~ Birding Adventures! ~

~ Since moving to Wisconsin, we have taken several classic "birdie walks", as we like to call them, near and around where we live in Tomah.  Common sights are the American Robin (the state bird of Wisconsin), House Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Rock Pigeons, and American Crows.  As fall turns the leaves to warm brittle colors that flee in the wind, branches stand out more, and actually make birds far more visible in the trees.  We've investigated a few parks around Tomah and West Salem (where our church is), but we've had our eyes on a certain birdie spot for a while.

Recently, Mama, Jeremy, Ben, and I finally made it out to Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, and started exploring.  The visitor center was closed both times we came, but it looks amazing in there, and is something extra to look forward to.  Necedah NWR is much larger than Ridgefield NWR in Washington, where we often took the auto tour, looking for all our favorites, like Red-winged Blackbirds, Buffleheads, Double-crested Cormorants, and Pied-billed Grebes.  We can still see all of those here, though as of yet I don't have any of those four species on my new lists!  There's always something more to see when you go out looking for birds.  And, there's a lot of land to cover, whether driving or walking, around Necedah.  They have several nice boardwalks, free stationary spotting scopes you can use in key locations, and even an observation tower.

What I didn't anticipate seeing right away though was the beautiful white Whooping Cranes!  We have seen them both times we came to Neceda NWR, and now know where and how to point them out to people.  Work is being done to increase their population.  As stunning as these tall stately cranes are, it's still awesome to see the smaller gray Sandhill Cranes come gliding in over the ponds.  Both species of crane is quite noisy and have loud glugging calls that you can easily start to recognize, even when they are out of sight.  I don't have any good pictures of these birds, but Ben managed to get some with his phone on our last trip.

Some other fun birds we have seen are the Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, White-breasted Nuthatch, Trumpeter Swans, and Bald Eagles.  We even saw a gorgeous Northern Harrier swooping low and slow over a field looking for lunch.  I'm not so skilled taking pics through my binoculars with my new phone yet, so, sorry I don't have much in the way of great bird pics to share.  I guess you'll just have to put up with my usual rambling. 

The walks have been wonderful, and we enjoy seeing all the oaks, maples, and aspen trees, rich with color while it lasts.  I'm getting in my "photo safaris", and more walks with Mama and family, and I love it. 

I do miss the Douglas Firs and Steller's Jays of the PNW, and get homesick at times.  But, I'm also seeing there is so much here to enjoy as well, and new beauties of God's creation to discover.  I hope you get a chance to take a walk this week, and enjoy whatever weather this season of your life holds. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven :"

 

 

~ Fall Begins in Wisconsin ~

Philippians 1:6
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

~ Wow, 16 years later, and I'm finally reviving this blog.  I'll leave the older posts for your amusement, dear reader.  But, hey, I'm back!  I've missed sharing my thoughts and photos with family and friends, and I'm excited to start sharing them again here. 

Welcome to Ruthie's Journal! 

~ One year ago, I would not have seen myself enjoying the colors of fall right now here in Wisconsin.  Maybe if I thought we were just visiting family.  But, God had bigger plans.  We tried for months to find a new home locally in the Pacific Northwest, but couldn't find any place we could afford.  "We" being Mama (Meg), Jeremy, and I.  The Welches offered to share their home with us while we kept looking, and we and they prepared for that temporary move.  Then God gave us a totally unexpected open door opportunity to move to Wisconsin to live with Robert & Dana and family. 

We talked and prayed, and made a huge decision, desiring to follow God's leading.  

That was one week before we got on a plane and flew out here to Tomah, Wisconsin, on May 2nd, 2024. 

~ While the whole moving process took months from start to finish, and was crazy in the final days before flying out, and the stress on everyone involved was unreal... God kept us safe, and got us out here. We can't thank enough the family, friends, and neighbors who helped us with this move. From planning, and praying, to packing, to helping us move and even store our belongings, or helping us throw away 2.5 tons (a full moving truck) of clutter and furniture we decided not to take with us... To months later driving out the rest of our things, and helping us store them yet again... Just wow!

You all made such an incredible difference for each of us, and your prayers and sacrificial giving and kindness has been so very needed and appreciated, THANK YOU!!!  We love you all so very much!!

 

~ God is at work, as He always has been. I will be sharing more of our new journeys here in Wisconsin on this little bloggy-do-thingy, so follow along if you'd like!

But, really, we've been on the adventure of a lifetime with God all along our family's timeline. 

God is good, folks! He loves you, and goes with you, even when you can't possibly imagine what the next bend in the road, the next chapter of the story, the next unexpected adventure might look like for you and your family. If you know my Saviour, you have a Friend who will never leave your side, and He left Heaven one day to prove it.   

I hope you get to see some truly lovely Fall colors this year.  I will share more as we see more here.  I love you guys.  You are awesome!

 

    

She who writes again! ~ Ruthie

"Peace on Earth"

Jude 1:20-25
"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

I am thankful...
For the beauty of snow and the silence it leaves on the air. I am thankful for God's goodness and kindness seen in all of His creations! I am thankful for a sister I can still enjoy a fun snowball fight with, and for a digital camera to enjoy taking pictures of good times.

Journal Entry #4

---- I am well again, yay! Snow and ice and snow again have fallen upon our lands... okay, this is a lot harder to write and keep on topic while watching The Two Towers, but oh well. :) I've learned it is much easier to take pictures when it is not snowing, also when it is daylight, also when I am not wearing slippers. Our garage has been so frozen of late, Joy and I have had lengthy "fights" over who should fetch items from the freezer and refrigerator out there.

---- Grandpa is in the hospital again, and we will probably be moving on or around New Years, so there is much to pray about. In times like this when everyone is very stressed and things are not going well, I turn to God's Word and spend time in prayer. The Lord has ever been faithful to our family and I know we all trust Him to help us now. Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

The End.

"The Phantom Muncher"

1 John 3:1
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."

I am thankful...
That I know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour and I know He loves and cares for me all the time. Thank you, Lord, for everything! I am thankful just to be a child of the King.

Journal Entry #3

---- One whole week. That's how long I have been sick, sleeping on the couch, gone, out of it. I have so much work to do, and I've only just begun! There are people I need to get laughing, terrible jokes and witty comments to be made, Joy to tease, people to jabber with, cookies to be absconded (well, actually, they need to be made first), tons of fun to be had!!

---- Actually, the reality is we are moving in a week or so, so I need to help the rest of my family pack up all our belongings, stuff, junk, trinkets, toys, parkas, matchboxes, computers, wait do we even have any parkas?, coats, my journals, Joy's horsey stuff, my puzzles, and that's the most of it but there's tons more we've collected over the last 8 years, not counting the stuff we had before we moved in here. *gasp* *breathe* *yikes!*

---- The Lord is good, as He always is! So many friends and family have volunteered to help us move, it's amazing and wonderful to see how God is taking care of us every day. We trust in Him always. On that note, I trust Bob and Chuck are having fun down in California, and even though they can't come home for Christmas I'm glad they have so many wonderful godly friends down there to share this season of remembering our Lord Jesus Christ with.

The End.

"Chocolate cures most anything"