Season Light

The crocus (crocuses? crocoi?) in my south window well are showing color!

And with the mixed news that nature always seems to offer, these are opening, another patch seems to have served as chipmunk food, and the crocus patch in the north-facing herb bed is still covered with snow.

And with the mixed news that life always seems to bring, I'm celebrating the safe arrival yesterday of Spencer Bruce to Kathy and Craig Glick Miller, mixed with memories of his sister Ellie's birth and death, and I'm holding our copastor Heidi in prayer, as she begins her week-long round of in-hospital infusion treatments.

This prayer from Philip Newell seems to fit well this day:
    You have been our strength, O God.
    At the beginning of the day you brought us from darkness into                     light.
    At the ending of the day you lead us from busyness into stillness.
    In earth's cycles and seasons you offer us new life and fresh                         beginnings.
    Be our strength this day and the strength of new beginnings
                in our world.
    Be our help, O God, and the help of those who cry out in need.

The shiny clear bits on the crumpled leaf are the remnants of monarch chrysalis cases, from monarch caterpillars/butterflies that we sheltered two years ago. Cycles and seasons....