My Favorite Time of Year

As I reflect on the beauty of each season, it's difficult to choose my favorite time of the year.

When April and May roll around, I always say, "Ah, this is my favorite time of the year!" This spring was especially lovely with the flowering trees, greening grasses, and the plethora of blossoms of all shapes and scents.The tulips, daffodils, and primroses gave way to roses, lavender, and our spring and summer perennials of all shapes and sizes.

Early June was changeable with its warming days, coolish nights, and occasional thunderstorms.This year robins pecked their way through the vent screens and made a nest in our attic.The sound just about drove our kitty crazy. She could hear the chicks chirping, but couldn't figure out where they were hiding. As soon as the winged family left, we patched up the hole. There was a limit to our hospitality.

I wanted to hold onto each moment June provided because I knew July and August would bring the heat and triple digits. Faded rose petals, patches of dry grass, and hot nights seemed to linger until mid-September. Fast forward to October and I declared, "This is my favorite time of year." The warm autumn colors are clinging to the trees and the sounds of migrating Canadian geese fill the skies. They are reminders winter is not long in coming.

The hardy geese will remain to feed on the golf courses and parks and then lay eggs along the river banks. Spring comes again and life burst forth. The cycle begins anew.

Each season holds a special place in my heart and I'm grateful to live in a region where I experience the fullness of Nature's changing seasons. So, here's to my favorite time of year, no matter what the calendar says.

Happy Spring! I love this time of new beginnings: the awakening of the earth after a long winter, soft and vibrant colors and fragrances that tickle our senses, and the promise of warmer temperatures.

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Spring is Breaking

Today heralds the first day of Spring Break for our area. Our grandkids are looking forward to a week's vacation. Unfortunately, it has been wet and will be wet most of next week. Ah well, that's the norm for the Pacific Northwest. But . . . we are blessed in that we don't experience hurricanes, tornadoes, or floods, but are host to a steady wind that brings in the change of seasons.

Most of the trees have blossomed, daffodils are in full bloom, tulips are peeking up, pansies have emerged from their winter's hibernation, and the grass is greening up nicely. I love spring, next to autumn that is. No, right now, I love spring the best.

Spring: Nature coming to life, a new grandbaby, now two months old, a new book I'm working on, and new friends (or old really), that I've reconnected with - making them new - again.

Happy Spring everyone!

Hold Onto the Sky

Yesterday it was so windy, that the clouds could not hold onto the sky. The morning hours were cloudy, gray, claustrophobic. But gradually, the sky cleared - it had no choice - the cloud cover was swept away. I had no desire to go outside, and when I did, my trip was cut short. It was the perfect day to stay inside to read and watch DVDs, which I found myself doing for the remainder of the day.

Today, we're back to normal for this time of year: chilly and a bit breezy, with intermittent sun breaks and warming temps, just enough to encourage the plants to perk up and to send out the ever-optimistic golfers.

The strong, unrelenting winds from yesterday stirred up thoughts about how life's trials can knock us over or simply wear us down with its ferocity. It may come all at once with an unexpected phone call, email, or letter, or sneak up innocently and escalate into a full-blown gale.

Times of stress and challenges are tough to bear, no matter the source or duration, but when I remember to hold onto the sky with faith and hope, after the winds blow past, a calm that soothes the mind and soul will reappear.

Spring Around the Corner? The Birds and Buds Think So

I really should change the picture on my blog header, but it's possible that snow may fall in our area, even as buds are coming out on trees, bushes, and even up from the chilly soil. Heather and crocuses are blooming in the warmer spots, next to the house and in areas protected from the wind.

Just yesterday I saw a score of tiny black and brown birds hopping about the flowerbeds, hunting through the bounty of seeds generously provided by the towering pines. The quail are back too. Three couples scurried across our front lawn, heading for the shelter of our juniper tree. Before long they will nest, and later ping-pong size babies will appear and bobble through the grass.

