The Irish prayer is below these two photos.
Lots of wildlife on this ranch that includes deer, wild hogs, turkey, racoon, possum, fox, rabbit, squirrel, coyote and, bobcat. There are many species of birds and too many to name here. My son hunts on this property and the ranch lady gave me a tour of her spread. I don’t advocate hunting but my husband was a dyed in the wool waterfowl hunter. Hunting was instilled in our son at a young age. I’m, trying to convert him to hunt with a camera. This past year he went to the ranch to sit and to think and to watch the wildlife.
Mexican plum that I transplanted as a sapling from the woods beside my property before 25 acres or so were “planted” with apartments. “They” removed every cotton picking tree . It was a sad time for me and I cried as the bulldozers wrecked havoc. But now I have several large plum trees and many saplings.The trees provide a nectar source for bees and early butterflies if the weather is warm.
A change of pace. In honor or St Patrick’s Day this is a poem that I found. I could not find an author to credit for these very wise words of advice.
My husband was of Irish and English decent. I reckon Daniel is after all a pretty good Irish name.
For “greenery” I’m putting forth a “very green” photo of a McLennan county ranch creek. This photo is from late summer of 2012.
An Irish Prayer (author unknown)
Take time to work,
It is the price of success,
Take time to think,
It is the source of power.
Take time to play,
It is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read,
It is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly,
It is the road to happiness.
Take time to love and be loved,
It is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to share,
Life is too short to be selfish.
Take time to laugh,
Laughter is the music of the soul.
Author unknown
Pets, People and, Life 
Beautiful photographs Yvonne, the ranch looks beautiful. I hope you manage to convert your son, but I know how hard that can be as I’ve tried with my husband and failed. He’s just not interested.
The Irish poem is beautiful, and before we know it St Patricks day will be with us again, how time flies.
Take care of yourself and listen to your body, don’t push yourself, relax and enjoy xxx
Hi Claire. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Yep, that time of year- St Patrick’s Day) will soon be here. Time goes all too fast. And the older one becomes,it seems that time passes so much faster. Very strange but most older folks have told me the same thing.
To be honest, Claire, I’m afraid that my son will never give up hunting. It seems to be etched into his brain and that was inherited from his dad. As I wrote in the post, my husband was a dyed in the wool hunter and he lived to hunt. I’ve never figured out the appeal. I never wasted my energy on trying to reform my husband. He would have laughed and probably gotten very angry for even making the suggestion. When there was no hunting season, he fished and oh my did he fish. Caught some really big bass
That is a very nice prayer. There is a lot of Irish in my blood. We visited the isle a few years ago. Likely to go back.
I like the scene in the first picture. I would go there to sit and think, too. Gunfire would be a severe shock to that setting.
Thank you for your visit to my blog recently. You are always welcome to stop by.
Jim, I appreciate that you took the time to comment. My husband always wanted to visit Ireland for his fore fathers were from there.
I hope that you can go back. From photos I have learned to love the beautiful green isle.
There is no gun fire at the creek. My son hunts with bow and arrow but truthfully he has yet to use it. He’d rather walk and admire the scenery. And I hope that eventually he’ll give up hunting and use a camera instead.
I’ll return to your blog soon and read more of your posts.
Love the different parts of this post. I’ve bookmarked the poem. Love the wisdom on laughter.
Hello Diana. I’m so glad that you like the laughter part of the poem. The poem surely is so right about many aspects of life. We all should be laughing more for doctors promote happiness and laugher as as one of the keys toward living a longer life and for healing the body and mind. ~yvonne
Beautiful pictures and words!
Thanks. I’m glad that you approve. 🙂
This is lovely, Yvonne. Have been reading back through a few of your blogs (some of them with comments closed.) I wasn’t blogging and/or reading at this time. Hope you are doing well this Memorial Day weekend.
Kathy, I’m gald that you like the poem. I thought it was a nice one with a lovely message for anyone taking the time to read. I’m ticking/clicking right along and hopefully I’ll be better in a few weeks. Thanks for visiting.
Thanks To share these lovely pictures…
So sorry, Ajay, to be late to acknowledge your comment. It had gone to the SPAM file and it seems to be legit so I “unleashed” your comment. Thank you for taking the time to comment and for the kind words.
