No beauty contest winners here...

But they're mine - as much as anything wild that shares our space here on Pollywog Creek is mine.

Muscovies may not qualify as one of God's most beautiful creations and they are considered to be a nuisance by most Floridians, they eat their weight in mosquitoes and larva, as well as, flies, spiders, and other insects. It's been said that they eat roaches like candy. For that fact alone, I'm more than happy they often call our little pond home.

Unlike most ducks, muscovies are quiet. The males might hiss and the females sometimes have a faint quack, that's more like a "pip," but if I don't see them, the only way I know they are here is if I hear them crash-land into the pond or they miss the mark and land on the roof. It happens. 

I find them peaceful and entertaining - and a photography challenge. They will either fly or paddle away from me if they see me coming, but I enjoy trying to capture the iridescent feathers along their back as they glide across the surface of our pond. 

ECHO {Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization} no longer keeps muscovies at their farm in Florida, but they have experienced success in developing countries throughout the world that have muscovies to control insects and as a food source. 

I'm content to keep them off our dinner plates and happily munching on 'skeeters around the pond. 

{Photos::the pond the last week of August on Pollywog Creek.}

I {LOVE} Sunday::to know God's all sufficiency...

And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times,
you may abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:8

What I learn from the ugly duckling...

In my wanderings about lately, I've given up pushing past momentary difficulties - choosing instead to simply sit on the ground and rest where ever I happen to be when the energy and effort to take one more step escapes me. 

I've come to appreciate this ground-level perspective - especially when surrounded by wildflowers in the thick pasture grass or near the cypress knees at the sloping edges of our Pollywog Creek pond. It's where you're most likely to find me these days - in the cool of morning and late afternoon.

A small badelynge of muscovy ducks spends most of every day in and around the pond. I've never see them flying in with enough time to grab a camera and focus, so capturing these large and heavy ducks' big-splash landings has thus far eluded me.

With a reputation for being a messy nuisance and a red-warty face that only a mother duck could love, there's no denying that the muscovy lacks the painted bunting's photogenic appeal. 

Even so, I'm entertained by their antics as they float around the pond, waddle about on their large webbed feet, and rest and preen in the shade of the cypress trees, but their appetite for the mosquitoes and lavae that multiply in legions in our tropical south is what I appreciate the most.

But here's what I've noticed about these ugly ducklings - when sunlight falls on their backs they are beautiful - their feathers shining iridescent green and purple - and I forget about their mess and red-warty faces. 

And I think about the ugly sin and mess in our lives that is hidden by who we are in Christ as the light of the gospel shines on you and me.

The Lord is God,
and he has made his light to shine upon us.

Psalm 118.27

I recently updated my Free For Bloggers Set on Flickr with new photos. No strings attached - you can link them to me, or not. Those photos are my gift to you. 

Christian hands never clasp and He doesn't give gifts for gain...a gift can never stop being a gift - it is always meant to be given.

― Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

{Photos - around my Pollywog Creek pond}

Still Saturday::around the pond...

Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
praise him in the heights!
Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his hosts!
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
And he established them forever and ever;
he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
Beasts and all livestock,
creeping things and flying birds!
Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his majesty is above earth and heaven.
He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 148 ESV

There's nothing quite like a hurricane that illustrates the power of creation and our total lack of control. We do our part - preparing our property for high winds and our homes for the inevitable loss of power - and we pray for those who are either unprepared or unable to prepare and left vulnerable and helpless and maybe even alone. We will be just fine here on Pollywog Creek. I've lived in Florida all my life. Preparing for a hurricane is what we do here - much like my northern friends who prepare for winter's blasts and blizzards. But my heart is heavy for the people of Haiti and for those who remain in Isaac's path who will choose to ignore the warnings, and especially for those who do not know the One who gives us peace in every storm.

Forecast for Pollywog Creek



{Photos - around the pond}