Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees

What a beautiful surprise!

I wish I could say that I planted this hyacinth bulb and planned for it to bloom in the middle of a cold and dreary January.

But the truth is – I was given the plant last spring and had every intention of planting it last fall. But things got kind of crazy and it didn’t happen.

It was placed on the catch-all shelf in the basement by the door and I forgot all about it.

Then, a few weeks ago, in a fit of organizing frenzy, I cleaned that shelf and uncovered the pot. As I was moving it, I discovered a little spot of green popping up out of the soil.

I brought it upstairs and watered it.

It grew.

Then the flower appeared. Small, and stunted, but still a spot of glorious color and fragrance in the midst of a long, cold, dreary winter.

It was a gentle reminder that spring is coming.

This cold and snowy weather will pass. It is just a season.

In time the snow will melt, the air will warm and the sun will shine.

My world will be green and fresh and vibrant with color again.

It just takes time…

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build…”‘ Ecclesiastes 3:1-3

After last night, I think we could be nominated for parents of the year.

Last night my husband and I took all five kids, drove 2 hours, stood in the cold for 45 minutes until the doors opened and we got herded  inside, then we fought the crowd of over 8,000 people to find seats  – all so our kids could enjoy Winter Jam 2010.

So what is Winter Jam?

It is – according to my kids – THE concert of the year. It’s a massive event with an impressive line-up of performers including Third Day, Newsboys, Tenth Avenue North, Fireflight, Newsong, Sidewalk Prophets, Robert Pierre and Revive.

The cost for this amazing evening was just $10 at the door. It was a great deal.

It is also really loud.

At the risk of sounding old – I would like to point out that when music I enjoy when played on the radio is played live at a concert – the lyrics are lost and all I can hear is the pounding of the bass that is so loud it rattles my teeth.

But the kids loved it – which was actually my favorite part – watching them respond and enjoy everything about the concert.

My other highlights?

Tenth Avenue North – they are a class act all the way – and I even understood what they were singing.

Newsboys – pure joy! It was just plain fun to watch Mike Tait and the rest of the crew perform.

Third Day – pure worship! Singing God of Wonders with 9000 other people was something I will never forget.

Robert Pierre’s commercial for his new CD – loved it! Seriously – we need to buy the CD just because the it was so funny!

So yes, this old lady rather enjoyed the concert – despite the crowds, cold temperatures, and the blizzard we drove home in.

Yes, even in spite of the pounding bass.

Next time I’ll bring ear plugs.

The beauty of a hoar frost.

Now imagine it covering every tree, bush, fence post, mail box, even spider webs hanging from the barn eaves.

It was breath-taking.

How can anyone doubt a creator God?

“The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands,Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they display knowledge there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.” Psalms 19:1-3

This winter has been a dozy already!

We really had a lovely fall temperature wise- and a nice long one.

But once winter finally decided to make an appearance the first of December – it came with a vengeance.

We had our first major storm the second week of December with about a foot of snow dumped and strong winds to blow it around.

That was followed by the infamous (and deadly) Christmas Blizzard of 09. We had just barely gotten that one cleaned up when the next one hit this week.

From what I can figure – we get a new storm about every 2 weeks. At this rate – we should have snow up to the second story windows by March.

The snow itself isn’t so bad – I guess – but the arctic cold that comes with it is! With air temperatures below zero day after day – things start to break down. Important things – like vehicles and well pumps.

The combined effect of continual snow, wind, and frigidly cold air is numbing to the mind. It makes everyday things – like simply feeding the chickens – a nightmare.

We have a 4 feet high by 21 feet long by 10 feet wide drift that starts at the back door and covers the driveway and the house that is so packed in our tractor can’t budge it. The boys dug it out after the first snow – but gave up after Christmas since it keeps blowing shut.

Now we drive around it – over the lawn.

Just getting to the car means walking all the way around the drift – or through it. Try unloading a van full of groceries like that!

But my minor concerns are nothing compared to the large livestock producers in the area. Keeping the critters fed and water in this weather is both time consuming and dangerous.

Area schools have already missed several days of classes – and the winter is just beginning.

But it’s not all bad.

We’re safe and warm.

We have a wonderful furnace and nice thick insulation.

Our pantry and freezers are well-stocked.

We have electricity, running water and internet access.

But mostly we have rest.

My calendar for January is almost empty because no one has ventured to plan anything. Just imagine – an empty calendar.

I’m sure that once the weather warms up and the snow stops blowing – my schedule will start filling up. But for now – I will relish the quiet days with the wind blowing, the snow falling and my family around me.

Rest.

Winter has hit hard here in Iowa. The landscape is white and barren with snow drifts so deep we’ll be driving around them until spring. The garden catalogs are coming and we’re all craving a little color! My mom shares one way to find some…

Our daughter keeps a collection of  Amaryllis bulbs over each year, and she has shared one with me. The blooms are so majestic – which is especially welcome when the winter snow is lingering.

It is like watching creation to see the green leaves sprout from a round brown ball!

To keep your own Amaryllis , clip the blooms when they fade and keep watering it. Clip the stalk back as it browns and plant the bulb in the garden as soon as all danger of frost is past. Keep fertilizing it all summer.

In the fall dig up the bulb and place it in a pail with no soil. Keep it in a cool place and let it dry out for 60 days.

Clip off any foliage before you plant the bulb in a container. Amaryllis like to be crowded, so only put the bottom few inches in the soil in a pot without a drain hole. Water about once a week until you see green emerging, then water as needed.

Place near a window with plenty of light.

The first green will be leaves, but watch for another growth beside the leaves–this is the bud.  You can fertilize at this time, my sister-in-law does, but my daughter does not and they both blossoms.

The leaves and bud stalk can grow up to 30 inches high and will need to be supported with a dowel and a yarn tie. (I’ve even used one of my wooden spoons!)

The bigger bulbs have blossoms. Sometimes you will find some “baby” bulbs growing on the bigger bulb in the garden. We are experimenting with them, but it will take several years before the “babies” are large enough to bloom!

Enjoy!
Nana Shirley