Really like that poem. The last line made me laugh. So true. Hope all’s well with you and yours.
Paulette, thanks and yes the last line is “right on.”
Might be sending email to you soon or not. 🙂
Nice pic and poem!!!
Thanks Rexlin.
I love this prayer! Thanks for sharing it, Yvonne.
So glad you like the prayer, Calee.
Hello Yvonne ! Thank you for those lovely pictures on St.Patrick’s Day. The poem I will write in my diary. Although I am not Irish, I lived there for a while and feel Irish at heart. All the greenness and nature you chose for your pictures are very pleasant, as lovely as Irish countryside. Have a lovely Sunday.
Hello Isa. I’m so glad you liked the poem. I almost did not present that post with poem and pics. Another commenter said that she had copied it and put it beside her computer.
i love the prayer you posted, Yvonne. I’m Irish, and I dearly love St. Patrick’s day, but I have no patience with all the green beer and shamrocks and drunkenness that goes on. I like a good party as much as the next person, and I do enjoy my beer, but St. Patrick’s is just one of those holidays that the merchants have taken over for the making of a dollar.
Anyway, I copied the prayer and tucked it next to my computer, and that was my St. Patrick’s day celebration! Thank you so much for posting it.
I’ve been having my own little hard time, physically. No problems, really, but now that the weather has straightened out, and we have plenty of sunshine, it’s been time for me to get back to my boats full time. It’s been a long stretch of days with no work, or short days. I’ve gotten out of shape, and all of last week I couldn’t do anything but come home and go to bed! I did some post reading, but just didn’t have the “oomph” to comment. Hence: this late St. Pat’s day comment. But I knew you wouldn’t mind.
You might enjoy one of my favorite bits for St. Patrick’s day. It’s called The Lorica, or The Deer’s Cry. It’s said to be based on a prayer of St. Patrick himself, called St. Patrick’s Breastplate. Even for people who are neither Irish nor religious, it’s filled with so much beauty, and this is a lovely version.
Linda, thank for the lovely singing video by Angline Ball. A truely beautiful rendition of a prayer by St. Patrick. I’m so glad that I posted the prayer that I found. I really did not think anybody would connect to it but I thought, “what the heck, why not?”
I’m so sorry that you were/are not feeling up to snuff. I suppose being inactive for months would put one out of commission for a week or two and until your body becomes readjusted to the physical labor of boat varnishing. That is not an easy job by any means. I hope that you are now ok.
Thanks again. And for goodness sake, I had not noticed that you had not commented. I don’t expect “tit for tat” with other bloggers.
Oh yes, the sunshine has been wonderful. I feel better and not so much in a depressed state of mind.
~yvonne
Thanks for sharing the poem with us, Yvonne. Of course, I love the meandering creek and all those beautiful blossoms. Although it is a shame that the land was developed, it still sounds like you live in a lovely part of Texas. Here in New England, much of the land was “developed” by early settlers as farms and homesteads. But, over time, it was pretty hard to make a go of it and many of the farms were abandoned allowing much of the forests to return. Although rare, there are a few stands of old growth still remaining in some parts. But most hike through the woods reveal signs of former farms.
It is possible that someday your son will switch from ammo to memory cards. I have an acquaintance who manufactures guns and was an avid hunter. He still makes the guns but now hunts with a camera instead.
Steve, thanks so much for reading and commenting. It is a shame that the early settlers and pioneers were so gung ho to cut down most of the trees. One would think that at some point they would know that trees produce firewood and lumber for building. I had no idea that it is possible to still find traces of long ago farms. That is interesting.
Your friend sounds like he “woke up” to new way and that the camera provides untold satisfaction in the ability to keep the finished product alive to be viewed over and over again. That is my take of photography in a nutshell. We can capture a moment in time that can not be duplicated. Maybe close but never in the same light or mood.
I’m going to show my son your comment about your friend who is a gun maker but now uses a camera. Very nice. 🙂
I’m not normally a poetry sort of person, but I enjoyed that one – straight forward and relatable! That top photo is so striking, it’s like a painting. I like the concept of encouraging your son to ‘hunt with a camera’ – hopefully that will develop with time.
