Lullaby

Summer night frog song
Chorus repeated tirelessly
Lullaby for sleep.

A friend has recently challenged me to record my frog sounds and include with the post. I'm working on that project.

Bullfrog

King Rana Bullfrog
Teaching stillness and patience
Waiting by the pond.

Mother's Day Roses

Happy Mother's Day. I have a red climbing rose that begins to bloom on around Mother's Day every year. It reminds me of the tradition of wearing a red rose to church on Sunday if your Mother was living and a pink rose if your Mother was not living. We always picked our roses from the wild ones growing along the fence. I no longer follow that tradition, but I remember it every year and honor my Mother in my heart. In 2008 I wrote a series of 3 poems about the rose.

Promise in the bud
Of great beauty yet to come,
Glory unfulfilled.

Promise in the flower
Of sweet perfume that lingers,
Holding memories.

Promise in the fruit
Of ripened maturity,
Leads to life again.

Wisteria

Wisteria drips
Sweet perfume and purple bloom.
God's extravagance!

Lost Week

For a week I have not breathed the fresh air, smelled the sweet perfume of spring blooms, heard the chirping of birds, felt the warmth of sun on skin or seen the glory of spring days. For a week I have been in the hospital fighting a blood infection. Today, after 5 nights and most of 6 days, I am home sitting on the deck recouping. It feels like heaven. The doctors, nurses and staff did their part admirably in providing the right care at the right time. Laura was faithful to cheer me and her homemade tea and bread sustained me when I could not manage the hospital food. Bill was my rock and comforter. The smothie he made me every morning nourished my body and his quiet presence, attentive to my needs, nourished my spirit. The concern and prayers of my family and friends enabled me to look ahead to better days. Thank you all for the part you played in my recovery. And thanks be to God for his ever-present care.

Spring Break Continues

We enjoyed Claire and Amanda for a sleep-over and we all enjoyed playing outside.

April is also the time for dogwoods and redbuds and blooms of all kinds. Sometimes the weather is just right and everything blooms at once.

Redbud Smile

Redbuds peeking out
Beneath forest canopy
Purple smiles of spring.

April 6

Sometimes all the elements fall into place. Working in the garden, observing birds, kayaking with Laura, Claire, Amanda and Bill, and doing a little fishing with the girls. What a day! Record high temp made us think late June instead of April. We have been gardening in the same location since 1975. Much has changed over the years even as there has been a constancy. My garden meditation:

Seasons
Told in four stanzas
Repeated year after year
My garden poem.