February garden flowers

Although most of the East and Midwest are under blankets of snow, we have had unusually mild weather for this time of year. 

Here are some photos of outside wintered over plants from our garden to brighten your day.

Crocus
One day where there was bare ground,  the sun comes out and then they appear.

I love the late winter in the Pacific Northwest and the plants have responded to the warmth by putting out new growth and some fresh flowers.

I am putting more plants in pots recently for ease of care and ability to move them around
to fill in bare spots and for best viewing

Galianthus (snowdrops) in a pot

Hellebores  wintered over outside

This pot comes to life each year and I occasionally bring it inside to brighten our home

Primula in a pot wintered over outside

There are many more plants to add for February and I will add them to this post soon.
Thank you for your interest.

A Lesson in Loss

Nest by artist J. Matt Miller (original oil that we purchased)

“A nest is a cup of space, a swinging cradle, an anchored platform, a wedge between boulders, a pocket in bark or dirt, a scrape on rock, a dent in sand. It represents the still point in a bird’s fast-paced life, the place where past and future meet. The nest is the place where the wing beat of the hummingbird – vibrating at twenty to eighty times per second – is quieted; where the California Condor’s soaring flight to 15,000 feet is brought down to earth. It’s where the Red-tail Hawk’s shrill whistle falls silent, its thick talons folding softly over white eggs." Nests: a foreword by Gretel Ehrlich for The Nest: and Artist’s Sketchbook, MaryJo Koch, N.Y:Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 1999

 I came upon it while weeding the potager. We had been away for ten days, just enough time for the birds to scope out a perfect, undisturbed place to build their  nest and lay their eggs. Then we came back and I decided to clear out the potager of weeds. It was so hidden that I could not see it until a pulled weed revealed three beautiful eggs.  These eggs were laid by birds who flew long distances back to our garden, found a mate, built a nest and spent time laying and sitting on them.  After I took away their protective grasses, they abandoned the nest and eggs. I couldn't sleep. The eggs in the bird nest disturbed me. By my actions four birds were not brought into this world and the white crowned sparrow's hard work was in vain.

Then I heard the Lord say,"Why are you so upset with bird's eggs that you exposed to harm? The loss of three eggs, how much more important is the loss of a child."  Forgive me Lord. The family on the island who lost their son are grieving beyond our imagination, and we have not reached out. We had them over to dinner. Perhaps in your timing and your plan so we could be tender to them and have your spirit in us, not our own ways, when speaking, listening to, and praying for them. Lord fill, immeasurably more than a cup, the empty space in their lives and hearts to overflowing with your comfort and love.

How much more than we ever know the lives of others we affect by our actions or inaction.

“Peace be to the GOD and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 

January Blooms

We've learned to love January in the Pacific Northwest. Our eyes are opened to the winter blooms that cheer up the grey days. We even get a chance to plant this time of year in our southern exposure Mediterranean garden. Below are some of the lovely blooms. The first two are under our old huge cedar and the winter rains and the combination of low Southern light, brings forth leaves and blooms not seen since last winter.

This is not to discourage those who are in parts of the world where winter is harsh upon you. It is to share a bright day that brightened ours and  give hope of spring to come.

Cyclamen coum "silver fir tree" under our huge old cedar tree 

a new planting to join the others

Violets, protected under the cedar tree, peek their heads out mid January.

The rock wall , which we had Dave build several years ago, retains heat from the low winter sun. This usually dry, protected spot, loves the torrents of rain that arrive this time of year. This is when the cyclamen leaves start to appear under the cover of dropped brown cedar needles.

Lonicera x Purpusii  Honeysuckle by our garage with fragrance

Hellebores outside in a pot so we can move to show it off year round.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent (the beauty in winter flowers) think about such things." Philippians 4:8 NIV

Winter Doldrums

I have found many unpublished drafts on this blog. Below is one from several years ago

Just as I have neglected this blog, I have neglected this garden.

