Spring!

April 21, 2015

I think I have been more excited for spring this year than ever before.  Vermont is beautiful, but I am looking forward to green.
We were told by one woman, "If you think you are sick of white, just wait until all you see is green."  I think the flowers will make all the difference. We are already seeing the colors pop.

I love the sweet colors of spring!

Last night we had "Family Home Evening."  It consists of the five Senior couple missionaries, and several members of the South Royalton Ward, who are empty nesters.  We enjoy this.  It gives us an experience to make good friends.  Elder and Sister Broberg led a discussion about the "Beauty of the Earth." There were so many memories brought back to my mind.  

I remember the first time we spent a night in our home in Peterson. The night was so breath taking, the stars so bright, they looked like they would come down and literally touch the ground. There were not many homes around us then and the lights were few. The mountains and the sky, the valley and river all brought joy to my heart.

Anne was very little when she would go over the hill and gather wild flowers.  She would bring them to me. She was so small that sometimes I couldn't see her because the grass was so deep. She loved being in nature.

Roger planted the raspberry patch one new start at a time.  Within three years we had a nice stand of raspberries.  This patch became a spiritual experience for me each time I entered it. I didn't allow arguing, or loud music; it was the peace I loved.  One summer we were picking berries and Mary found a bird's nest.  It had three little eggs in it. Each of the kids looked, and each day they would check to see the progress.  The mother bird was very protective of her nest.  She would fly around us and dart at us. We were very careful not to touch the nest. Soon the eggs were opened and featherless baby birds appeared; they were mostly wide open beaks. One day, after watching them, we could hardly wait to see them. They had been growing and they seemed to be too big for the nest. But this day they were gone, and the nest was empty. 

The raspberries have pulled the family together every summer. I love the talking and the laughter that comes from the patch now. Every child has had the chance to be a part of it.

MaLeah and a big bucket of raspberries.

Heidi and Natalie and some amazing berries.

There is a hymn I love that describes my feelings:

For the beauty of the earth,

For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies.

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale, and tree and flower,

Sun and moon, and stars of light.

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.