growing grace farm
gardening + spirituality + homesteading + creation care
Category: spring
a psalm of awakening
O, My Maker,Let the morning come.Let the sun rise slowlyoutside my windowpeeking through silhouettesof dark trees.Let the hummingbirdswake the worldwith chirps of delight.Let the rabbits scamperfrom the gardenstheir mouths full of fresh greens.Let the crickets begin their songas the earth warms in the light.Let… Continue Reading “a psalm of awakening”
lessons learned: bunnies and sacred space
Every spring, the bunnies come to visit the garden and see if by some chance, there’s a hole in the chicken wire big enough to access the greens. Sadly, they are disappointed, but they hang around any way and give birth each Spring to… Continue Reading “lessons learned: bunnies and sacred space”
embrace
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit and talk with Papa Bluebird who seems to have returned a couple of months early for another nesting season. Rather than continuing on with my dirt digging or sermon writing, I just sat on the front steps… Continue Reading “embrace”
lessons learned: the apricot tree
The season of my separation from my ex-husband, the movie Under the Tuscan Sun had just been released on DVD. I acquired a copy and probably wore it out in the first year following this life transition. On so many levels, the film seemed to… Continue Reading “lessons learned: the apricot tree”
dirty knees? yes, please
w The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. ~George Bernard Shaw, The Adventures of the Black Girl in Her Search for God, 1932 For the last couple of weeks, I have meditated on Anne Lamott’s reference… Continue Reading “dirty knees? yes, please”
lessons learned: bunnies and sacred space
Every spring, the bunnies come to visit the garden and see if by some chance, there’s a hole in the chicken wire big enough to access the greens. Sadly, they are disappointed, but they hang around any way and give birth each Spring to… Continue Reading “lessons learned: bunnies and sacred space”
sitting with the crocuses
You expect Her to come quickly when you feel the first warm light bask on your skin, or when the first choir of purple crocuses peeps their heads through the dead leaves. You wait impatiently for this season of hibernation to fade. You’ve rested… Continue Reading “sitting with the crocuses”
recipes: spring green salad
With all the new extra sunlight on the farm, my spring gardens have produced more than enough greens to feed our family, our chickens, and any rabbit that can jump the fence. I’ve been experimenting a bit with salad ideas and came up with… Continue Reading “recipes: spring green salad”
Spring poetry and prayer
Lord, the air smells good today, straight from the mysteries within the garden of God. The trees in their prayer, the birds in praise, the first blue violets, kneeling. ~Rumi May all I say and all I think be in harmony with thee,… Continue Reading “Spring poetry and prayer”
lessons learned: Spring cleaning
I’m reposting today as a reminder of the benefits of a good Spring cleaning–domestically and spiritually. ~cameron Some think it’s holding on that makes one strong; sometimes, it’s letting go. ~Sylvia Robinson Last night, I was reading a meditation on the freedom of letting… Continue Reading “lessons learned: Spring cleaning”
Mary Oliver’s Such Singing in the Wild Branches
It was spring and I finally heard him among the first leaves–– then I saw him clutching the limb in an island of shade with his red-brown feathers all trim and neat for the new year. First, I stood still and thought of nothing.… Continue Reading “Mary Oliver’s Such Singing in the Wild Branches”
sugar snap peas: Nature’s candy
This year, I planted my sugar snaps along a privacy fence with some homemade tomato cages I unhooked to create long latices for them to climb. A teen girl and I sowed the seed a few weeks ago, and they’re already several inches high. … Continue Reading “sugar snap peas: Nature’s candy”
Lenten reflection: bringing the gardens to light
In spite of a busy weekend, I managed to put aside a couple of hours on the warm Saturday afternoon and started cleaning out flower beds. As I surveyed my scratched up arms and legs this morning, this blog post came to mind from… Continue Reading “Lenten reflection: bringing the gardens to light”
Lenten meditation: when the light falls on the creeping jenny
Yesterday, my daughter, her boyfriend, and his sister helped me clean out the chicken run and coop in preparation for our chicken-raising adventure this Spring. As I was picking up wet leaves in the run, I found green springs of Creeping Jenny that have… Continue Reading “Lenten meditation: when the light falls on the creeping jenny”
