Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Wednesday, May 1, 2019
I Spy the Colors of Spring
I love the color that brightens the earth this time of year,
especially the blooming trees and bushes. After the white and grey of winter,
the array of purple, pink, yellow and green spray beauty everywhere.
First the forsythia bring sunshine with their bright yellow
blossoms. Redbuds pop with color against the pale green of the budding trees. Then
the dogwood brighten the woods with brilliant white and passion pink. And I
love the lavender of the lilac bushes.
When I was a girl, a lavender bush stood in our yard. Taller
than me and wider than a tree, I played hide and seek around the bush with my
cousin. We breathed in the fragrant smell of the gorgeous blooms. Mom cut the
branches and graced our table with the gorgeous color and fragrant smell. For
the last few years, we had a bush growing by our garage. I didn't know what the
bush was, although I should have, until the lavender clusters popped out. What
a delightful surprise.
Driving down the road with my grandson and granddaughter, we
played a game spying all the different colors of trees. Ella Cates favorite
color is pink and sure enough she found the pink dogwood and the redbud. Eli
discovered the white dogwood and the shades of green on the new spring leaves.
What fun to share my love of nature with my grands.
Take the time to notice the beauty of God's creation.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.Psalm 57:11
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Sprinter?
2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
What happened to spring? Most of the Midwest
states have experienced a new phenomenon called "sprinter" (spring
& winter.) We're wondering where the pleasant sixty-five degree
temperatures have hidden. Where the sunshine went to rest. We've had a sun-kissed
day here or there, but only a tantalizing taste. No full blown, run outside and
dance in the breeze kind of day has arrived. The result—downhearted folks who
need a boost of tulips blooming without snow laced over them.
When winter hangs on well into April, we become
restless and discouraged. This is much like seasons of life, where darkness
seems to hang over our heads. Maybe the tragedy of loss, discouragement from
what seems like every side, or the results of sin drags me down. Or the
melancholy feeling of defeat or failure. The good news is spring does finally
come. Yesterday, I heard the birds twittering their welcome.
Through the darkness, God will encourage and
refresh our hearts. His robins will sing a song of joy. Regardless of the
situation I'm in, I have wonderful hope in Jesus. I may feel discouraged and
alone, but I'm not. Jesus is with me, and he strengthens me. Pray for his
encouragement and open the Bible to his verses of grace. He's the light in the
darkness. The spring after winter.
Like the essence of spring, Jesus refreshes my soul.
Wednesday, April 18, 2018
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Thursday, March 29, 2018
Monday, March 26, 2018
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Monday, April 17, 2017
Monday, March 20, 2017
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Poetry Review: When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano; illustrated by Julie Morstad
Book Description:
Flowers blooming in sheets of snow make way for happy frogs dancing in the
rain. Summer swims move over for autumn sweaters until the snow comes back
again. In Julie Fogliano's skilled hand and illustrated by Julie Morstad's
charming pictures, the seasons come to life in this gorgeous and comprehensive
book of poetry.
My Review:
I ordered When Green Becomes Tomatoes from the library because the title intrigued me. Curious about what the poet had to say about the seasons, I opened the book and fell into a lovely treasure of words. Julie Fogliano's poems may be written for children, but they spoke to my soul. As a lover of nature, I delighted in each encounter. The verses are titled by date and divided into seasons. I especially liked "july 12", the date of my birthday. The children go to the beach and eat plums and peanut butter sandwiches. How fun! I'm also partial to the winter poems. Not only are the poems well done, the illustrations are perfect. They set the stage for each season. Julie Morstad's gouache and pencil crayon art are soft and appealing. I highly recommend reading this book to your children; after you read it yourself.
I ordered When Green Becomes Tomatoes from the library because the title intrigued me. Curious about what the poet had to say about the seasons, I opened the book and fell into a lovely treasure of words. Julie Fogliano's poems may be written for children, but they spoke to my soul. As a lover of nature, I delighted in each encounter. The verses are titled by date and divided into seasons. I especially liked "july 12", the date of my birthday. The children go to the beach and eat plums and peanut butter sandwiches. How fun! I'm also partial to the winter poems. Not only are the poems well done, the illustrations are perfect. They set the stage for each season. Julie Morstad's gouache and pencil crayon art are soft and appealing. I highly recommend reading this book to your children; after you read it yourself.
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Beauty of today 1/13/16
Love this beautiful lavender Hannah brought me for Christmas.
Scented with essential lavender oil. A little spring in the winter.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Aggravating Allergies
©Penny Frost McGinnis |
I missed work on Friday, free admission to the Nature Center on Saturday, and church on Sunday. I probably sound whiny because I am. But I just hate missing out on life. Yet I know God calls me to rest and too often I don't listen. My husband tries to remind me, yet I think I'm okay and I plow through.
My advice to myself and anyone who might read this. Rest when your body gives the signs. Take care of yourself. And sleep as needed. It's not easy or convenient sometimes to just rest, but it's sure necessary.
Here's hoping the allergies are done with me or will at least give me a pass for the rest of spring.
Do you have allergies? What do you do to keep them at bay?
Friday, April 17, 2015
Surprises of Spring
Matthew 27: 50;54-56
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
When the centurion and those with him who were
guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were
terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” Many women were
there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care
for his needs.
Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James
and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.
©Penny Frost McGinnis |
Each day of spring holds a different surprise. In
March the daffodils wave in the breeze and the hyacinths send their sweet smell
into the air. Then April bursts with yellow forsythia and bright tulip trees. On
my way to work this week, I noticed the redbud trees in bloom. Their lovely
pinkish-red buds contrast with the fresh green leaves of the maple and oaks. Up
the street a weeping cherry's petals hang like a pink cloud. In the thicket the
dogwood's white petals spread. God created beautiful blossoms for the season.
As I've enjoyed the colors of spring, I couldn't
help but think of Jesus. As pretty as the redbuds are, the dark red color
beneath the pink reminds me of the blood Jesus shed. The dogwood with the four
leaves, two longer and two shorter, resemble a cross with indents said to look like
scars. An old legend taught that the dogwood was meant to be a reminder of the crucifixion.
And the weeping cherry made me think of Mary who cried for her son. Spring is a
time of revival and renewal of life. Jesus gives life everlasting. Praise God
for new life!
Monday, April 13, 2015
Spring Beauties
Sessile Trillium ©Penny Frost McGinnis |
Large-flowered Trillium ©Penny Frost McGinnis |
I'm excited to find flowers sprouting and blooming. God never disappoints. He's created some of the most interesting and beautiful plants. It'd been a long time since I wandered through the woods in spring. Discovering the trillium (above)was like finding a treasure. My husband and I spotted them the first week we hiked but they hadn't bloomed. This week they spread their color.
As an added delight, I found a Jack-in-the-pulpit (below, right). Easy to miss because of their leaf-like appearance. Then we ran across the lovely, whimsical plant (two bottom pics) with cup-like blooms and curled tendrils. If anyone knows the name, please let me know. Enjoy the pics. I had fun taking them.
All photo ©Penny Frost McGinnis
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
A Gem in the Woods
I found this beauty on my walk today. The star shaped white trout-lily popped up through the remnants of autumn. Take a peek at the mottled leaves.
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