Jewel # 368 (July 27, 2019)

White-Tailed Ground Squirrel

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear Grandchildren

The White-Tailed Ground Squirrel

“Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein . . . and Thou preservest then all. ”(Nehemiah 9:6)

Many kinds of ground squirrels are found in the desert.  Most of them are harmless and curious and fun to watch.  One of these is called the white tail or antelope chipmunk and is often mistaken for a true chipmunk.  It is identified by its black and white stripes ending at its shoulders, where as the chipmunk’s stripes go to the tip of its nose.

The white tail is easily recognized as it scampers along with its white-backed tail held over its back.  It spends all its time gathering seeds and nuts, stuffing them into its cheek pouches and then carrying this food to store in its den.  It also eats parts of cactus and yucca plants, beetles, crickets and other insects.

It is amazing to see the white tail climb a spine-covered cactus, stuff its pouches with seeds, turn around and go back down headfirst to the ground, never getting a scratch from those sharp needles.  How can it possibly do this?  This ability is, of course, one of the special features supplied by its Creator who wisely provides for every need and who "does great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number” (Job 5:9).    

Like most other ground squirrels, the white tail lives in the rocky foothills.  The entrance hole to its den is always hidden under a boulder or behind the covering of a bush.  Since rattlesnakes, coyotes and hawks are a constant threat, it has other hidden entrances that are ready for any emergency.

In its underground den, it builds a nest lined with feathers, grass and other soft materials.  There are usually a dozen or more babies born each spring.  These are nursed by the mother until they are strong enough for the outside world.  Once outside, the little ones are great fun to watch . . . so full of life and amusements as they play together.  But the mother keeps a sharp eye on them to see that they do not wander from her hidden shelter.  The family stays together until the young ones are big enough to care for themselves.

As part of the wonders of God’s creation, these little animals remind us that “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord" (Psalm 33:5).  Referring to that goodness, the psalmist also said, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).

Have you thanked Him for His goodness to you?  He has promised that you may also live in His heavenly home for all eternity, but only if you willingly admit that you are a sinner in need of salvation and accept Him as your Saviour.

Love you all - Grandpa   

Jewel # 367 (July 18, 2019)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up “My Jewels.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

Whistling Swans

“When I applied mine heart to know wisdom . . . I beheld all the work of God,

that a man cannot find out all the work that is done under the sun.”

(Ecclesiastes 8:16-17)

There are seven species of swans, all graceful and lovely.  Many of us are familiar with the one called trumpeter.  The one we will look at today is a close relative, the whistling swan.

This swan nests around the Arctic Ocean and the Hudson Bay region of Canada and flies to southern Canada and the United States for the winter months.  It is strictly a water bird, larger than a goose and very graceful when either swimming or flying.

Among the seven species, the whistling swan has the sharpest, most piercing call, which accounts for its nickname whooper.  Actually it doesn’t do much whistling, but makes a loud, musical “woo-ho, woo-woo.”  Its the whistling-like calls as it flies that have given it the whistling name.

Although related to ducks and geese, this bird looks a lot different and is much larger.  It doesn’t mix with them except when they might by chance pick the same wintering home.  Migration follows three flyways—one down the Atlantic coast, another along the Pacific coast, and the third over the Midwestern United States.  They fly in long lines and at great heights, at speeds up to 50 miles per hour!

Watching swans swimming in a pond or lake is a lovely sight, with their long, straight necks and sharp eyes searching the water for a fish.  Beautiful snow-white feathers completely cover this lovely bird except for a yellow spot between the nostrils and eyes.  The feet, legs and bill are black.

Full-grown males may weigh 25 pounds or more and have wingspreads as much as seven feet across.  But in spite of their size, they float gracefully on lakes and ponds and are excellent swimmers.  Leaving the water is something to watch.  First, they flap their wings vigorously, to raise their bodies in the water.  Then, with wings still flapping, they run along the surface with their necks stretched out.  Finally, they pull their feet back under their tails and are airborne.  When returning to the water, they glide down, and when just above the surface, they extend their feet to touch the water first, then glide before coming to rest.