Lenten reflection: the Potter
This morning as I read of the postponement of Kelly Gissendaner‘s execution, I wondered what it must be like for her as she waits in the unknown. I wonder if her faith is surrounding her in peace. I wonder if a flame of hope… Continue Reading “Lenten reflection: the Potter”
Emily Dickinson’s A Light Exists in Spring
A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period — When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad On Solitary Fields That Science cannot overtake But Human Nature feels. It waits upon the Lawn, It shows the furthest… Continue Reading “Emily Dickinson’s A Light Exists in Spring”
lessons learned: Spring cleaning
Since January, I’ve been in the process of cleaning out and overhauling our home. It has been no easy undertaking but one that has truly lightened our load around here. While I do not consider myself a materialist, I will admit to being a… Continue Reading “lessons learned: Spring cleaning”
recipes: growing grace farm’s favorite tea blends
Even thought winter has ended, I am gearing up for a season of iced teas in mason jars out while lingering outside. For a quick treat, I make them ahead, put in jars with lids then grab and go as needed–less expensive and healthier… Continue Reading “recipes: growing grace farm’s favorite tea blends”
lessons learned: on growth, gardening boots, and grace
As I squatted by the trellis yesterday to plant more sugar snap peas, I looked down at the boots I was wearing. I’ve had them for a couple of years now, so they are not so colorful anymore, but I fondly remembered that I’d… Continue Reading “lessons learned: on growth, gardening boots, and grace”
Easter and new life on the farm
Today, I am spending some time outside in the gardens reflecting on Easter, new life and creation. January seed starts are ready to be transplanted. The chickadees have blessed us with five eggs. And Saturday’s rain cleared up so that we awoke to sunshine.… Continue Reading “Easter and new life on the farm”
letting nature take its course
A couple of years ago, I wrote a post about a chickadee couple who came to reside in our blue bird house. (You can read about it here.) While I was saddened that they weren’t blue birds, I was just grateful that a pair of… Continue Reading “letting nature take its course”
lessons learned: the willow
Last night, I stopped by the store to pick up a couple of things, and after a week filled with cracked windshields, missing legal documents and unexpected snow, I was pretty much done, and it was only Tuesday. As a morale boost, I decided… Continue Reading “lessons learned: the willow”
Lenten reflection: bringing the gardens to light
Saturday, I spent my first Spring afternoon doing nothing but tending to the gardens. After months of working inside the house on many projects that needed my attention, the weather and my (nondriving) teenage daughter’s schedule aligned so that I had 4 hours free… Continue Reading “Lenten reflection: bringing the gardens to light”
lessons learned: the blessings of watering cans
You spread out a table before me, provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies; You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil, filling my cup again and again with Your grace. Certainly Your faithful protection and loving… Continue Reading “lessons learned: the blessings of watering cans”
babying the berries–tips for springtime care
Two years ago, my out-of-control wineberry bushes began bullying my blueberry plants. In an effort to call them off, I trimmed and tugged until the unruly characters ended up on their side of the garden patch. A couple of months later, the birds and… Continue Reading “babying the berries–tips for springtime care”
a meditation from Vigen Guroian’s Inheriting Paradise
How Love burns through the Putting in the Seed On through the watching for that early birth When, just as the soil tarnishes with weed, The sturdy seedling with arched body comes Shouldering its way and shedding the earth crumbs. ~from Robert Frost’s “Putting… Continue Reading “a meditation from Vigen Guroian’s Inheriting Paradise”
sugar snap peas: spring’s candy
A few years ago, I started a batch of sugar snap peas on our deck and in front on the triangular trellis. By late May, we had fat sugar snaps dangling from the vine. I was so excited that I came running in and… Continue Reading “sugar snap peas: spring’s candy”
so you’ve started your seeds–now what?
After I pressed two posts on starting seeds, I noticed the trend in lots of posts and pinterest pics focusing on seed starting. Yep, we get excited about planting the seeds, knowing that one day they’ll become vegetables and fruit in our gardens, but… Continue Reading “so you’ve started your seeds–now what?”