I had an hour or so out in the woods at Pathways Retreat Center last Saturday, one of the first really warm sunny days this spring. The upper branches were still bare, but the greening has started. Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century German abbess, musician, theologian and visionary, wrote of the greening power of God, or viriditas (Latin for greenness).  Greening, freshness, vitality, life-force, growth -- it's in sight all around us this time of year. Green flames everywhere I looked -- and a few golden touches as well. Enjoy the green, and celebrate Earth Day this Friday.

If you've been waiting to see what the weather will be like to decide about the Contemplative Photography retreat I'll be leading at Pathways Retreat Center this Saturday, take note that the current forecast is for sunshine and 60 degree temperatures! I'll need to have a final count by Thursday morning, April 14. Register here.

Most of these were taken on a cool but sunny morning at the end of March, in the labyrinth near the retreat house. My eye was caught by the mix of new life and old -- new retreat space added to the old building, new daffodils about to open, the patterns in old decaying leaves. Today is another sunny day, and there are resilient daffodils in full bloom -- and a few others showing the effects of a week of snow and freezing temperatures. Must be spring!