"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1
The season of Spring this year finds the two of us suddenly experiencing a time of grace and peace.
We seem to be gathering in material and spiritual blessings after a long difficult year
of so many personal, economical and social changes for the whole country, and for ourselves.
The last thing I want to do is take them for granted and forget them.
And so I write to remember them and be grateful again.
Husband and I sat together on the bench on the pond bank waiting for Mom and Pop Wood Duck to show up with their annual spring babies. This isn't the norm because we're used to craning our necks from the car window to get a glimpse of them as we fly (drive) by the pond next to our driveway.
After waiting patiently, we saw them swim out from some brush by the bank,
but no sign of the young ones yet.
We had homemade waffles for breakfast. That isn't the norm either, because they take time and patience to make and then to clean up after. It took determination to actually relax and enjoy them with the maple syrupy goodness and side of our farm fresh scrambled eggs I served them with.
We used to often get caught up in the hurriedness of mornings rituals (routines) and now
we remind ourselves that's it's ok to slow down for something as simple as breakfast,
in order enjoy and be grateful for it.
And perked coffee is really tastier when we don't rush the sipping and savoring of it.
We spend our days working outdoors when it's physically possible and weather permitting.
And I'm especially grateful for these days because winter has been long.
It's really a joy to watch how fast spring has rushed in and taken over the bare brown pastures,
the empty gardens and trees, and the lethargic farm animals and wildlife.
Our lovely little dogwood this year. It's really beginning to take off and grow!
A robin announcing Spring
The tulip magnolia in the chicken pen with so many more blooms than last year!
The dairy girls looking especially healthy and happy while chasing first signs of green grass.
Solomon's Seal already blooming
A new pathway in one of the gardens
We were lucky to sell one of our cows this month for a good price.
We needed some work done on our house and a new deck to replace the old unusable one.
Now Dori has found a new farm home and we have ourselves a new sundeck out our back door.
With a beautiful view!
The Easter vigil has come and gone, but the blessings of this event still linger on
in the dogwood blossoms - and hopefully in everyone's hearts who celebrated it.
I learned or re-learned something about the dogwood leaf this year.
"The petals of the dogwood actually form the shape of a cross. Upon close examination, it can be seen that the blooms of the tree always have four petals. The middle of the Dogwood flower has a tight grouping of resembling a "crown of thorns." And the tips of each of the petals are indented, as if they bear a nail dent." ~ plantmegreen.com
One of the nicest blessings that came this spring when COVID slowed down
is our ability to get to visit and be with Mom, who is 95 years young.
She can't remember one sentence much less three,
but her great-grandson patiently taught her everything she'll ever need to know on this recent visit.
Most likely about dinasaurs because he's a master on that subject for a 5 year old.
And she was smiling the whole time.
Our granddaughter fell asleep almost immediately, as she always does in Grandmom's arms.
She's so comfortable there.
There's just so many blessings and good things that happen every day,
it's a fruitless wasit of time getting caught up on negative things that can take us down so quickly.
Troubles are sure to come and in many forms,
but each day is a gift and when we look for the blessings we are sure to find them.
And to be grateful!
~ Gwen of IRISH ACRES
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