Signs of Spring

As I sit to write this signs of Spring emerge throughout my yard. The Stellar Jay babies are taking shape, and I finally got a glimpse deeper into the nest yesterday to find 4 healthy kids trying to cool themselves off from the afternoon's warmth. This viewing, after several days return of wintry weather, when I could not see them at all they were so deeply buried in heat protective survival mode. Walking my yard this morning also revealed the apple tree aghast in blooms, and buzzing loudly with the sound of bees, a welcome sound indeed, after so many years of decimated bee populations to pollinate the fruit trees.

A hummingbird came by to find the feeder still in cold storage, and the tree swallows have staked out their territory, chattering madly anytime anyone gets near the nesting box. The lawn has been mowed twice now, so much earlier than most years.

The delicate japanese and vine maples are fully leafed out in all their lacey glory, yet our cold winter with no snow cover and little moisture took its toll. I have already pulled out some mature shrubs I must have planted twenty-odd years ago that did not survive. The loss of a young plant after a few short years is often expected and tolerated. My gardening philosophy is based on survival of the fittest. But to lose hardy shrubs many years old, there is sadness there, of losing old friends, icons of the yard. The Santolina artemisia perhaps not so fancy, a dry looking silver-leaved plant with natural oils that repel insects, was a staple in my yard, anchoring the bed for more frivolous florals. This shrub surely will be missed. The dense cover it provided was the perfect hiding place for ground feeding birds, or injured ones looking for respite.

With Spring the backdrop in my mind today, I am repeatedly drawn to the knowledge that one of my dearest friends sits at the oncologists office, awaiting news of last week's biopsies. A breast cancer survivor, she now faces the probability of cancer's untimely return. I silently offer prayers of love and support, holding her in Wisdom and Protection. Each year brings joy and challenge and we are never sure what stands waiting at the door. The gifts of Spring are tempered with the uncertainty of the future, reinforcing my inner drive to remain faithful to a spiritual view of life, to remain mindful in all things, to celebrate the sacredness in all things, from the tiniest aphid and ant, to the grandness of the Universe and the Quest for healing.

Knowing I can depend on the return of Spring each year, I know that our Spirits are never broken, remaining Whole throughout the trials of our earthly lives, extending beyond illness, the winter and physical death.

Be Well, Janis