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Thank You, Father...

At last it is really springtime!  

"Mother Earth has opened the door.  Out into the lovely warm spring sunshine comes the stately procession of beetles, ladybirds and root-children with their blades of grass and flowers..."  Sibylle von Olfers. 

All the trees are in the process of sprouting their new crop of leaves and, rose bushes are fat with young, red leaves.  Only a few weeks ago, they appeared barren – now there is an explosion of new life in the garden.

Some more miracles are gently unfurling in the garden...  the leaf buds on the Crepe myrtles that were so badly infected last year and I'd butchered down in a desperate intent to save them are beginning to swell.  Soon they will be full of blossoms, and so is with those Elephant Ears bulbs I left on the ground last autumn, hoping for the best.... they survived the winter, all of them... and are already starting to sprout out of the softened earth.  Soon, the garden will be embellished once again with their big, green lovely leaves...  

Nature is so trustworthy.  A faithful consort to humankind, and a reminder of God's faithfulness towards His children...

The first swallowtail has arrived... large, colorful and beautiful.  She has made my garden her home, and whenever I'm outside, insists in calling my attention in her wild language of butterflies by fluttering around and about me in graceful waves of joy.  As if saying "I'm here I'm here!"... look at me". 

So close to me she fluttered the other day, I could had almost hold her in my hand...  And from where has she come from?  And where her hiding place may be?  In the wild cherry?  In the tulip trees? Isn't it too early in the season for these lovely creatures to be already fluttering about in my flowerless garden?  Indeed, I consider this yet another miracle to place in the stash of wonders in my magical sack.    

The photograph above is from last year, when all the butterfly bushes and zinnias were in bloom.  To help this lovely friend of my garden survive until then, I have provided her a butterfly feeder, with overripe fruit to feed on.  Pinterest is full of ideas on how to create your own...

Pinterest

Putting a plate inside a larger plate or saucer that is filled with water will keep ants away from the fruit. Don't worry about butterflies not finding the feeders... butterflies have a good sense of smell, they have scent receptors at the ends of their antennas, and taste receptors on the bottoms of their feet.  I hope she finds mine real soon....

I'm loving these beautiful days of spring and flowering things. I am busy and buzzing like a butterfly myself, flitting from blossom to blossom, up, down and all around. The air is alternately frosty and warm, but sunshine makes things look extra lovely and a world filled with hope, and greens that are fluorescent and glowing. 

PS:  Are you under chilly weather again?  No?  Lovely as can be?  We woke up to a very cold day today with that colder air pouring down from the East.  Ugrrrh!  Strange year, isn't it.