Hi Haley. I’m not much on poems either unless they make sense and have good rhyming. I am hopeful that as you wrote, my son will give up hunting completely and shoot with a camera instead. Thanks so much for the lovely words about the creek photo. ~yvonne
I enjoy the photos and lovely poem. Thank you Y for that. Your son might well start hunting with the camera in the future.
The river scene is so lush. Is that part of the property?
Gerard, the water is actually a creek that runs through a ranch where my sone hunts. Our family has known the ranch family for many years. I wihs I had property like that. It is serene at the creek with just the sounds of nature. Very calming atmosphere and good for ones mind and body. Thank you for commenting and I’m glad you liked the poem/prayer. ~yvonne
Hey, a few repeats aren’t always bad. Tell ’em three times and they just might remember. Very nice poem and great photos especially the ranch.
I love the fact you transplanted the plum tree! It’s so sad when we see needless destruction. Many a new development could be built without destroying so many trees, and improve the lives of the people who buy the newly developed properties. I think we should find a more appropriate term than develop/development for the horrors these firms make (develop: to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state). Does that sound like what they do?
Rod, you wrote, “Does that sound like what they do?” No, most developers and contractors don’t have the good sense when it comes to the environment. Now where they build homes for the wealthy they save some trees but never any of the native shrubs that are often so pretty and that are becoming rare as progress stamps out vegatation in its path.
I’ve seen in the paper the exact thing of what you wrote and I think it is called eminent domain maybe? As you wrote “to bring out the capabilities or possibilities of; bring to a more advanced or effective state.” That never happens. It is all about getting rid of all things in the way to make way for the concrete.
People need to realize that we need trees and other vegatation to help purify the air. It makes for a cleaner environment. It’s a proven fact. Thank you for your very meaningful and insightful comment. ~yvonne
Interesting poem, Yvonne. The creek looks an interesting place.
Thanks Mike. The creek is a lovely place- so serene with no sounds except those made by the birds and insects.
Hunting with a camera – I like that! I am glad your son is appreciating nature without wishing to kill anything. Lovely pictures 🙂
Wendy Kate, thanks for having a look and I appreciate your vist and the very nice comment
I love the ranch it looks as if we were in the middle of a magic forest. Your Your mexican plum is beautiful.
It is a good thing that you insist for your son hunting with his camera. But as I understand, he keept looking to animals last year.. hope he will go on like that!! They are so many little things to look at in the wild life..
<emChantal thanks for commenting and you are much appreciated. Truthfully my son is not taking his camera to the ranch. I just hope that one day he will only hunt with a camera. Last year he did not shoot anything. He went on a week-ends to sit near the creek where he could just think and watch the birds and some of the wildlife that came to the water to drink. It is like a magical place and I wish that I owned property with a creek. I'm in the city but still have quite a few birds because I have planted vegetation that attracts birds.
i am okay with hunting for food. beautiful ranch. love the plum tree, too!
Yes, hunting has its place if done for food consumption but most people hunt for the trophies or for the thrill of killing something. Thanks so much for commenting, Theresa.
Hi Yvonne, Happy St Patricks Day. …and may I say I loved that Irish Prayer Poem, upifting and so, so true. I would’ve cried along with you when the bulldozers took down the trees. but you’ve got the last laugh my planting others.. there’s always a sadness for what’s gone but you’ve put your mark where it’s needed. I hope your son takes to your erm…gentle, pushing in the direction of hunting with a camera, much more nature friendly, and gives so much pleasure , for those who take the photo’s and those many others who see the end results.. Beautiful scenery photo above, the Ranch looks somewhere you could gain solitude and walk for miles..(Rattlesnakes you say? Yikes!!) . wearing Wellies of course, and being very careful where you tread. 😉 Have a great day … xPenx
Hello Penny. I’m sorry to be so long in replying to your comment. I appreciate your lovely words. Yes, the creek is a wonderful place to rest a weary soul and mind. My son goes there when he is feeling down and frustrated. Nature is a great healer if one knows how to take advantage of the beauty that sometimes must be found. He discovered the beauty of the ranch when he built a large driveway gate for the ranch owner. ~yvonne xx
Y, if you want to send me the text I’ll try and fiddle with it and sort it out for you. Lovely peaceful photos to go with the poem.
