Is it Spring yet?

Mr. Groundhog said "Early Spring"

  

The calendar says it is only a couple of weeks away.

Scenes like these, just outside my window, seem to tell me a different story.

Even with the world outside still clothed in all its Winter Glory, the kids and I have decided to live by faith and 'think spring' and get our seeds started. 

Planning out our summer garden gives us a sense of hope and new life. I love the way God has given us four distinct seasons, ordered our days in such a predictable way that after the dead of winter everything around us comes to life again.

Our seeds are watered and warming in the sun and under the grow lamp. We are watching with anticipation for those tender shoots to come pushing up through the black soil.

Have you started seeds? Planned your summer garden? What will you be planting this year?

linking this post up to Tuesday Garden Party

The Hidden Art of Homemaking - Chapter 6

Gardens and Gardening

Lily from our front flower bed

In this chapter, Edith Schaeffer takes a practical and creative look at gardening -- flowers, vegetables, and other, and how you can incorporate it, should incorporate it into your life, your home, wherever you are.

redbud down the road from us

Consider the fact that God the Creator chose a garden as the very first home for the very first man, the very first family. With that thought, consider how much even a tiny touch of a garden adds to our quality of life.

Spring Beauty blossom in timber out back

Iris in our back flower bed

Mrs. Schaeffer shares from her early years as a new bride, how they lived in a back apartment of an old rowhouse, with a horrific view. Instead of fretting and complaining, she and her husband took an old bin, filled it with soil an planted morning glories, which grew and spread its tendrils along the back fence, producing new and beautiful blue blossoms each morning. They added more flowers at the base for color and variety. This became their focal point as they shared breakfast each morning. A wonderful way to start the day, even in the midst of a crowded, dirty city.


This week I am challenged by the reading to consider how I care for and present God's gift of nature, right here in my own yard.

cleaning up tomato cages

The kids and I have been cleaning up the vegetable garden and flower beds, readying them for Spring Planting. We've had such beautiful weather, there's no excuse for not being out there working and enjoying it together. I don't remember the excuses reasons we had for not cleaning them out last fall, but whatever. It needs to be done now. Clear out the dead, Ready for the new!

 A few days ago I supervised my three youngest as they planted peas and lettuce. They are so enthusiastic, about getting the seeds in the ground AND the discovery of long, juicy earthworms!

I have plans to add a bit of a shade garden along our front porch (it only gets early morning sunshine). I am also hoping to brighten up the base of our mailbox post. Our mailman and passersby would enjoy a touch of color as they round the bend, don't you think? Luke has been a great help cleaning out the raspberry bed, herb bed, and front flower bed.

Once again, we have started our own bedding plants. It is even more exciting this year, because we saved seeds over from heirloom plants we started and harvested last year. Second generation plants, I guess you could say. We have two types of tomatoes, 3 types of hot peppers, sweet bell peppers, basil and dill off to a good start. We also have several varieties of flowers - marigolds, zinnias, sweet william, alyssum and a few others.

 

Chapter 6 from The Hidden Art of Homemaking came at the perfect time. Providential, eh? I gleaned much motivation and inspiration from it. You can too, by checking out what others are sharing over at My Homey Haven.