These birds mate for life, showing much attention to each other, as well as their young.  Cygnets (baby swans) are raised in huge nests, five or six feet across.  It takes almost five months of the parents’ protection and training before they are on their own.

The psalmist certainly enjoyed the creation of the Lord and often wrote about it.  “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. . . . He has made His wonderful works to be remembered (Psalm 111:2,4).  

Do you remember to thank Him for His care over you, and have you accepted Him as your Saviour?

Love you all - Grandpa      

Jewel # 366 (June 28, 2019)

Peregrines

"And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17

To my dear grandchildren

The Kestrels and Peregrines (Part 2)

“I Know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”

(Psalm 50:11)

In the last issue ”Wonders” article, we looked at kestrels, and now we will look at their close relative, the peregrine falcon.   You may recall that both groups are members of the hawk family and live in the same areas throughout the world, including the United States, Mexico and parts of Canada.  Their nesting habits are similar—sometimes in the hole of a tree trunk, on a ledge of a rocky canyon or even on a high ledge on the side of a tall building.

Male peregrines are mostly mottled brown and tan over their bodies and legs, with darker brown on their wings and tops of their heads.  Females have lighter grayish feathers over their backs and heads, contrasting with soft white throats and chests.

Compared with the blue jay-sized kestrel, peregrines are about the size of big crow.  One look at their hooked beaks and long, sharp talons would convince you thy can be very tough enemies of rats, mice, rabbits, squirrels and other land animals, as well as birds as big as sea gulls.

“Peregrine” means “traveling or wandering.”  They will at times fly hundreds of miles searching for a meal.  While kestrels don’t have enough speed to catch other birds in the air, peregrines can overtake many birds.  They fly as high as 1,000 feet, their sharp eyes all the while searching far below for prey.

These birds could not do all this remarkable hunting if the Creator had not provided them with eyes like telescopes.  They can spot a squirrel on the ground a thousand feet below or see a flying bird a great distance off and soon overtake it.  Sometimes when mates are flying together and the male captures a bird, the female will fly upside down below him and let him drop the captive into her open claws to take to the nest for their young.  At other times, flying alone and capturing a bird at a time when he’s not hungry, the peregrine will kill it in the air and then drop it to the ground.  When he comes back later to pick it up, he might catch a rat or other animal nibbling on it.

Adam and Eve brought sin into the world.  After that, many animals and birds, such as these hawks, became meat eaters for the first time.  But another time is soon coming when everything will be happy and at peace again.

Before that takes place, those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be with Him in heaven and will happily look down on a renewed world that will then be at perfect peace.  Will you be one of those looking down from heaven on that happy sight?  You can be if you will accept the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour.

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 365 (June 20, 2019)

Kestrels (Sparrow Hawk)

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

Kestrels and Peregrines (Part 1)

“God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

(Genesis 1:21)

Kestrels and peregrines are closely related birds of prey; both are falcons and members of he hawk family.  The Kestrel is often called a sparrow hawk and theperegrine a duck hawk.  Today we’ll learn about the kestrel, and we’ll look at the peregrine in the next "Jewel".

The kestrel is a pretty bird with a cap of bluish-gray, brown and rust colours on its white head and an outstanding display of rust, bluish-gray, black and spotted-white feathers over the rest of its body and wings.  It builds its nest in a tree, on the side of a high cliff, or sometimes even on a ledge of a tall building.

Kestrels make their homes in just about every part of the United States, Mexico and southern Canada.  Where winters are cold, they migrate south in the fall, but in the southern states they remain year-round.

Like all hawks, their food is mainly small animals, such as mice, moles, rats and also fish.  They also dispose of many insects, like caterpillars and dragon-flies.  Being the size of a blue jay, they don’t attack even the smallest birds in the air, for they are not swift enough to catch them.  However, if they see one of the smaller birds, like a sparrow or chickadee, hopping or resting on the ground, they will fly silently over it and then drop down and capture it.  People are not happy to see them catch birds but are glad when they catch mice, rats and insects.

