The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:12 The hyacinths are blooming and I notice their scent when I walk outside. The…
The snowdrops by the door lift upward, sweet and pure, their delicate bells; and soon in the calm blaze of noon, by lowly window-sills will laugh the daffodils! Celia Thaxter (1836 – 1894) The snowdrops and crocuses are blooming in my yard. The cherry tree is still barren but soon it…
The snow outside is bright white and glistening. The thermometer reads 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and yet I am able to take a hot shower in a warm house. It is a blessing! Everyday there are little and significant blessings in our lives when we pause to take notice. I am…
The cosmos flowers are in full bloom. The stems carry variants of color that bend and sway in the breeze. I agree with this quote by William Wilberforce: Lovely flowers are the smiles of God’s goodness. Perhaps the flowers will self-seed and come back next year (I hope). The seed…
Occasionally weeds will grow in the crack in the patio cement. I was surprised one day to see the stem and leaves that I recognized as a zinnia growing in the crack. Would it flourish? A couple weeks later my husband came in from mowing the lawn and said, “There’s…
The forests and fields in northern Michigan demonstrate the abundant creativity in nature, designed by God. There are trees—pine and deciduous—ferns, wildflowers and berries. My sister and I spent a week in the Upper Peninsula. We hiked. We picked apples and berries. Thimbleberries are abundant in the Keweenaw (the peak…
As I canned cherries and gooseberries this summer, I thought of my mother. She had stimulated my interest in canning. We had made and canned thimbleberry jam together. It was a family project to pick and clean the wild berries. Gooseberries have stems and “pig tales” (the remainder of the…
God is so good. He created a wonderful world with flowers, fruit and vegetables. The first home for humans was a garden. And the Lord planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Genesis 2:8 God designed the family. Therefore a…
Almost every year, beginning in my childhood, I have spent time in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan—usually in summer or fall. It is a beautiful place! I have memories of fishing with my Dad and my brother. The fish were cleaned and served for dinner or sometimes breakfast. Over the…
Spring is unfolding wonders all around. The cherry tree has blossomed and promises abundant cherries. The lilacs and lily of the valley are in bloom. A robin has built a nest in our garden shed. While my husband and I recovered from covid, the garden shed was an undisturbed place…