April blossoms

Last week the cherry trees, plum, early apple and Asian pear were in bloom and I missed a picture, so here is a sample display of pink and white blossoms in our orchard this week to cheer you.

Granny Smith Apple blossom

Crab apple blossoms

Espalier apple just starting to blossom

 Purple and Pink Blooms in the Potager Garden

Pansies and lilies inn a pot

More pansies by the gate 

Tree peony and Clematis Montana at the gate.

 By the way, the bees are out and about!
"...The whole earth is full of His glory." Isaiah 6:3

Palm Sunday Leading to Easter

We prepared the week before last for special company, cleaning, cooking and decorating to make "fit for a king."  We also prepared for Palm Sunday,  to celebrate the entrance of Jesus into the city of Jerusalem, the King of Kings, riding on a donkey, with palm fronds waved by children.

The Chinese Windmill  palm  (Trachycarput fortunei) in the Hot border, the main palm died and this is the new life that came from it.

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Another palm in the past was moved from the hot border to a pot and placed it near the rose arbor tucked away from winter winds when temperatures dropped.

"Open Palms" like a Prayer in Winter Snow (several years ago)

Palm Moved to the Front Deck

So we sacrificed  and clipped off the bottom fronds and a friend helped slice the barbs off the stems so children's hands would not be injured and on Palm Sunday the children of the church waved the palms and sang "Hosanna".

This weekend, Easter, we prepare for the "King of Kings" Jesus. Preparation, not outward cleaning or movements to better spaces but coming clean inside to make us fit so we can open our hearts to receive all that Jesus did for us. He left heaven as the three in one Godhead, took on human form, born of a virgin, lived a life of dependence on the Holy Spirit with all the temptations of humanity but without sin, became the sacrificial lamb of God to take away the sins of the world and all who believe in Him, and sent His Holy Spirit to live in those who believe, so we could be set free from the power and penalty of sin and have access to the same Holy Spirit for every part of our redeemed life. If you have not asked Jesus into your life, do it this Easter. Don't just prepare outwardly but your heart inwardly knowing He has rescued us, setting us apart so we can receive Him. He is risen! He is Alive!


How are you preparing for Easter? Is it just outward preparation or is it the most important preparation you can ever do, that of opening your heart so the King of Kings to come into your life so  Jesus can live through you.   Happy Easter!

Lent

Hellebore “Lenten Rose” blooms every year around Easter

Lent and time for the Spirit's leading us to repent

My Hellebore reminder.

(not that I confess only seasonally)

I'm not one to follow lent in terms of giving up things I might love. I believe in doing this occasionally when I am called to pray and fast for deeper prayer connection with God and to intercede  for others to receive the peace and wisdom needed in difficult situations .  

But I do believe in preparation for Easter.  It is not just a day filled with flowers and family and food, although these are still important. Preparation enhances the reality of what Jesus did for us so we can celebrate new life in an even greater way, not just in the Spring garden.

 I could not find the potted Hellebore in the garden yesterday. It was a mystery, but I got involved in making a St Patrick’s Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage and forgot about it and listened to Celtic songs “You Raise Me Up” (fast forward video to 2 minutes)

 I sing this as a prayer to God.

This morning after praying for what I should write, the image of a half-dead hellebore in a dark car trunk popped into my head. I forgot! Four days ago I put it in the back of the minivan to bring it to church. It was used as an altar flower during lent in previous years, and I brought it just in case someone forgot to tell me they needed flowers.  But I was the one who forgot, and found it in the back of the minivan on its side.

My husband mentioned that he heard something rolling around, but didn't pay attention to what it was. I had not used the car since Sunday.

Hellebore message

As I pray for wisdom for myself and you, a message seems clear: often things happen so we might look at ourselves more clearly. We can blame someone else for the bigger problems or we can distract ourselves so we don’t think about it, but the sight of the Hellebore lying on its side, dirt scattered about, broken leaves and blossoms gives a message about the reality of what is not right in our lives. 

• ·     Whether you believe in sin or not, God wants us to see our lives as He does. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
• ·     Realize the chasm between us and God. Romans 1:18-32
•    "The path to healing requires repentance, and repentance requires conviction of sin, and conviction of sin requires clear exposition of the Word of God, even when it is uncomfortable.” John Piper p. 44 World Jan 23, 2014
•  "From that time on Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’” Matthew 4:17  
•  “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus, John 10:10
•  “Receive the Holy Spirit, repent and be baptized.” Acts 2:31-38
•  “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in…” Jesus Revelation 3:20

How might you prepare for Easter? May you sense the Holy Spirit's leading.

Meyer Lemon Tree

A year ago February at the NW Flower and Garden Show in Seattle, we bought a Meyer Lemon tree.
When our daughter lived in California, they had one in their back yard, we admired it and thought we would try one for ourselves.

Meyer Lemon in a pot with fruit

So we bought and brought home the almost two foot tall blossom filled plant with hopes of it bearing fruit. I hand pollinated it with a brush over the open white flowers and kept it inside our sun room until all danger of frost passed and put it outside in the sun through the summer and fall. Fruit was slowly developing and I kept asking my daughter if it was ready yet. She said that it should be orange-yellow. So yesterday, I went to pick the fruit and it fell into my hands upon touch.

Meyer Lemon Tart with garnish of Lemon Verbena leaves

Today I found a great recipe that used the three lemons. It was just ripe in time for a Memorial and potluck dessert for Howard, a wonderful and missed member of our Shaw Island Fellowship and community.  So hopefully the tree will continue to flower and bear and I will remember Howard each year when it does and also be thankful for our daughter's introduction to the fresh winter fruit.

May we all bear fruit such as Howard did.
"May you be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God..." Colossians 1:9-10

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