and saw a cat stratching on our pear tree. So, I ccall my kiddos to come look at the orangy cat. It must've heard me because it turned around and stared at me. I knre instantly it wasn't a normal cat. Especially when it started walking away. I told my son to go get me the phone and he did. I called my husband and told he what we had seen and he said it sounded like a cougar. So, me believing it to be a cougar, went and loaded us into the van to go look up towards my neighbor's house. When we got up there it was there on the edge of the woods and when it saw me it sprang into the woods. Right after we got home, my husband arrived. We haven't seen it again, I don't think. Today as I was hanging clothes out on the line, I saw something in the trees, moving around and big enough to cause the limbs to lean over (I'm pretty sure it wasn't a squirrel). It had a blondish, long tail. It was pretty far down in the woods, but it caused enough commotion for me to notice. Anyway, a guy that works with my husband called the game warden and described it to him. He said it wasn't a cougar (they are endangered), which I knew it wasn't after I looked the animal up on the internet. Anyway, the man said it was called a Jaguarundi which is native to Central America (or maybe South?). Anyway, he said someone had brought a few up here and several ppl have been spotting them around the area. He said they aren't aggressive and like to eat things like small dogs,etc...?? I mean, if one will eat a small dog, it might eat a small child! :/ Well, the description fits to a T. It was a little larger than a house cat, definitely not more than 20 pounds, longer, and the whiskers were more prominent than a house cat. The tail was as long or longer than its body. Anyway, interesting, huh? We have being really careful going outside! :/

The next animal I saw was yesterday while cutting grass. This little arachnid, I think, was just God being extra creative and humorous! :o) I showed it to the kids today and we DID have a camera this time (didn't have one for the jaguarundi). It didn't show up very well, though, so I'm just going to get a pic from the web. We looked it up on the internet for Science, and it's called a Yellow Smiley face Crab Spider! Cool, huh??

God has given me an extra dose of contentment today! I'm so happy staying home and taking care of my children. It just feels so right, yk? He's given me patience and wisdom and I so don't deserve His goodness. I hope He continues!! :o) I want for nothing today! God's blesses are abundant and so meaningful to me. I was praying today and I said, "Lord, so many times you've given us material things (tangible, I think that's the right word) and they have been soo helpful..money, etc. But, I'm especially thankful today for the intangible things...patience, wisdom, love, virtue, etc." There is nothing more fulfilling than being in God's will!!

Well, it's hamburger steak tonight and I'd better go get started. Got a 6:00 piano student. :o)