This morning, I owe a few apologies to some plants outside. I didn’t know it was going to hail. My neighbor mentioned something about it, but I wasn’t concerned. After all, it was a beautiful day. I usually don’t pay much attention to what the weather might do. I only notice what is happening at the moment. And yesterday, the sun shone brilliantly, and the air smelled like Spring.
I knew it was too early to plant. But it wasn’t too early to start preparing the raised beds. So, yesterday morning, my husband Mickey and I ventured out to the Mennonite farms to get some compost for the beds. On our way home, we decided to stop by our favorite greenhouse—to look around. When we pulled into the driveway, no cars in the parking area—that should have been my first clue. However, the sign in the front window said “Open,” so we went inside. The long greenhouses were full of beautiful plants of all kinds. When I saw some young citronella plants, I thought I’d better go ahead and pick out a couple because they usually sell out early. Then, a sunny yellow bloom on a Black Eyed Susan beckoned me to take a closer look. I asked the young woman if they had any butterfly bushes, and she led me to a corner in the back with three varieties. With our hands full, we took a few pots up to the counter and then headed for the next greenhouse and the next. We reminded each other that it was too soon to plant tomatoes and other vegetables and resisted the temptation with the promise of a return trip in a few weeks. However, when it came time to check out, I had still managed to collect a full cardboard flat of young plants. We paid for our treasures and headed back home. Mickey mixed the garden soil, and I carefully relocated each plant to its new home. After I picked up all the garden tools, I stood back and admired the beauty of each plant.
From a sprouting seed to a dying leaf, there’s a lot of living in between.
I woke up at 2 a.m. to the sound of hail hitting the roof. I immediately thought about the tiny plants getting pelted with balls of ice. I looked at the weather app on my phone and decided their fate was pretty much sealed. Less than 24 hours ago, the little plants were all living their best life in a cozy greenhouse. And now they’re in the middle of a sleepless night, pelted with hail and hard rain. Since I couldn’t do anything about the weather, I cleaned the kitchen and made the coffee instead. Something about putting my hands in warm dishwater soothes my worries.
When dawn arrived, the skies were still dark and cloudy. I looked out the window, expecting the worst. But, to my surprise, the plants were all still standing, and in one piece.
This morning, I thought about what goes into every seed that sprouts with new life, and my heart was filled with gratitude. I said thank you to the careful hands of the person who planted the seed and provided all the conditions for it to grow daily. I thanked the sun, for warming the soil, even through the clear covering of the greenhouse. I thanked the rain that quenched the thirst of the dry dirt in our garden beds and the earth, which is sprouting forth new life as I write. My thank you list just kept getting longer. There is so much love and life poured into one tiny seed.
Mother Nature is resilient. Time will tell if the plants will go on to thrive or not. Regardless, the joy of picking out each plant and finding the perfect place for it to display its indescribable beauty was pure bliss. And at this moment, everything is as it should be in the wonderful circle of life.
Water Feeds the Fire By Trisha Leone Sandora I give you all my love Not just a little There’s more than enough And I receive your love It fills me up Until I’m overflowing It quenches my thirst Spills out to the earth Seeping deep into the roots of my soul Love’s an artesian spring So pure and clean That comes up from beneath And feeds into A deep blue pool A swimming hole to jump into We kick our feet into the air Water splashing everywhere And watch it fall back to the ground CHORUS Water grows the tree that feeds the fire that burns to ashes That melt into the earth just to rise again From a sprouting seed to a dying leaf There’s a lot of living in between Love is the water that feeds the fire Feeds the fire In you and me Out my window There’s a tree That has so much to teach It shows me how To take it slow Knowing it takes time to grow And that everything I could ever need Is right inside of me Water grows the tree that feeds the fire that burns to ashes That melt into the earth just to rise again From a sprouting seed to a dying leaf There’s a lot of living in between Love is the water that feeds the fire Feeds the fire In you and me
Listen to the song Water Feeds the Fire on Bandcamp or below