Purple Onion

Thumbing through my sketchbook the other day, I found a pencil illustration of this onion that a friend had grown in her garden a few years ago.  It was crying to be painted, and I just finished it, and put it in my Zazzle store on an apron and a T-shirt.  I thought it might be fun for gardeners and cooks.

Dogwood Dance

There are times when this Ozark countryside seems almost enchanted, and this is one of those times.  Wild turkey gobblers show off their splendor as the spring winds ruffle their feathers, displaying a wide spectrum of iridescence.  Male gold finches wear bright yellow breeding colors, and small wildflowers bob in the breeze.  In the back yard, lilacs are blooming, and I bury my face in the blossoms and breathe in a memory of childhood. Around the corner of the house, the fragrance of Lily of the Valley greets me even before I see their small white bells tinkling in the stirring air.

Beautiful as all this is, were a visitor to enter this enchantment, the first thing they would notice, I believe, would be the dogwoods.  Their lacy white forms are stunningly beautiful right now, with new leaves providing bright spots of contrasting green, and everywhere we look, breathtaking panoramas greet us.

I've wondered, at times, if the primary purpose of spring winds might not be to animate the dogwoods.  Even a small breeze transforms the blossoms into slow motion butterflies, fluttering in place overhead.

Tonight, the wind is resting after its busy day.  Spring peepers sing under a full moon, and the dogwoods are still.

Growth Spurt 2

April 13, 2011

Hickory trees are flowering now, their tiny blossoms hanging in long green tassels.  The photos on this blog from April 3rd and 7th are from the same tree but not the same twig. That twig has been obscured by the surrounding new growth, but the leaves are about the same length.

So Many Wonders

The remnants of last night's toad-choking rain cling to the bedroom window this morning as small drops, reflecting trees and hills and sky.  Outside, the air is fresh and clear and Barley and I are eager to walk to the hollow.  Barley waits beside me at the top of the stairs as I lace up my waterproof Danner boots, and then we're off.  At the edge of the woods, we startle a wild turkey, who flies off on strong, swift wings.  Water soaks the rocky path and runs down into little side streams and small waterfalls.  Long before we arrive at the bottom, we hear the creek, its melodious song accompanying the trill of birds.  When we get there, Barley steps in and lowers himself into the chilly water, where he pivots slowly like a stalking alligator, then raises out of the water and comes close, shaking vigorously and soaking my jeans with the spray.

We head back along another path, refreshed by the air and water.  Since we were here last, bird-foot violets have appeared, their cheerful faces welcoming us along the trail.  A turtle, tucked tight into his shell, watches us pass, and undisturbed, breathes a sigh of relief.  A dogwood leaf, leftover from the Fall, stands out against the grass, its veins in stark contrast to the shiny wet background.  So many wonders lie at our feet and all around us, gifts lavished on us by the One who loves us.

The living God... gives us richly all things to enjoy.   1 Timothy 6 :17