Hope's Returning. Spring Is Coming!

Daffodils will bloom in a few weeks. Next will be the tulips. In late spring, the heady scent of irises and lilac will fill the air. (We will be able to smell them better without wearing a mask outside.) Buds and blossoms will come on the trees in April. By May leaves will shade us from the sun.

Spring is coming.

I feel a lightness this week as the temperature is in the 40s and 50s. I have seen the sun this entire week. I may have spring fever--a joyous overdose of Vitamin D! I believe many of us will have greater spring fever as we spring forth from such a difficult winter.

Pandemic measures are lifting in many places. Children can play on real playgrounds. Students are returning to in-person school (except a few holdouts). We have a vaccine that is rolling out to more people every day. Our children can play outside again--no more subarctic temperatures in Texas. We are spiritually stronger from our journey.

Life is improving.

Usually, March is a difficult time for me, but I feel more hope this year. Most of us have made it through the winter, though we mourn those we have lost to COVID-19, suicide, and other deaths of despair over the past year. We hope to heal from that pain.

And we need that hope to move on.

Last month we celebrated the achievements of people in Black history and the Black community. This month we celebrate women, spring, and leprechauns. Easter is around the corner.

We will celebrate new life!

One woman in my neighborhood is looking forward to planting her garden. She is starting her seedlings indoors now. I want to plant a flower garden and vegetable garden too in my new yard. I don't know where I am going to plant it, but I will.

I have flower seeds from last year I wanted to plant at my new house, but couldn't without topsoil. This year I can plant in my landscaped areas all the flowers I want. I plan on planting rose bushes in my front yard and possibly my back yard. I grew four large rose bushes at my last house that I received frequent compliments on (and frequent scratches). The blooms smelled divine. I trimmed the dead roses off once a week two leave stems down, so they would regrow. Sadly, the next owners pulled out my rose bushes and several trees when I passed by a few months later. Boohoo! They will surely miss out on the great smells and shade.

My mom taught me how to care for roses and other plants. I planted all the same rose varieties at my last home that my mother planted at my childhood home. I smelled so many roses and looked at the variations in color to match the right ones. I now have the opportunity to choose those same varieties and many more.

I have a huge yard to plant so much in. I want to plant strawberries and raspberry bushes too. My husband hates raspberry bushes because they are similar to the noxious Washington weed--blackberry bushes--but I will plant raspberries! I love my thorny rose and berry plants.

After all, the best plants have thorns.

In truth, life is full of thorns, fruit, and flowers. We have moments of joy and moments of sadness. We enjoy those precious moments more because of the contrast. The last year has had many thorns. Now we can hope to enjoy the fruit and flowers after so many pricks.

Do you want to plant a vegetable garden or flower garden this year? What are you looking forward to this spring?

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