GratiTuesday - Blossoms

Spring has come and almost gone here in North Carolina, and we're seeing more and more evidence of the new life that this particular season has brought.  My Pennsylvania blood, however, hasn't reconciled with this new gardening plan, and I keep finding myself caught off guard with the new life that's popping up around every corner.

The clematis near the front door is in full bloom ...

and after a recent rainstorm, we found this hiding under the dianthus!

Okay, so these turtles aren't blooming, exactly, but I don't see turtles out sunning themselves in the winter, either - even here.  Makes me think "summer."

The funny faces are due to the abundance of bees flitting around the kids, who were sitting right in front of a huge bed of purple flowers of all kinds.  Blossoms and flowers and honey, oh, my!

My Little Man found lots of strawberries at the farm on Friday, despite the abundance of rain we've had ...

and The Big Girl was eager to show her's off, too.

We even have berries growing in a little pot on our deck - this is the first year they've really grown anything!

Although we planted our garden a few weeks ago, it suddenly struck me that the cucumbers were in need of a trellis - and could climb it ....

and the peppers are even beginning to show buds.

And can you see all the yellow in this picture?  Six of the first five tomato plants have blooms on them.  I realize that we'll still be waiting awhile to get the fruit, but it's coming!  Getting these staked up today.

The blackberries are again covered in blossoms, so thanks to Papa sharing Pappy's bush with us, it looks like we'll have lots of blackberry jelly again.

I love springtime.  It's one of my very favorite seasons.  There's just something special about seeing all of the new life that God has created bursting forth in bloom, waving proudly in the breeze.

So, today, I'm grateful for blossoms - blossoms of all kinds - and for the fresh food that they'll put on our table.  I'm grateful for the space to plant and the hands that are strong enough to do so.  I'm grateful for the rain that God has sent and for the sunshine that balances it out.  I'm grateful for the husband that indulges my 'farming' itch and gives me time to play in the dirt.  I'm grateful, too, for the kids who are watching, who like to help with my 'dirt-playing' and are storing up knowledge and memories for when they have their own gardens and tables to care for.

Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!

Let the sea and everything in it shout His praise!

Let the field and their crops burst out with joy!

~ Psalm 96 : 11 - 12a

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