The garden sleeps beneath the winter sky.
Above, the stars twinkle in a knowing way.
Do they know what the garden dreams
in the deep of the night?
Does the garden dream in shades of blue,
the remembrance of the summer sky,
the slate-blue haze of wintry days?
At night, the sky is a sea of stars,
and the sleeping garden waits in wonder.
Like spun glass, the ice shimmers
in a blue, blue garden of dreams.
So close, and yet so far away,
the summer sky beckons…
It is there in the dream,
and the garden watches and waits.
The stars, they twinkle, as the ice shatters,
and spring is born in the broken glass.
The Road to Spring
You can expect almost any kind of weather in Virginia, this time of year. One day, we have a very warm day, and the daffodils start to bloom. Then, we have a cold front move in, and we have ice and snow. February in Virginia means that you keep all your seasons of clothing handy. You will still need your winter jacket, but some days, people are wearing a pair of shorts.
The forecast for this week calls for more snow on Wednesday. Many of my daffodils are already blooming. Surprisingly, they bloom in the snow, but oftentimes the stems will bend in the ice. I wish they could have waited a bit longer before making their debut!
Life is like that sometimes too. Things seem to be going well, and then you get a cold blast of arctic air. Suddenly, you find yourself in a snowstorm you never saw coming. You are wading through the snow drifts and wondering what happened. (It was so sunny yesterday!) And in terms of those unexpected blooms in life, we welcome them anytime…early or late.
At those times, when things start looking pretty bleak, it is good to know that God is right there with us. If we keep our focus on Him, He will make a way through the blinding snow and ice. We will come through the storm, and of course, the storm will change us somewhat.
Hopefully, the storm will indeed make us stronger. With God’s help, the road ahead will become clear again, and maybe, on the slippery path we will learn something new, something important, like trusting God in the worst of times, and taking His hand on the ice.
We cannot make spring come sooner, and we cannot make all the hardships of life disappear. We can however, heed the wisdom of Romans 8: 38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
It seems that ‘springtime’ is a condition of the heart, a way of seeing through the eyes of love, as our Heavenly Father has taught us to do. With that focus, nothing is really as impossible as it seems. The snow may be blinding, but it will not defeat us. In the end, God’s love always wins.
I bought a bag of red tulip bulbs that I intended to plant in the garden last October. It is February and I thought it was too late to plant them now. I read a gardening post last week that said you can plant the tulips very late, whenever in fact. They might not bloom in the springtime. They might bloom late in the summer. It is still worth the effort of planting them in the garden…
And so, I will plant them. Whenever they bloom, it will be a beautiful thing. It will be worth waiting for. Late blooms have their place in the garden of life.
In the same way, we keep planting seeds of love in this world. We know that God will tend to the garden, and in due time, the blooms will come. We must be patient and not give up hope.
It is hard in the midst of winter to visualize those red tulips. They will be extraordinary… just like those daffodils, like little rays of sunshine, blooming in the snow. How blessed we are in the winter garden, with the snow and ice…spring is there, on its way!
1 John 3:1: “See what love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him.”
(Although it is wintry outside, spring has arrived inside our house! Sometimes, we do need an early touch of spring! I have taken out some of the Easter bunnies for the grandchildren to play with. I swapped out most of the winter decor for spring decor. Our citrus trees are doing well. We have a lemon tree and an orange tree that are both doing quite well. The oranges are very sour, but the lemons are awesome. The lemon blossoms have a beautiful fragrance! There is a sunny spot in our office/den where there is plenty of sunshine all winter long through the French doors. We have quite a few plants out there now…a five-foot Norfolk Pine Tree I inherited from my mother, a little palm tree we brought in before the cold hit, and a small rose bush that blooms on and off all winter long.)
I find this a comforting thought: “Late blooms have their place in the garden of life.”
It is a thought that comforts me as well. No matter our age, the garden of life is full of gifts!
It is!
This is such a wonderful view on the image of spring! I am looking forward to those late blooms 😊
Yes! I am looking forward to those late blooms also! 🙂 We are getting ready for the snow tomorrow!!!
I loved your poem, but that last line really struck me! It was so good and so accurate! Beyond that, thank you for this post, reminding me that even when times seem dark and cold, God is with us and his promise of Spring, both physical and spiritual, is very real and can be trusted. I love your blog, Linda!
Thank you, Ann!!! We are in for a ‘big snow’ over these next couple of days. The schools will be closed until next week. A ‘big snow’ here is not the same thing as a major snow event somewhere else. (We get so many inches of snow, not so many feet!) 🙂 I am dreaming of the garden though and looking forward to those springtime days!
A wonderful reflection on spring and how our hearts can enjoy a “springtime” condition, Linda. I agree wholeheartedly that spring brings sense of renewal, filling us with hope and joy as nature bursts into life. The vibrant colors and fragrant blooms remind us of the beauty around us, encouraging us to embrace new beginnings and cherish the warmth of connection with others. You reminded me of a quote by Meister Eckhart: “If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is “thank you,” it will be enough.” So I am saying thank you for giving me a marvelous lift to my spirit this morning.
