UNDERCOVER

 Undercover

Spring has sprung.

Yard work begun.

It’s time to discover

what’s undercover

for last fall various gardens were put to bed

covered with a blanket of brown leaves quite dead.

What was discovered today

underneath this crisp array?

From under this brown blanket burst

bright gold and purple crocus

now visited by honey bees,

which is quite pleasing to me.

Hidden undercover there’s daffodil leaves of green.

Here poking out of the earth, rosy tips of tulips seen.

Can’t wait for the tulips to bloom

as they were a gift last autumn.

Much of my garden makes a memory

of friends and family dear to me.

This afternoon under the sun’s beams

other surprises wait to be seen.

There are grape hyacinths lacking chlorophyll,

yellowish green are these spears, looking quite ill.

Other hyacinths seem to grow an inch a day.

When I saw them pop up last week, they made my day.

Iris’ are uncovered

as the warm sun hovers,

while songbirds serenade

as they build nests from blades

of dried grasses or twigs

when they create their new digs.

Rhubarb’s furled leaves are found undercover

a blanket of last fall’s raked leaves as cover

to protect from the harsh temperatures of winter.

Rhubarb stalks will be used to make jam early summer. (Recipe below.)

These leaves are raked to the side then left to fertilize as they decompose.

These matted leaves will also serve as mulch to abate weed seeds, I suppose.

Next, the strawberry beds are raked off

as dried leaves were used as a warming blanket.

I purposely cover the bed of hens and chickens

with a square of chicken wire each autumn

then blanket with a pile of dried leaves to protect from freezing temperatures.

This bed is surrounded with a rock wall as well to serve as heat conductors.

All the dried leaves raked off are added to the new compost pile

that will wile away making black gold after a while.

A fact, for sure, as said previously,

nothing is wasted in God’s economy.

Everything has worth and value.

Including, and especially, you!

Yes, each year spring brings with it a time of wonderment,

where miracles reappear to our amazement.

These warm days seem to bring an excited energy,

though I, for one, quickly run out of energy.

I’ll need to cut the ornamental grasses

and buy nematodes to kill grubs under the grass.

The compost pile waits to be dispersed.

There’s another pile piled high with brush.

Many holes found dug in the yard by squirrels

and trails left behind by undercover moles.

It seems each joy is tempered by a sorrow,

but I’ve found joy will triumph another ‘morrow.

Hooray for spring

for spring does bring

renewal each year

as green growth appears.

It’s as the earth is kissed

and now filled with promise.

* * * * *

There’s another promise,

much better than a wish,

found in God’s Word

direct from the Lord.

It’s: you are loved with an everlasting love.

Consider yourself enveloped in God’s hug.

When you read “outstretched arm”

in the Old Testament visualize God’s arms,

around you, being enclosed in a hug from God

as you journey on the unknown path you trod.

The image of Jesus on the cross portrays this love so well.

His outstretched arms long to encompass you, to indwell.

Not only is God’s love eternal,

it’s also unconditional.

You do not earn it.

It is a free gift

waiting to be discovered

under the Bible’s covers.

You saw with our own eyes the great trials,

the miraculous signs and wonders, the mighty and outstretched arm,

with which the Lord your God brought you out.

Deuteronomy 7:19

I have loved you with an everlasting love.

Jeremiah 31:3

The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

It is by grace you have been saved, through faith –

and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God –

not by works, so that no one can boast.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:8-10

Pineapple Rhubarb Jam

Combine:

5-6 cups of sliced rhubarb

4 ½ cups sugar

1 15-oz. can crushed pineapple, undrained

¼ cup water

Bring to boil, simmer until rhubarb breaks down.

Stir in 1 3-oz pkg jello (strawberry, pineapple, etc.) until dissolved.

Ladle into sterilized jars. Makes ~7 ½ cups.

Life Is a Garden Party

is available via Amazon.