I am uncertain as to when I first heard about evolution, but I think it must have been during a college biology class. I don't recall that it was an especially surprising concept for me; nor that it conflicted with my faith. The biblical creation story is a poetic affirmation about the beginning of this cosmos and of human life. It is not a scientific explanation nor a historical timeline of the creation of life, just as scientific methods rarely address faith questions. Does the Genesis account begin with some assumptions? Sure, as I think all attempts to explain the beginning are based on some kind of assumptions. Scientists say that evolution or the Big Bang or some combination was the process how we all came to be. Maybe. Who knows for certain?

I choose to believe (I have no proof) that before anything existed, God did and still does. I am amazed at the macro world and the infinite universe. I wonder about how and why. But I have a sense of peace believing there is a purpose. And that's enough for me.

So I am in awe every morning, about the wonder of how this all came to be.

The wood stork is one of those birds that has beautiful plumage and a less than attractive head. While there are a number of storks species in the world, this is the only one in North America and was upgraded this past June to "threatened" from "endangered" as a species . It is a tropical/subtropical bird so it is seen in only a few places in the continental United States. I photographed this bird in Ding Darling on Sanibel Island, Florida last winter. They often ride the thermals and can be seen gliding with seemingly little effort in the sky.

One can spend all day at the beach with a plastic bucket, watching the water and sand fill it up and then drain out. I don't know what he found so fascinating, although I can become mesmerized by the surf as well. I don't know who this boy is, but I understand his curiosity. We are born with it. And as long as we have it, we are still a kid, filled with wonder.

Tuesday, Judy and I went to Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge near Decatur, Alabama, 100 miles south of our house. We met up with Susan Hay and Emily Helms to photograph the sandhill cranes and other birds that are spending the winter in the south. Sandhill cranes are large birds, can stand 4 feet tall and have a wingspan of over 7 feet. Last year 12,000 of these birds wintered at Wheeler. This is only one of the hundreds of photos that I took. I like the new lens and this shot was even through the thick glass of the observation building.

I'll be sharing some more photos this week.

Some of you may not believe this, but I have been failing at moon photography for some time. Not as easy as it sounds. Automatic settings on your camera will not get it done. I shot this photo early yesterday morning after Lori said she wanted to see the moon picture. The ones from Monday morning were not good. So I woke up early and went out on the deck. Camera was on the tripod with 150-600 mm lens, with camera on manual. Manual focus and exposure at 1/200 second, f/10, and iso 200. I did try some photos with the moon caught in the tree but again there is an enormous difference in how far away the moon is and how close the tree is. I'm thinking I could put two photos together to show what I experienced the other morning. Ah, for another time. I'm just pleased I finally got the exposure right, or nearly so. One thing at a time...

Not this cold since last January. Single digits in Nashville. A lot colder in other places. Winter is just getting started and I'm already checking the calendar. I haven't counted the days until March, but I'm thinking about it. Except...as Judy has said, we don't want to wish our lives away. There is enjoyment possible every day.

We enjoy feeding the birds in our yard. And we have done so each place we lived. One of our neighbors enjoyed feeding the squirrels, and attached ears of corn to the trees. When the corn was gone, the squirrels would feast on our sunflower seeds. So I tried several things, finally purchasing this feeder that springs shut when a squirrel attempts to get the seeds out of the feeder. But they are persistent animals. And now we live next to the woods. I tried last year to become a killer. I was a poor shot, and some in my family thought I hated squirrels. No, I just thought they shouldn't eat all of the sunflower seeds. This week I counted more than a dozen squirrels gathered around the feeders. They are smarter than I am. I surrender. As long as they promise to share...

We took our tree down yesterday and put away the decorations. Our holiday guests are all gone. But Christmas is not over. The epistle lesson for the second Sunday in Christmastide (the 11th day of Christmas) is Ephesians 1:3-14. Within these few verses, the blessings of God are celebrated. And then there is this wonderful verse: "Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us." God intended to bless us from the beginning. And there's nothing we did to deserve the blessings. And there is nothing we can do to repay God. That sounds good, but we like to give back, pay back, earn what we receive. But then it wouldn't be a gift.

Madeline (Maddy, as she prefers to be called) doesn't fit in my hands like this anymore. This photo is from the day of her baptism 8 years ago, a favorite of mine.