I think I’ll have to make you a temp admin to do that and if you want to go there then I’ll do that. There is a bit of other stuff that needs fixing and I’ve no idea how to do that. Maybe we can work something out. I still have comments to address and one of them is yours about that mushroom. I haven’t felt up to par at all. I’m trying to adjust to new heart med as the other one was going to kill me and now this one -Verapamil (Inderal trade name)- is making me very weak. It’s been a real effort to try to keep up with other blogs and just to put this measely one out. It took me about 2 hours to try to fix. Fianlly I gave up and then could not go to sleep. I think I slept from about 3:30-8am and am now very sleepy and tired. ~Y
Yvonne, you can just copy your post from text NOT visual and I can try and sort it from there. When I get it right we can agree how to post it. When you want. I have a little dog asking to go out, so laters 😀
Ok. Don’t know when I’ll get to it but I’ll see what I can do via email to you. I might jsut leave as is for I have little energy to mess with things that I’ve ruined. Thanks so much. Will see if or not. ~y
Go into text, copy and mail it. I’ll take a look, should be able to fix it. Just ask when you have a problem.
Thanks again for your kind offer but as I wrote somewhere in my replies to you, I was able to “right it” myself. I will holler loud and clear if I need help again.:-) ~y
Ms. Gib, you have been so generous with your offer to help me “right the post” however, I think I have managed to fix it myself. I just needed to calm down, take some deep breaths and, slowly begin to figure how to improve the appearance. I had to do a lot of back and forth of looking at the actual post and then back to the editing section.
Soon, I hope to get over to your latest post to comment. Today, after seeing my MD I feel better but still have an issue with side effects. Thanks again. ~y
Its a simple prayer with well founded sentiments, Yvonne. When I feel the stresses and strains of daily life overpowering me I too go out and commune with nature – armed with my camera. It is a great way to let the pressure cooker let out a little steam. Its a lovely photo too. I think I could have a grand time on that patch.
Andrew, your camera speaks volunes of your love for nature. I’m so glad that you are one that knows how good it is to “commune with nature” and armed just with a camera. I too, believe that you would like that patch by the creek. I know you’d come away with some great looking photos.
Wise words indeed. What a lovely poem, Yvonne. I particularly like the line ‘Take time to love and be loved, It is the privilege of the gods’. It makes a lot of sense to me.
Your photograph is enchanting, I can see why your son wanted to go there and just sit and meditate. With all the wild animals and birds that you describe living there, it must be exhilarating listening to the noises and whispers coming from within the trees and vegetation, not least the sound of insects as they buzz and swoop over the water or frogs plopping in and out of the lake. Idyllic.
I think there was a second photograph but I can’t get it to display? I’ll come back and have another try later.
Hope your kitties are on the mend, I’ve been thinking of you. Lottie XXXXX
Lottie, I’m running slow as molasses the past few days and that is why I’m late replying to your comment. I look forward to your comments since you put so much effort and meaning to address all that is/was in each post. I agree that take tme to love and be loved has much meaning. It does not have to be romantic love but just to be someone who exudes goodness and caring makes for a loving person.
You give me way too much credit for the pics. Just got those two with my camera as an after thought. The lush vegatation on the ranch is along a creek that runs through the ranch. I failed to mention creek as the water source. I wish I had a similar place to go and sit there every day. It is peaceful and yes there are many sounds of nature all around the creek.
Thank you for the lovely comment. The cats are better. I’m on new med and it is all but causing me to crawl. I am going to give it a few weeks to see if my body will eventually tolerate the med. Right now it is not acceptable to me since I have little energy. But my heart rate has improved and is not thumping out of my chest and beating so erratic. Now heart rate is more normal but still not where it should be. Will talk soon, I hope.
I can’t bear it that your meds are giving you so much grief but I am MIGHTILY relieved that your ticker is performing better, that is good news. And I’m very thrilled to hear that the cats are better too. We are having big problems with Mr C.Snout, I’ll send you an email, you might have some ideas about what to do. Sleep tight and please don’t worry about replying to my comments, you’ve got a 101 things to do, I know how busy you are. xxxx
Yes, I have time for you always. Tis true that I am weak from the side effects of the med but this am my heart seems to be even better. Now about Colin. S. please let me know what is going on with him. OK? ~yvonne xxxx