Kestrels spend much of the daylight hours hovering over open fields or perching on posts or electrical wires near open fields.  Their sharp eyes are alert for prey to eat on the spot or to take to a mate or to young birds in the nest.  They have a peculiar habit which will help you identify them.  When perched on a post, they often pump their tails up and down, as though they are trying to keep their balance.  They also have an unusual call; it sounds like they are repeating, “klee-klee-klee.” 

The mother bird lays about five eggs in the spring, and the young hatch in about four weeks.  A month later they are ready to fly and are soon on their own.

Kestrels are part of God’s creation, and He has much delight in them.  But their lives are for this world only, compared with humans who have a never-dying soul.  God give us a special invitation: “Let the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God” (2 Thessalonians 3:5).  Are you aware of God’s love for you?  Do you know His Son, the Lord Jesus, who loves you so very much that He died for you?   

(To be continued)            

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 364 (June 11, 2019)

Elephant Seal

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren

The Elephant Seal 

“God created great whales, and every living creature . . . 

which the waters brought forth abundantly.”

(Genesis 1:21)

It’s not hard to see where elephant seals get their name.  Some of these huge mammals, sometimes called sea elephants, weight as much as four tons!  But the name comes not so much from their size, but from the large, 15-inch nose of the male.  It laps clear over his chin when his mouth is closed, reminding us of an elephant’s trunk.  The females weigh only about a ton when full grown, and their noses are not quite so large.

It is quite a sight to see the orange-pink or dark-brown, twenty-foot- long bodies stretched out in a huge mass of a thousand or more on a sunny beach.  It’s not unusual to see several large seals napping while another, half their size, is taking its nap sprawled across their backs for lack of other space.

The bodies of elephant seals have thick, tough, wrinkled skin, and their faces have long whiskers.  Their big flippers take the place of feet and legs, enabling them to move about on the sandy or rocky shores or, on rare occasions, to fight one another.  They are excellent swimmers and can dive deeper than most submarines, up to 4000 feet in their search for fish or other seafood.  They have been know to stay underwater a full hour before coming up for air.

Most of these seals live along the California coast, sometimes traveling as far as Alaska or Hawaii, but always returning to the beach where they were born.  Some that live on the beaches of Georgia  migrate clear across the Atlantic Ocean in the fall to the Orkney Islands north of Scotland.  This is where their pups are born and raised, and then they swim with the parents on the long trip to the United States the next spring.  Incidentally, pups are born with their eyes already open and are able to swim immediately.

At certain times great battles take place in the big colonies.  Each male (bull) wants to have the greatest number of females (cows) under his care.  Most have three to forty cows, and a few bulls may have more than a hundred.  The weakest bulls, however, may not have any and live apart from the others.

Mammals such  as these with there unusual appearances and ways, remind us that the Bible says of the Lord God, “Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 3:11).  But He tells us in another verse that His creation of people is extra special: “My delights were with the sons of men” (Proverbs 8:31).   In this verse we can hear His loving voice saying to you and me, “Hearken unto Me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep My ways” (verse 32).  Are you one who is willing and happy to keep His ways?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 363 (May 30, 2019)

Doberman Pinscher

German Shepherd

“And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear grandchildren 

Some Helpful Dogs

“They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving  to slumber.”

(Isaiah 56:10)

George Washington had a beautiful home overlooking the Potomac River where he kept riding horses, a small flock of sheep and some Doberman Pinscher dogs.  The dogs were not just pets; they were also guards of the valuable property.

Dobermans, as well as German Shepherds, are still excellent police dogs.   They are highly intelligent and can be trained for police work.  Some city police departments have as many as two dozen or more for emergency work.

Both kinds of dogs are considered top performers for police work; however, the Dobermans are preferred where summer heat is a problem, since they don’t have thick coats of the German Shepherds.  They are trained by experts while still pups.  When older they are put in the charge of a policeman or guard with whom they will live and develop a strong, friendly bond.  The dogs don’t mix with other people or other dogs and have deep loyalty to their master.

