The Goodness of Spring, Strawberry Progress, and a Prayer

I love stepping outside right after the rain.  Everything looks so lush and vivid and saturated with color.  The smell is fresh and earthy. Jewels of left over rain drops gather in tiny pools on top of leaves.  There is a sense of cleansing.  The dirt, sprinkles of mulch, and chalk drawings are washed away - a blank canvas is set for small hands. Time stands still for a moment as I take everything in. I know the seedlings and young plants are so happy to have a good long drink.  

I walked around the yard to see how everything is progressing this spring. A couple of years ago I planted 5 strawberry plants I got from a local shop. I planted them within the landscape on the side of my house in early spring.  They grew really well and by the time fall rolled around I was able to cut off several shoots.  The new strawberry plants went to the other side of my house last spring.  Both patches have since taken off and the berries are coming in strong! It's been such a pleasant surprise every time we turn over a leaf to find a red ripe strawberry. Every day this week we've had enough to snack on and share. By the end of the week I was able to freeze a couple quarts for smoothies. I'm so impressed that 5 little but mighty plants grew so much in two short years. 

I'm so thankful for all of the plants that have been shared with us over the years. I hope to spread the love with our plants as they continue to grow and spread.

The left image is part of the original space where the first 5 strawberries plants were put in two years ago.
The right image is a berry bowl from my last firing - I couldn't part with this one!! 

    

The second patch now in its second growing season.

Broccoli and cabbage within the front yard landscape.  The cabbage is a part of a peach tree guild.  Calendula is on the other side of the peach tree and comfrey is to the side.  Some calendula sprouts re-seeded from last year. I also threw down new calendula seeds (saved from last year's plants) that are starting to sprout.

Blackberry blossoms from my Grandma Kramer's patch and the beginning of blueberries from a bush my Mother-in-law once had. 

A few perennial plants that we split and transplanted from my Grandma and Grandpa's house on my Dad's side of the family.

       The left image is a perennial coreopsis. 

The center image is the flowers from the comfrey plant. Comfrey is a popular plant in permaculture food forests. It provides nitrogen to the soil and can also be cut back a couple times a year to use as a green mulch. Comfrey and calendula are both known for their healing properties.

Right is a peony that we split and transplanted from my Grandma and Grandpa's house on my Mom's side of the family. 

Don't we all need a good cleansing sometimes?  Whether it's spiritual, physical, mental, or emotional, I've needed it.  Sometimes I can go dry for awhile, but then it's time for a good long drink.  This time around it's been all spiritual.  I've had a dry spirit for far too long and the past two years have been all about cleansing.  I needed a good washing of the soul so I could rebuild my spirit. Just like a hard rain that comes to wash away all the built up dirt and grime, I am reminded that I am made new by the grace of God our Father.  Just like a good rain that brings new sprouts in the spring, I am given new life and restored by the life giving water of the Holy Spirit. During this season of tremendous growth and strengthening, I pray that we are touched by the amazing grace and love of our Father, and renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." Ephesians 8:5-6

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we are all Baptized into one body--Jews, or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." 1 Corinthians 12:12-13

"I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power." Ephesians 1:17-19