Spring flowers -- and less pleasant plants

All winter, I look forward to spring. Spring has been delayed this year. January, February and early March were unseasonably warm. We even celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with an evening picnic.

On March 19, winter returned and has held us in his grip, to varying degrees, nearly ever since. Our tulips came up very late, but here they are at last.I so enjoy watching for my perennials’ return each year. Watching my plantings, like these hostas, come back is like opening a birthday present.Our ash tree is sprouting leaves again, which gives promise of shade from the future heat of summer. This tree shades Hubby when he’s grilling. Trees are a delight.However, some growing things are not a delight. Bindweed is high on the list of hateful plants. I had to spray Roundup on this stuff two or three times last year to knock it down and here the nasty stuff is growing again. How I hate it! I’ve hated it since I was a little kid. I had to pull it out only to have it grow again. It has such wickedly long roots that it’s nearly impossible to eradicate.Until earlier this spring, I never knew what this wicked weed was named. It’s henbit and I hate it, too. Our local Extension agent said that this wicked thing must be sprayed in the fall. Spraying it in the spring is a waste of money, time and effort, he said. This nasty stuff had nearly taken over one of my flower beds. When I ripped it out Wednesday afternoon, a couple of my tulip bulbs came up, too. I was none too pleased at that, but it couldn’t be helped. I pushed the bulbs into the ground again and hope they’ll recover from their uprooting.

The incident reminded me of one of Jesus’ parables: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ (Matt. 13:24-29 NIV)

I’m grateful that I’ll be one of the wheat sheaves gathered into the Lord’s barn. I sure would hate to be considered a noxious weed!