Reflections on Spring at Serendipity Farmhouse

It will happen in 58 minutes – the Spring Equinox. It happens in an instant of time. It is defined by science, yet, it is the key that opens the artist’s mind to beautiful paintings and it is the muse of the playful poet. Most people, with the exception of meteorologists, will call this the first day of Spring. Religions use this event to fix their liturgical seasons. And, this year, there is the awe inspired by a “super moon”. But, for those of us at Serendipity Farmhouse, all of that is merely the backdrop to events that have even greater meaning.

There are two major cycles to life at SFH. The first is our motto, the way we approach each day – Pray, Prepare, Preserve. The second is the underpinning of our relationships – Faith, Family & Country. Following are some reflections of Spring that evoke those themes.

Reflection 1: I often think that there was no coincidence, no coincidence whatsoever, when our Granddaughter #1 was born of the first day of Spring. Though the date of the Spring Equinox may vary from year-to-year, the spirit that fills her words, her actions, her artwork is ever constant. – It is filled with the promise of much more to come.

Tomorrow, we will mark the anniversary of her birth and we will celebrate the joy of having her with us. She is the bright and shining reminder to hubby and me that these many days of our lives have been filled with great gifts from God – gifts without compare.

Reflection 2: I join with my beautiful and loving wife in thanksgiving for Granddaughter #1 on her birthday. Here I will add a thought on how her birthday fits into grand litany of family birthdays that fall in early Spring:

• My brother Tim (see On Time – For Once),
• My sister Sylvia,
• My Dad, who shares the same birth date as Granddaughter #1,
• My own birthday coming very soon,
• Our Grandson #1,
• Our Grandson #5,
• Our Grandson #3.

Reflection 3: At SFH, our gardens are many. – As we prepare the soil in our vegetable garden, while we are raking and making it ready, we think not only of the family garden, we are also thinking of the garden of our family. We cannot help but pray that both gardens are abundantly fruitful.

Reflection 4: The coming of Spring also marks the time to prepare our RV El Camino Del Monte for a new season of travel and adventure. ECDM has sat unused for months and is in need of minor repairs. A family, a home like SFH, and our home-away-from-home, ECDM, all require loving care. This loving may be a responsibility, yet it is a responsibility well worth our while.

Reflection 5: For this one time, I will have to agree with Old Fuzz Face and Blondie. A family, a home, even a home-away-from-home, can make for some trying times. But, I love them all and I love Spring.

Conclusion: As I come to this point in time, the equinox is completed. The days now will be longer and the nights shorter. Here at Serendipity Farmhouse, we will celebrate birthdays, grow gardens, prepare for travel and adventure, and when time allows, enjoy the warmth of a sunbeam.