Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.

-Martin Luther.

Flowers in Heaven

Today as we were playing in the backyard, Peter asked if there were going to be flowers in Heaven. I was quite heartened by his question thinking maybe my love for flowers and gardening has rubbed off on the little man. I assured him there were probably flowers in heaven. Afterall, they're beautiful and heaven is beautiful. I wasn't expecting his response. He was quite disconcerted.
Me: "Peter, why don't you want flowers in Heaven?"
Peter: "Bees go wherever flowers are."
Me: "Well, what's wrong with having a few bees around?"
Peter: "Bees have forms."
Me: "Forms?"
Peter: "Yeah, you know like cactus have forms, bees have 'em too."

Beware of Bees' forms.

Picture of my garden courtesy of Peter

Earth's Crammed with heaven,
And every common bush afire with God,
But only he who sees takes off his shoes . . .

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Decisions...decisions...

Laundry or garden....

Laundry or garden...

A beautiful spring day not a cloud in the sky and rain expected later.

I choose...

Garden.

Dan doesn't really need more black socks for his uniform until Monday (shhhh... I think he may be wearing white ones today:)))). Maybe I should buy some more this weekend. He always seems to run low on them... or maybe could it be that laundry always is my last choice of things I want to do when I'm doing my to-do's.

Spring

I am one of little faith when it comes to gardening. It always amazes me that my perennials return each Spring. Every winter after a hard freeze I think, "oh no this time my flowers are gonners for sure," but those brave flowers keep coming back. Yep, they're back alright, each year bigger and stronger than they were before. I guess life is just like that. Winters will always come, but so will the Spring. But as a friend quoted... "Grace grows best in Winter." (Rutherford)

Roots

This little town I live in is growing on me. There was a time when I complained about the lack of culture and the smell of pig farms (okay maybe last week), but I'm starting to love this place! It all started when I started planning my gardens. The more I plant the more I notice the little things around me that I love so much. I love those alfalfa fields I pass on my way to the grocery store . . . I love my friends here. Their husbands have the same long hours (or worse) than mine does, giving us plenty of time for playdates, coffee, projects, planting and shared experiences. . . and I love the Mennonite store out in the country with the creaky screen door that slams shut behind you where I can buy my milk in glass jars . . .

I always dreamed of living on a farm. The idea of sharing all three meals with Dan, sitting on the front porch together, watching the sun go down on the fields we planted, working the land and enjoying the fruit of our labor, but Dan reminded me the other day that a farmer's life is one of the hardest: with early morning wake ups and late nights changing water. It's stressful when your life depends on the crops and weather. But here I have the best of both worlds. I have a life out in the country, with a husband who gets a paycheck, most Saturdays off, and lots of leave (when they actually let him take it). They say to "bloom where you're planted." I'm blooming so fast that these roots are getting deep!

A New Hobby

I can't sleep at night. The cause for my insomnia is a new friend: my garden. It has taken over all my spare thoughts and some not so spare ones. . . . "How-to" books keep me up at night. Visions of butterfly, wildflower, and organic vegetable gardens dance through my dreams.

It has even taken over my bathroom. Yes, that's right my bathroom! I have made my bathroom my new greenhouse. It's the lightest room in the house. I have 72 seedlings sprouting and more on their way! Lavender, Tomatoes, and Basil are filling my bathtub.

But my favorite thing about gardening, is gardening with Peter and Anna. They bring wonder to the whole experience: discovering crickets, worms, and lizards, digging holes, not to mention watering the plants. Now that's the "cat's meow!" Life is just so much more exciting with 2 little ones in tow.