Well I Never!

You're never too old to learn something new.

Some things/items catch my interest and when they do I'm like a dog with a bone . . . I just won't let go

Just as I was about to publish today's post, I saw this!

Just perfect for today!

The first thing I'm sharing today is from our local news channel in Houston.  Did you know there are yellow cardinals?  hmmm....I sure didn't.....until now.

Here's the article from CBS news Houston, KHOU.

"He's like one of those highlighters, bright yellow," Catherine Reddick said. 

She first spotted the rare bird in early December at her backyard bird feeder in Harriman, Tennessee. She snapped a quick, grainy cell phone photo to capture the sighting.

"I took the picture to work the next day and was showing everyone, you won't believe what I just saw, and no one really got how excited I was," said Reddick. 

She said the cardinal came back and she was able to capture a better picture on her DSLR camera. She shared it online in a Facebook birding group and it quickly took off.

Experts estimate there are about a dozen of these birds in North America. The coloration probably comes from a genetic mutation that doesn't turn the pigments from the birds' diet into red, but instead yellow, resulting in the vibrant yellow coloring.

Another thing that caught my attention lately is from Annie at Cottage by the Sea.  She introduced me to a Padparadscha, a sapphire of a different color!

If you thought that sapphires were always blue, you’d be wrong! Padparadscha sapphires are a member of the sapphire family. However, these highly unique pink and orange stones are completely different from their blue counterparts.

While they may not be as well-known as other sapphires, they are strikingly beautiful. Almost none of the other pink stones capture a colour as vibrant. Padparadscha sapphires are highly sought after, especially now that they have a real royal connection. ( Princess Eugenia)

The name ‘padparadscha’ is almost as unique as the gem itself.

It’s derived from the Sinhalese word padma radschen, which means lotus blossom. This specific kind of sapphire is a similar colour to the beautiful pinkish-orange aquatic flower.

The lotus flower is famed the world over as it grows in muddy waters and rises above the surface to bloom. As a result, the flower has become representative of incredible beauty despite the odds. It’s now a symbol of purity of the heart and mind.

This flower is also said to bring about longevity, good health, honour and good luck. The meaning of the stone is thus tied to its namesake, and padaparadscha sapphires possess all these sterling qualities.

The most valuable sapphire is a padaparadscha, due particularly to its rarity and the intense beauty of its colour.

Well, I had never and now I have! 😀

The Lord has given us so much beauty, 

just look around and you'll surely see it.

Until Next Time