A sunny day reveals the garden neglect

The January garden is not a pretty sight, bare, seemingly lifeless, dregs of moldy stems, seedpods and spent flowers hanging on. It brings no color, beauty nor joy, like my life lately with no seeming focus or purpose. The garden and I have the winter doldrums. I cling to whatever is left, no matter how ugly is the “chaff that the wind blows away” in my life.

“Blow it away, Lord,” I shout. “I need your grace and love and felt presence instead. It is lonely inside of me without you.”

When prayers seem useless and all seems crushed and lifeless, think on Me. I will not neglect nor forsake you.  Jesus

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not forsaken, struck down but not destroyed, always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us; but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:8

The hope in the winter doldrums is the new life promised and hidden in me as in the garden reflects. Spring is yet to come!

We experience these things so we can help others through them. If you are feeling this way, have others pray for you, for this is how we help one another.

Sign up to receive a notice when a new blog is posted and you can always leave a comment or private message to me so I can pray for you..

New Year Direction upon Reflection

"Daniel in the Lion's Den" by Briton Riviere 1892 (depicting Daniel 6:16-24)

This blog began  April 8, 2007, almost eight years ago, in preparation for a devotional. Every week there seemed to be lions in the midst, (discouragement, distractions, anxiety) never harming but causing me instead to trust in God not my own abilities.

I recently put my energies into another blog for a year.New plans for this blog include upgrading to fit the times, editing and completing many unpublished drafts and still trusting God, as Daniel, for peace, protection and wisdom.
.
Here are the most popular posts in those almost eight years.

1. Happy Thanksgiving 11/26/09   
2. Longest living Herb 5/14/10  
3. Faith Like Potatoes 10/27/12  
4. Happy Father's Day  6/20/10   
5. Once Deleted Can't Undo 3/24/12   
6. Five Displays of Spring Garden 3/26/10  
7. Bitter Root Judgement  5/16/10   
8. Lions in our Midst 1/9/10   

Which one is your favorite and what direction should I go?

I will be rewriting others as it fits the season.

 Here is the blog Early 1900s West Indies Travelogue, that has kept me busy.

Around to it

Found on the floor of the garage - a clear message

In this new year, the message is clear. It is time to get around to it. Not just the cleaning of the garage which I thought was a message for my husband, but the things that have been waiting for me and knocking at my door, so to speak.

1. The Garden Devotional which I started 25 years ago: a publisher liked it and encouraged me, but later they decided not to pursue it when another publisher bought them out. I dropped the devotional too, and wrote infrequent Weekly Life Clip blog posts. Putting energy instead into another blog and a book proposal Early 1900s West Indies Travelogue about researching a great grandmother. A week or so ago I received a decline from the publisher regarding this, so I took the message from the garage floor to go back to my first love.
2. Watercolor thumb nail sketches in place of photos will be included weekly. It has been a long time since I have picked up a brush and all this is calling me too.
3. As I am letting go of the gardens I have loved so much, I will have the time to write and paint.. 

Pray that I get around to it!

“The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9

Wind brings change and renewal

Last Fall while we were at church, a huge wind came from the east opening the doors of the church building. When we returned home, we found it had barreled down across our field and took down the 66 feet of grape arbor and fence and gate attached. Most of the grape plants were cut off a the base. By God's grace we noticed it and put up a temporary wire fence across most of the expanse and latched the fallen gate to the one standing to keep the deer out of our garden.

The nest boxes for the Violet green swallows, abandoned since the end of July, were left hanging on posts parallel to the ground.

So this spring, we hired a crew to rebuilt the fence. They finished just in time for the swallows return.

We placed the nest box a little higher, than this picture, on a pole as before. Today we hear newly hatched swallows chirping from the box. Any day we will see the new life.

We need a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to take out the old and bring in the new, so we can hold up under the greater storms of life and give others hope.

"The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:8