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!

Rescued cucumber

This cucumber had been hiding under our summer savory when I found it Tuesday night. Cuke weighs 1½ lbs., three times what a normal slicer cucumber weighs, and is blemished and yellowing.

I brought it into the house with the other cukes I’d picked, but told Hubby I intended to throw it out.

“It’s too big to eat,” I said.

“No, don’t throw it away,” he said. “I’ll cut out the seeds and will use it for a sauce.”

Just like this cucumber, many of us were headed for the Dumpster. Our lives were seen as bitter and blemished, worthless for anything but the landfill.

But then the Master said, “No, don’t throw her away. I have a purpose for this life. I must deal with the seeds of sin. I must cut away the blemishes, but I am patient. I will do what is necessary to complete my plan for her redemption. After all, I have already paid for it on the cross.”

'Pesky ants' yield character

Peony: Could you please get rid of these ants that are crawling on me? Spray them with insecticide and kill them! I hate the way their feet feel on my buds. The feel of their mandibles crunching away on my pretty shiny bud coating is just grotesque. It makes my leaves crawl. Please do something before I die of the heebie jeebies!

Master Gardener: Silence.

Peony: Are you listening to me? I hate these ants. They are bothering me. Why won’t you do something?

Master Gardener: Silence.

Peony: Hello! Where are you? I’d like you to lose the ants for me. It’s not like I can brush them off or spray them myself!

Master Gardener: Silence.

Peony: I have so many buds this year. I’m going to bear beautiful blossoms – if I could only get rid of these pesky ants! How is a girl to make flowers when she’s being crawled upon?

Master Gardener: Silence.

Peony: My buds are popping open. Aren’t they beautiful? I just love the color and fragrance. I’m so pleased to make these beautiful flowers!

Master Gardener: You see, Peony, the nice shiny coating you had over your buds often keeps them from blooming. Those “pesky ants” ate that coating just as I intended them to do when I created you and when I created them. Your shiny coating is part of My provision for those “pesky ants”. And the “pesky ants” are part of My provision for you.
While you thought I was ignoring you, I was enabling you to be the plant I intended you to be. You were made to produce beautiful blossoms, but you couldn’t do it alone. You needed the trial of those “pesky ants” to open your blossoms.
Remember how I pruned you? How you complained! “That hurts! Stop that!” you cried. But I had to prune off the dead stalks for you to thrive this spring. I had to sprinkle you with that Bordeaux mix that made you sneeze.
But your life hasn’t all been ants, pruning and Bordeaux mix. Who watered you? Who put up a wire hoop to support those beautiful blossoms?
I did.
When you thought I was ignoring you, I was right there tending you.
And now you are fulfilling your purpose with your beautiful, fragrant blooms. Weren’t the pain and annoyance worth the price?

Peony: Yes, Lord, it was worth the price.