tissue petals flame,
holy morning fire
shield of green catches sparks
.
Nasturtiums
2
Lessons on My Porch in April
Lessons on My Porch in April
red bird perches on weathered gate
watching his mate rustling rose canes
scarlet winged guardian with black mask,
he protects her blushed brown plumage,
has hunted seeds for their courtship
to feed her, bright beak to bright beak
they teach me cardinal rules:
mate for life, travel together,
watch for danger, listen to warnings
find each other when it grows dark
sing songs for each other
stay
twig woven to twig
note woven to note
labor on feathered loom
homework
Fair Hope
“The world is indeed full of peril and in it there are many dark places.
But still there is much that is fair. And though in all lands, love is now
mingled with grief, it still grows, perhaps, the greater.” J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings
at the end of a week marked
with tragedy, peril, dark places
help me find the fair
green pastures, still waters
light overcoming darkness
love greater than grief
Mary Ann Parker April 20, 2013
Breathing in Spring
“Sweetly breathing , vernal air,
That with kind warmth doth repair
Winter’s ruins; from whose breast
All the gums and spice of the East
Borrow their perfumes; whose eye
Gilds the morn, and clears the sky.”
When I read that Thomas Carew wrote this in the 17th century, I liked thinking how throughout time Spring has brought gladness and gratitude to men’s hearts. I grew up in Northeast Texas where Redbud trees are among the first signs of Spring. I have one planted in my front yard here, and I always watch for those first purplish buds to swell – sign of resurrection, of new life, promise of the greening to come.
Hope Within
within pages of garden catalogs
within thin paper packets
ready to pour out
tiny beginnings
within my sweaty palm
rests hope
Seed Time
Seed finds damp earth
time to be broken
shed its old brown coat
and change forever
Centering
Receive each day as
a resurrection from death,
as a new enjoyment of life.
[William Law]
I do not skip down a Lenten path singing
my steps are slow, measured
intentional
a labyrinth path reminding
each day
take one step, then another
on toward center
and Song
Finding Beauty
“if you ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it,
But if you invest in beauty,
it will remain with you
all the days of your life.”
~ Frank Lloyd Wright
Remembering the planting and sprouting
watching for beauty of weed and flower
cool dark hours bring both
To be still
to be astonished
to see beauty in a cabbage
before it goes into the soup
Garden Grace
Gardening is an instrument of grace. – May Sarton
Lantana
Wanting to choose plants for my garden that don’t need constant watering and fertilizing, I favor native Southeast Texas plants. I didn’t plant the large bushes of Lantana that are showing up this time of year, growing from the roots in a few days of sunshine. The birds did! The plant produces deep purple berries which are poisonous to cattle, sheep and humans,but birds love them and spread the seeds. Bees use the nectar in making honey, and the tube flowers, are excellent food for many butterflies. Lantana thrives in the full summer sun and heat, requiring little water and taking the blistering heat of summer by covering itself with multi-colored flowers shaped like tiny nosegays.
I am realizing that many of the plants I remember in my grandmother’s and mother’s flower beds were volunteer, reseeding or re-emerging each year.
Reseeding. Returning.
Simple, ordinary flowering
of color and beauty
reminding me of Grace,
both perennial and volunteer
Stones and Feathers 