A Saturday in April

 

Today feels like Spring! Sunshine, birdsong, no wind, and everything bursting into leaf and bud. I have waited for such a day. Ah April! The Red Currant bush along my walking path is such a beautiful bright pink. My garden is not a large one and it seems that every plant I admire I want to have, but simply cannot. I take great delight in admiring others' gardens and plants growing in the wild, like the one above.

Soft petals swirled around me as I walked under this gorgeous prunus tree. I anticipate its blooms each spring. Such a cloud of loveliness. I thought of how beautiful the world is and how safe and helpless I feel in my own small corner of it while elsewhere bombs and guns destroy and kill. Beauty has power, creating an ache and a longing for wholeness. If only evil men would take the time to let beauty seep into their souls. 

Weeping Willow trees remind me of my childhood. A very large one grew between a farmer's field and a road not too far from my home. I, and other children loved climbing it. How high we felt looking down over cars passing underneath. The acid green of spring waving in the wind brings it all back. 

I stopped to watch a bright American Robin splashing exuberantly in a bird bath. Such flapping of wings and spraying of water. He perched on the edge to dry off, cocking his head at me with little fear. How loud the robins are in the morning. I hear them at first light and think what a lovely sound to wake up to, then fall asleep again.

Some of my recent reading. The Beatrix Potter Gardening book and The Country Commonplace Book are both ones I dip in and out of. Spring by Michael Morpugo is from the library and I'm enjoying his account of Springs present and past in his corner of Devon. A few Cadbury mini eggs and a pair of bunnies also look springlike. 

This week I dyed a few eggs with purple cabbage, cranberry juice, turmeric, and tea. I keep them in the fridge most of the time, but for tomorrow's Easter Dinner they will be part of the table decoration. We're hosting the family. Everyone contributes something, so it's not too much work for anyone. There will be a "treat" hunt, not just chocolates, for the littles in the afternoon. I asked the 15-year-old if she was still interested in an egg hunt and she didn't hesitate to say, "yes!"

I wish you all a most Happy Easter as we celebrate Jesus' Resurrection bringing hope and joy.