Thomas Trock

Mountain Cathedrals: The Outdoors From a Different Perspective

Rabbits Squirrels Mice

Shrews I

You alone are the LORD; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You. – Nehemiah 9:6 Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. – Jeremiah 32:17 O LORD, how many and varied are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your riches and Your creatures. …

Read moreShrews I

Snowshoe Hare Color Change II

“Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. – Matthew 5:36-37 NKJV “Come now, let’s settle this,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. – Isaiah 1:18 NLT Snowshoe hares (often called rabbits) change color depending on the season of the year. During the spring, summer, and …

Read moreSnowshoe Hare Color Change II

Squirrel – Summer Nest

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – Hebrews 4:13 NIV As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, – Romans 3:10, 23 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For this is good and acceptable in the sight …

Read moreSquirrel – Summer Nest

Squirrels and Bird Feeders

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, …

Read moreSquirrels and Bird Feeders

Snow Vole

For You have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm,   Isaiah 25:4 This is still one of my favorite posts from winter. I hope you enjoy it too. Whilst hiking a short time ago, I came across the above pictured vole. He was doing his best to ride out a snowstorm that swirled around him, but it appeared to me he might be on the losing side of things. About two feet of ice and snow were under him. The top crust of ice that he was huddled …

Read moreSnow Vole

Fawns and Chipmunks

A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem. A psalm of David. How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. Psalm 133:1-3 NLT This summer these two fawns were lying next to our patio when Mr. Chipmunk came scurrying up (see Chipmunk). …

Read moreFawns and Chipmunks

Chipmunk

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. God has united you with Christ Jesus. For …

Read moreChipmunk

Red Squirrel

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 In the mountains where I live, we have only one species of tree squirrel. I’ve seen them in different hues of red, and their underside can range from orange to bright white as seen in the above photo. Their dark eyes are highlighted by the thin, white outer ring of fur which make them look almost clown-like to me. Red Squirrels, or pine squirrels as the locals call them, are quite vocal. They chirp …

Read moreRed Squirrel

Unity

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1 Just ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you. Job 12:7 For as long as I can remember, interactions between animals have always fascinated me. When I see various critters near each other, I can watch them for a long time and not grow tired of seeing what transpires. I often find myself wondering what the animals are thinking when they look at each other from close range. I wonder if that …

Read moreUnity

Water Source

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water. Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:10, 13-14 Even though I’ve been blessed to spend a lot of time in the woods during my …

Read moreWater Source

Snowshoe Hare Color Change I

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18 I took this picture of a snowshoe hare last year whilst hiking the mountains with Star the Wonderdog. It was early springtime, and had there been much snow on the ground, the hare would have been difficult to see. As it was, I noticed it from quite a distance away. I couldn’t quite make out what the white patch was from where I stood, …

Read moreSnowshoe Hare Color Change I

Snow Squirrel

For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:10-11 Sometime around Thanksgiving we like to head off into the mountains and find a Christmas tree. On certain tracts of public …

Read moreSnow Squirrel