Today is the first day of April. What does it make you think of? I mentioned recently that we’ve decided to recognize Midnight’s birthday on April 1. Yes, there is a bit of twisted in humor in that, but only a bit — a tiny bit.
Lin mentioned “Gotcha Day.” Now I’m confused. It was the morning of December 4 of last year and we were expecting the first big storm of the winter. Sylvia and I had decided to bring the one cat — just a kitten — living in the barn into the house. We did not expect him to survive alone through the winter. His life expectancy soared when I carried him into our house. Midnight started a new life.
When you think of the promise of new life, what do you think of? Flower buds, like those in yesterday’s post? How about that young mother-to-be that you saw at the mall. Her tummy was large and there was a glow on her face. Soon she would bring a new life into the world.
Consider this:
A couple of weeks ago, I looked out of my office window (above), and saw that the winter snow was melting and green grass was visible. There was the burning bush just outside the window. At first glance it appeared to be dead. But look closer.
Those are buds. Buds that will soon be green leaves. They will be thick and dark green all through the summer. In the fall, they will turn bright red. Look closer.
It won’t be long before this happens. But the story doesn’t end there.
As I looked on this scene so full of promise, a bird landed on the bush. She was tiny and, frankly, she was plain. It was a female house finch. Her beak was full of dead grass. Grass that would line the nest where she will lay the eggs that will bring us the next generation of her kind. I’m sorry that I couldn’t capture a photo of her.
Today is Maundy Thursday. Will you observe this day?
You paint beautiful pictures with your words. It is nice to be reminded that people do stop and appreciate the everyday miracles.
This is a very good story. And the part of your story with the finch far outweighs any picture that could be given. I always like stories the most.
I think spring may be here! We're still a little hesitant to remove the snow tires just yet, tho…
I love the promise of spring and the sight of the birds gathering grass for their nests. I don't like baby bird season though–for it is chock full of death. Too much so, for my taste.
I went out with Hobbes to walk the garden, looking for all the buds on my plants and green shoots popping up. It is so nice to see.
Well, I must admit that the vast majority of pregnant women I have been around did have a glow about them, but it had more to do with just plain being angry over a number of things than anything else. Perhaps I have been hanging with the wrong crowd?