One kind of work for a policeman and his dog is to patrol department stores or the other businesses during night hours.  They go through each floor.  The dog is on a long leash, held by his human partner, and goes behind each counter and mannequin—paying attention only to what may be hidden behind them.

The dog’s keen sense of smell immediately detects a thief who may think he is well hidden.  Moving close to him, the dog growls fiercely with its strong teeth exposed, until his master, sizing up the situation, may command “Watch him!”  The dog will guard the thief while the policeman calls on his short-wave radio for back up help.  If the thief tries to escape, the dog will quickly move in and cause him to change his mind, but will not harm him otherwise.

But this isn’t the only service the dogs do when in these buildings.  As they move from place to place, the dogs sharp sense of hearing and keen sense of smell may lead the policeman to some piece of equipment that is overheating or making and unusual noise.  The intelligent dog seems to sense that something is wrong.  Often the short-wave radio is used again with a request to send help.

The opening Bible verse, describing dumb dogs, is what the Lord says about those who did not return His love in past days, compared with those who did return His love.  Of those who did respond to His love and kindness He said, “Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful” (Isaiah 56:7).  And that’s where true joy is found today—in the hearts of those who know Him as their Saviour.  Just as there are helpful dogs and dumb dogs, there are people who return God’s love and those who do not return God’s love.  Which are you?

Love you all - Grandpa

Jewel # 362 (May 24, 2019)

And they shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I 

make up MY JEWELS.”

(Malachi 3:17)

To my dear Grandchildren

Whales Eat Their Fill of Tasty Krill

“God created great whales . . . which the waters brought forth abundantly.”

(Genesis 1:21)

In the cold Antarctic ocean, krill are found in vast numbers. The name krill includes extremely small shrimp, red crabs, tiny lobsters and fish larvae, all averaging about two inches in length and all swimming together in huge schools that often cover several miles.  They are found in all the world’s oceans.

Tiny shrimp make up the greatest part of these groups.  Their eleven pairs of legs are extremely important to them—the five back pairs are shaped like paddles for swimming, and the six front pairs are used for capturing tiny food particles.  To do this, they throw out each leg in a circular motion and draw the food particles into their mouths.

Where do krill come from?  They begin life deep in the ocean as eggs too small to be seen easily.  The larvae hatching from these various kinds of eggs don’t grow to full size for four years.  During this time they don’t look at all like the adults.

It is the grown krill that are hunted, since they are very nutritious and tasty to whales, seals, porpoises and other marine life.  When aware that a hungry enemy is near, sometimes krill wriggle out of their shells.  The empty shells hold their shape, deceiving the hungry enemy.  Then the now-unprotected krill drops deep into the ocean and remains there until a new shell grows to cover it over.

Whales, mainly baleens, living or migrating through this area are krill’s greatest enemy, and one if then can swallow as much as five tons of krill a day.  When gulping a mouthful of krill-filled seawater, the whale traps and crushes the krill by closing its huge mouth.  The seawater squirts out before the whale swallows the remaining krill.

In addition to whales, it is estimated that millions of penguins and seals, as well as numerous kinds of sponges and fish, dispose of many tons of krill each day.  Yet krill continue to reproduce in great numbers.

Isn’t it remarkable how the Creator provides these tiny bits of sea life to meet the food needs of so many larger creatures and yet enables the krill to replenish their numbers year after year?  It is a reminder that He is looking upon all the substance of the sea, earth and sky at all times and is in control of each one.

However, these ocean creatures have only a short life and then cease to exist, whereas every person has his lifetime here on earth and then enters eternity to exist forever.  

Where will your eternity be spent?  If you know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, it will be in heaven 

with Him and the vast number of others who have accepted Him as their Saviour.  

If not, it will be in an awful place the Bible calls “outer darkness.” 

Will you chose heaven?

Love you all - Grandpa