Thank you, Rebecca, for posting such a beautiful comment! We are expecting a winter storm here tomorrow. The schools will be closed for the rest of the week. I do cherish the thought of spring so close now…Still, winter has its own beauty and the snow is awesome. We are in between the seasons…a time to celebrate new things soon to be, as we transition out of winter and into spring. 🙂
The storms do make us stronger Linda. Oft times wiser as well. I’m quite sure I would like Virginia.
I agree with you…the storms do make us wiser! Virginia is a beautiful state, but each state has its own beauty! I have lived in much colder places that is for sure! We are having a winter snowstorm at this moment…lots of snow coming down! 🙂 I do love the change of seasons…always something new to look forward to.
A beautiful post, Linda. I love daffodils. Happy Spring! ☀️
Thank you! I love daffodils as well. Spring is on its way…Right now, the snow is falling, sure and steady. 🙂 We have the fireplace going and our birdfeeders are ready for the birds. Some little birds are huddled in the bushes by our front porch. It is really cold!!!
So delightful to visit here Linda and enjoy your poetry, photos , and reflections. First of all, look at that wedding cake of snow atop that bird feeder! Such fun! / The spring road photo reminds me of Williamsburg, VA. Love that historical landmark district. Many fond memories of chaperoning the fifth graders of our school to that location (along with some delightful colleagues). / Our daffodils won’t make an appearance for another few weeks. Our neighbor’s daffodils come up first; they get more sun. Then ours follow a week or two later. I’m so glad that’s the case, so we can enjoy their cheery presence all the longer!
The spring road is in Williamsburg! It is a picture I took a few years ago. I have quite a few daffodils planted across the front of the house, and they have not bloomed yet. The weather has been crazy…a warm weather day, and then a snowstorm! Tis the season for all kinds of weather!!!
Hi Linda. Your post went up almost a week ago, but I hadn’t had the time to read it till now. You’ve always had a lovely disposition towards the surprises of weather and life, even the less pleasant ones. It’s no wonder that you’re able to perceive the beauty in every season and in every sort of weather. And how very beautifully you describe it all. If I close my eyes just for a bit, I can imagine I’m right there in your gardens and in the lanes bordering your home, watching spring make its gentle way to you.
We still have a bit of snow left. Our grandsons were here today enjoying the last of it. It is nice to see the sun shining! I do look forward to the spring…I am glad there are more daffodils to come! 🙂
I think it’s nice that the kids and everyone got to enjoy the last of the snow, especially knowing that another delightful season – spring – is already at your door…
🙂 🙂 🙂
I LOVE the perspective of your poem, Linda. Our bulb plants, like the daffodil and even the crocus, are deep in the cold dirt still, but how sweet that they are dreaming of the blue sky and the time they will be invited by warmth and sun to emerge. I remember last year our daffodils came out early (for NE), early April and then we had a freeze and some snow and I was so worried we’d lose them (like 50 or more) but they survived. As we do, after a cold cruel winter. xo
Yes! In the deep of winter, we must remember that spring will come again. Even in the worst of times and the hardest of moments, spring is there…in the faces of those we love, in the daffodils that refuse to perish in the snow. I have an angel statue in my side garden. Some might call it a garden fairy. It looks different depending upon the season…covered in snow, tucked beneath the blooming azaleas, wrapped in summer lilies. Even in winter, it is a lovely thing sitting beside these towering trees in the background. It reminds me that all the seasons have a purpose. God is good. He put springtime in our hearts to get us through all the winters of our lives.
Linda, your poem reminds me that the changing seasons offer enduring gifts. I hope your tulips eventually come up. My wife, Colleen, absolutely adores them. After surviving nearly a month of snow and Arctic cold, I think my family and acquaintances in Montana are more than ready for any sign of spring. My mother’s backyard has a snow depth of nearly a foot and a half.
I lived in Indiana for four years while I attended college there. We had a lot of snow!!! Your mother’s foot and a half of snow makes our six inches look like very little! 🙂 It is wonderful when spring makes its debut. You are right…all the seasons offer wondrous gifts. We must be open to receive those gifts…
Linda, thank you for sharing more about your experiences in Indiana. Usually winter in my Montana hometown comes in spread-out days of cold, thawing, snow, melting.
You’ve been seeing some snow, Linda! I’ve been watching it head east. I hope it’s mostly behind you now. Beautiful poem about the coming of spring and power of patience. We can’t change the weather, so might as well find things we enjoy about it. 🙂
Our snow is gone now! I am looking forward to spring and I have a number of gardening projects planned. After the winter, there is always so much to do. We are surrounded by trees, so there are always leaves to be raked out in every garden. Happy almost spring! You are right… we must learn to enjoy each season! 🙂
My raking is done, but the weeds are already growing. Lol.