Trifecta of wonder

Today was certainly a day when the Universe handed me three lovely gifts. I was out of town and after my last appointment of the day I recieved three little treats within an hour.

First: I was walking out of an office building, when I looked down to see a perfectly formed little birds nest. The whole family was gone, moved away, there were no eggs in sight, so I picked up the little habitat and gingerly placed it on the passenger seat for the ride home.
Second: A rainbow appeared in the sky and stayed there for the entire drive home. Just sitting up in a cloud really. Quite beautiful
Third: A blue heron flew across the sky right in front of my car. It was elegant and appeared to be flying almost in slow motion, oblivious to any primitive motor vehicles below. This creature was a thing of beauty.

So, the hat trick of nature's wonders, just for me. I feel giddy. I am placing the nest on my altar. It's an altar of beauty really. Beautiful things that others have given me over the years, or that I have collected that have special meaning. For anyone who cares to know, here are the items on my altar:

An icon of the Virgin of Guadelupe ( don't ask, it's like some sort of new obsession)
A bottle of black sand from Hawaii- a special gift from my sister Nancy and her husband Tom from their vacation many years ago
Starfish-a gift from my daughter Angela from when she went to Florida as a child
Rosary that I won in a fourth grade spelling bee (the begining of my nerdification)
Red sand from Red Rock Canyon given to me by Bobbie Joe
Fools gold that I panned for myself at a cheesy "gold mine" in California on a trip with girlfriends
A music box with a man and a woman who dance around in circles under a glass dome- I searched for years on the Internet before finding this as it reminds me of my grandmother
Several rocks that were given to me as gifts-what can I say, I dig rocks
Turtle carved from driftwood- a gift from my friend Susie, plus the turtle is my totem
Feathers- I collect them
Ceramic toad with mushrooms painted on it (that's a story best told over drinks)
Smooth stone with the words "Carpe Diem" painted on it (that is my life motto)
Heart shaped ceremonial rattle-given to me by Susan
Large crystal given to me by one of the few "real psychics" I've ever met-good woman, good energy

So now I am taking this darling little bird's nest and placing it on my altar. It will house my newest hopes and dreams. I will write them down and place them in the nest tonight. Perhaps with time and intention they will hatch into reality. The world is a thing of beauty, this is for sure. Today I am grateful, just so grateful.