Blue Violets, Goldfish and a Red Bud

     In the sunny late afternoon and cloudy evening of yesterday, April 20th, I was relaxing by our 100 gallon, goldfish pond in our suburban lawn in southeastern Pennsylvania to enjoy the beauties and activities of our goldfish and koi.  And while looking around our lawn and immediate neighborhood, I was reminded once again how lovely nature is in our neighborhood, as most everywhere on Earth.  The short grass and newly-growing leaves on trees and shrubbery were beautifully green and lush while soaking up sunlight.  Five varying-sized patches of bluish-purple blue violet flowers were lovely in the short grass and our red bud tree was in full bloom with many rose-pink blossoms.  The clumps of violet blooms were made even more attractive by the several golden flowers of dandelions poking up among them.  And carpenter bees swarmed among the multitudes of red bud blossoms to sip nectar from them.
     I was so impressed with the beauties of the fish, violet flowers and red bud blooms on our lawn that I looked around our yard for more beauties of nature, as I often do.  Several house sparrows and a few mourning doves were gathered at our bird feeder and bird bath to get grain and water, as they often are.  Though plain in appearance, these birds are always around and interesting to observe going about their daily routine through the year.  I also saw a striking male cardinal peering from a foliated bush, a pair of blue jays courting and a half dozen purple grackles walking on the short grass in search of invertebrates among grass blades and in the soil.  One jay was feeding the other as part of their courtship ritual.  I also saw a male, migrant yellow-rump warbler flitting in our leafed-out pussy willow bush.  It probably was catching and eating small insects among the twigs and foliage.
     There were a few gray squirrels at the sunflower feeder, and three cottontail rabbits, two adults and one youngster, nibbling the short grass.  Gray squirrels are always interesting to watch because of their many vigorous antics.  And that evening the adult rabbits put on quite a show of sniffing and jumping at each other as if in play, or maybe courtship.
     In the evening, I heard the lovely songs of a few kinds of male birds in our neighborhood, adding more enjoyment and intrigue to that time and place.  A few doves cooed while an American robin sang vigorously.  I also heard the boisterous "cheer, cheer, cheer" song of a northern cardinal while a tufted titmouse cheerfully sang "Peter, Peter, Peter".
     And, at dusk, while birds were going to roost, a few each of little brown bats and big brown bats dropped out of larger trees and erratically fluttered away.  The trees were silhouetted against the overcast sky and so were the bats.  The bats repeatedly swooped and dove among the trees as they pursued flying insects to catch in mid-air and eat.  Insect-catching bats are always entertaining to watch at dusk and into the gathering darkness.               
     As I went into the house just before dark, I thanked God for all the natural beauties He created on Earth, including in my yard.  His beauties inspire and lift spirits, whether we are at home or away.