Season of Hope

After Noah and his family left the ark, God promised He would never again destroy the entire earth with a flood. He said as long the earth remains the seasons will revolve in their proper order. And He signed the promise with a rainbow. That promise has been kept during all the thousands of years that have followed---but sometimes at the end of winter we begin to wonder.

Last year spring came in before the calendar said the magic word. It got warm early in March and stayed that way. This year spring ignored what the calendar said and dragged its feet. It stayed cold all through March and into April with occasional little snows to remind us winter was not in a hurry to leave.

But at last, this week spring came in with a rush. We had a couple days when temperatures soared into the 80s. They were followed by some much-needed rain which brought the temperature down to seasonable levels but also wrought the annual magic of painting a brown landscape green. It happens every year but never ceases to amaze me. One week everything is as brown as winter. Bring in some sunshine and showers and, presto!, it's green.

With my winter projects list conquered, I have happily turned to the next page and started on the spring work. Most of my jungle of potted plants have been moved to their summer home on the patio. The garden has been planted.  There are weeds to pull, windows to clean, and all manner of fun things on the slate.

I like having a winter season to get some things done indoors that I don't have time for in the other seasons. But after a couple months of it, I'm ready to chuck the coats and shoes and wander around outside again.

April and May are my favorite months of the year. They are neither too hot nor too cold. October is also temperate and a pretty month with the colored foilage but it comes in second because it is a warning winter is on the way. Spring is the season of hope and new life.