Next month, ten days before the official first day of spring, Daylight Savings time will begin. That means I'll be waking up in the dark, although lately I've been getting up very early anyway. Mornings are a good time to get things done - no one is up and I can tackle my writing projects and my stack of books.

Even though it's Presidents' weekend and spring is a month away, I'm celebrating it in my heart.

New Life in February

It's been awhile since my last posting, but I have an excellent excuse. On February 1 we celebrated, and continue to celebrate, the birth of our third grandson. He was born at home, as planned, and arrived safe and sound amid much prayer and support from family. No, we didn't actually see his birth, but we were downstairs and heard his first cry. Another thing, besides the amazing miracle of birth, is that he looks so much like our son, and I feel transported back to 1973.

With this precious one's birth, we add another February birthday to our roster, giving us an additional reason, besides Valentine's Day, to love February. Our part of the country has been experiencing unseasonably warm weather and a few brave crocuses and lilac buds have appeared. I know spring is a ways off, but for our family, we witnessed the miracle of life coming in the winter.

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone and please, if you can,
give your loved ones big hugs today.

Here's to Springtime and New Life

Springtime always reminds me of a new beginning; it's nature's way of telling us, "Life goes on." Nothing illustrates this more clearly than rolling hills of green pasture land filled with colts, calves, and newborn sheep as they chase each other or simply jump for joy, happy to be alive.

I like to think on these marvelous scenes whenever I feel a little down; whether it's because of a rainy day, or because my writing is stalled, or because everyone else is busy when I have nothing to do. Children have much in common with our four-footed friends. They see the good in just about everything and get excited about little things: eating a chocolate ice cream cone, having a friend to share the afternoon with, or taking a bike ride on a warm summer day. I remember the carefree days of my youth and am grateful I can still do many of my favorite things.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday; it's the ultimate way of saying, "Life goes on." With His ultimate sacrifice, Jesus ensured that life can go on forever, if we choose to believe. Happy Easter & happy spring.

Rhododendron Time

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, rain aside, one predictable spring-time tradition is the return of fragrant, full-blossomed rhododendrons. Many years ago my father introduced a beautiful new world to me: the world of flowers, most especially rhododendrons and roses. But today the subject is rhodies, as Dad called them.

As a long time resident of Portland, Oregon, the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden was just a few miles drive. We visited as often as possible. One of the busiest times is Mother's Day weekend, which heralds the kick-off of weeks of blooming rhodies, azaleas and spring flowers of many varieties. Of course, the garden is opened all year long, even in the wet and dreary winter months. But the immaculately kept flower beds, year-round shrubs and trees, lively ducks, graceful cranes, and nervous squirrels, all of nature's best, beckoned us to Crystal Springs month after month.

Sadly, now we live four hours away and our desert-like climate isn't friendly to the raising of rhodies and azaleas; but this May we'll return to Portland for a weekend and visit the rhododendron gardens again. Strolling alongside the lake and through the garden’s winding paths, I will think of my late father. Especially as I lean into fragrant blossoms to inhale their springtime perfume and appreciate their perfectly shaped blooms that range from whitest-white to the deepest scarlet. Join me in a few weeks and celebrate spring wherever you are; it's just around the corner.

Musings

In looking at the date I last updated my blog spot, I'm embarrassed that it's been so long. However, so much has happened since September. Yes, our daughter was married, yes, she was beautiful, yes, the wedding went off perfectly, and yes, we are thrilled for the happy life and future they have in store.
I've begun a new "outside the home career", continue to write and as always, look forward to each new day. Next to fall, spring is my favorite time of year and so I anticipate the first crocus and daffodil to brave the cold temps and push up their heads.
For the present time, poetry has taken a front seat in my writing career. I find great solace in writing poetry and in reading poems by other writers. I wonder why I never understood or appreciated poetry before, but I think it has something to do with the way it was presented in school.
Check out my other website, www.authorsden.com/donelleknudsen for my recent blogs, poems, short stories and news; and read the worthy pieces written by of hundreds other writers.
Bless you all in the new year. Talk to you soon - I promise.