Finding Joy at Christmas

 At our Christmas table, we are finding Joy. The word "Joy" captures the spirit of Christmas. 

Regardless of the craziness, sadness, and uncertainly of what is going on around us, you can have joy within, an inter commitment. 

Joy at our table may be telling joyous stories from previous Christmases. Sharing stories that we can laugh about.

We are also creating new memories, memories to pass along to the next generation of those in search of joy. 

Joy is there, you can find it, it is waiting. Just be willing to find it.

Share your Joy. 

Wishing you Joy - Judy!

Linking to:

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Celebrate Your Story @ Zucchini Sisters on Monday

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Monday 

Wonderful Wednesday @ Oh My Heartsie Girl on Monday pm

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party @ Lou Lou Girls at 8 pm on Monday

All About Home Link Party @ Common Ground on Tuesday

MMM Block Party @Keeping It Simple

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party @ Lou Lou Girls at 8 pm on Monday
 

Classy Flamingo Blog Party @ Poinsettia Drive on Tuesday pm

Tuesday Turn About @ My Wee Abode

Centerpiece Wednesdays at Karins Kottage

Share Your Style Link Party @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6pm

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life


Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday 9 pm

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Farmhouse Friday @ The Painted Hinge

Home Matters Link Party @ Modern on Monticello on Friday  

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Saturday Sparks Link Party @ Pieced Pastimes on Saturday

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

At the Feeders and in the Trees #41

 The birds have really been visiting feeding at my feeders this week. It is always a joy to watch them plus try to get a few good pics to share with you.

The Black-capped Chickadee is always such a reliable customer at the feeders. He is there quickly after I fill the feeders. The male and female look alike to us with their white cheeks, but look quite different to each other, as males have a much stronger ultraviolet reflection on their cheeks. 

Another favorite that has been at the feeders and in the trees is the Northern Cardinal. When winter arrives the male and the female start to visit more often.

The cardinals eat from the feeders but will also drive to the ground for fallen seeds. 

The Carolina Wren has been at my suet feeders. I just love to list to their loud songs. 

Most wrens have a habit of holding their tail up often flicking it when excited.

This wren has a black-oil sunflower seed in his mouth.

I recently received a gift in the mail from a dear friend of mine. She knows how much a enjoy birds and sent a lovely bird book by David Allen Sibley titled "What It's Like to be A Bird. I've been reading and enjoying this book and used some of information from the book today in my post. 

Thanks for stopping by today - Judy.

Linking to:

Wild Bird Wednesday @ Paying Ready Attention

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm

A Visit from the Purple Finches

 Wow, did I get a thrill when I looked out at the feeders off my back deck. There were several purple finches eating black oil sunflower seeds. 

I checked my records for previous visits from the purple finches and noted that I generally haven't seen them until January and February.

The male purple finch has a beautiful raspberry pink coloring. You can see the one on the right is fussing at the one in the middle then off that one goes.

The male has the raspberry pink coloring on his head and breast, with some brown tinges on the back and white strokes on the belly. 

The female purple finch has light brown on her upper part of the body and white strokes on the belly but it's her white eyebrows that help me identify her.

I'm not sure if the purple finches are a little early in their visit this year or if I just hadn't seen them in November previously.

Thanks for stopping in for a visit with the purple finches - Judy.

Linking to:

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Saturday Sparks Link Party @ Pieced Pastimes on Saturday

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Sunday

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday

I'd Rather Be Birding at Noon on Saturday 

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm 

MET Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

MET Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Our Thanksgiving Table for Six

We are keeping our Thanksgiving Table for 2020 small and private in order to comply with Covid restrictions. 

We are very grateful for our family and cherish our time together. Although we are not all here gathering around the table, we are here in thought.

The small ceramic turkey on the table is one my Mom made in the 70's and holds a special place in my heart.

From our table to yours, Happy Thanksgiving - Judy.

Linking to:

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Celebrate Your Story @ Zucchini Sisters on Monday

Inspire Me Tuesday @ A Stroll Thru Life on Monday 

Wonderful Wednesday @ Oh My Heartsie Girl on Monday pm

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party @ Lou Lou Girls at 8 pm on Monday

All About Home Link Party @ Common Ground on Tuesday

MMM Block Party @Keeping It Simple

Lou Lou Girls Fabulous Party @ Lou Lou Girls at 8 pm on Monday
 

Classy Flamingo Blog Party @ Poinsettia Drive on Tuesday pm

Tuesday Turn About @ My Wee Abode

Centerpiece Wednesdays at Karins Kottage

Share Your Style Link Party @ French Ethereal on Wednesday at 6pm

Tablescape Thursday @ Between Naps on the Porch

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life


Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Funtastic Link Party @ Two Chicks and A Mom on Thursday 9 pm

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Farmhouse Friday @ The Painted Hinge

Home Matters Link Party @ Modern on Monticello on Friday  

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound on Friday

Saturday Sparks Link Party @ Pieced Pastimes on Saturday

Sundays at Home @ My Soulful Home on Saturday

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Love Your Creativity Link Party @ Life and Linda on Sunday at 2pm

Busy Monday @ A Pinch of Joy on Sundays at 5pm

The Red-Bellied Woodpecker

 I moved a couple of feeders to the birch trees just off our back deck. It didn't take long till I started seeing a few woodpeckers at the suet feeders.

This red-bellied woodpecker is a female. You can see the gray crown on her head and the red running down the nape of her neck. The woodpeckers visit my area year round and love to eat from the suet feeders.

They often hide their food in the cracks of trees to have food for later.

Did you know the female can lay up to five eggs? 

Thanks for stopping by - Judy.

Linking to:

Thankful Thursday @ It's a Small Town Life

Little Things Thursday @ Random-osity

Thursday Favorite Things @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home

Grace at Home @ Imparting Grace on Thursday

Friday Favorites Link Party @ Penny's Passion on Thursday

Pink Saturday @ How Sweet the Sound

Saturday's Critters @ Viewing Nature with Eileen on Saturday 

Mosaic Monday @ Letting Go of the Bay Leaf on Saturday

Nature Notes @ Rambling Woods on Monday pm