We had a wonderful, warm March this year. And then there was April. Cold, dreary and, probably, normal. While there were many folks that thought this would be a great opportunity to get a jump on getting their gardens in, I just knew the other shoe had to drop. It was March!! Sure, enough, there were frosts a plenty and some areas nearby had snow just last week. Call me cautious, I would not rather waste time, money and seeds and have them killed with frosts, which are more than normal in April...and May. So, today it is as if spring has come again.
Yesterday, after church, we had lunch and then took a chance that our Amish friends were not having a church Sunday. Since we are now attending a church not far from them and gas prices being what they are, it seems like a good chance to take. What wonderful Providence to have all our friends together for a great visit. Obviously, it was not a church Sunday and everyone happened to be visiting at David's place.
I was ashamed to have to admit that I didn't have anything in the garden yet. These ladies had planted quite a bit. Radishes, lettuce, carrots, peas, beets and potatoes. Lizzie and Lena have their plants covered. Lizzie's garden would make any 'modern' gardener proud. She has her early plants covered with row covers (hoops covered in plastic). She has purchased on Amazon.com a gardening book, Garden Ways, Joy of Gardening (one that I grew up with). I'm still trying to come to grips with the fact that this young Amish lady travels the Internet with ease. This is unsettling to my fairy tale view of their life in Amish country. Needless to say, her garden is beautiful. Do you sense any garden envy going on??
That being said, today my hands are dirty. Life is good. While the weather people, dastardly beings that they can be messing with my life by giving bad predictions, fouled up my laundry day a bit (late showers, my foot!). In the end it was not much more than a long sprinkle. It wasn't so bad that I couldn't get some goodies in the garden. There are onions, spinach, lettuce, radishes and red potatoes planted today. Now, I no longer hang my head in shame.
I learned something about potato planting. Yes, there is much I still need to learn. It seems that folks plant peas on St. Patrick's Day--heard about that one--potatoes when the dandelions bloom. Well, my dandelions are well underway. I've never planted potatoes this early. I hope things go OK. Last year, I got them in to late and, with the hot summer, I did not get a good crop. It is supposed to be a warm, damp week here, so we will see how it goes.
At least my hands are dirty....Yes.
Though we often feel mastered by sin on all sides, you have given us another master, your Son, Jesus Christ, and now our hearts are turned toward holiness and our longings toward obedience. May his great love cover the multitude of our sins;
may his perfect obedience replace our daily disobedience;
may his great power save us from love of the world, pride of life and from everything that is natural to our fallen state.
May His beauty captivate us more than our sin and His love ground us in truth and holiness.
In Jesus name we pray,
Amen
Adapted from the Valley of Vision
