Rewards of a simple life

published April 12, 2012

in the Stockton Sentinel

Stockton, Kansas

     "To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring -- these are some of the rewards of the simple life."

-- John Burroughs

     We have been gifted with a most glorious spring, albeit a little earlier than usual. It seems that the flowering trees and bushes have just outdone themselves in all their glory. Even though we're probably still lacking moisture, the recent rains have helped to quickly nourish everything. It seems like things have "greened up" overnight.

     After a mild winter, I didn't doubt the groundhog one bit when he and his shadow predicted six more weeks of winter. But we all know his prediction didn't hold any truth, at least not for our part of the country. I haven't heard too many people complaining about the weather at all.

     Just as nature unfolds around us, so do other forms of life. A couple months ago, I wrote in this column about an eagle-cam in Decorah, Iowa, that you could access on the Internet to watch a pair of eagles and their nesting. This has proved to be a fascinating pastime (not that I was looking for another one!), and now three cute little eaglets have hatched to make a family of five. If you missed out on the egg-laying and birthing, you can still follow the actioin as the babies grow and prepare to leave the nest. Just log onto and bookmark this website: http://biggeekdad.com/2011/03/decorah-eagles-webcam/. It's particularly fun now to watch the feeding process with three hungry little beaks vying for the morsels of food delivered by the parents. 

     While keeping an eye on the eagle-cam, I learned that the gestational period for the eagle's eggs is 35 days. But during the same time period, I came across some other miracle match facts that explain the hatching of eggs. For example, the eggs of the potato bug hatch in seven days; those of a canary in 14 days; eggs of a barnyard hen in 21 days; eggs of ducks and geese in 28 days; eggs of a mallard, like the eagle, at 35 days; eggs of a parrot and ostrich in 42 days. Notice how they are all divisible by seven, the number of days in a week. Of course, the gestational period for humans follows the same pattern, being 252 days -- also divisible by seven -- for 36 weeks. God's Miracle Math 101.

     I also wrote recently that my husband and I were eagerly waiting for the coming of spring because it would coincide with the coming of another granddaughter. And that has happened now, too; and I must say, she is just perfect and so sweet. I just don't think there are enough positively wonderful, precious, beautiful and adorable adjectives to describe grandchildren!

     Spring is such a wonderful time of birth; there are signs of new life all around us. We have only to be aware... and be in awe. It's the perfect time of year to reap the rewards of a simple life!