Spring

My grandparents lived right next door to us. There was a well worn path between our house and theirs, both from our front door and our back door. As children we made many trips on that path daily.
My grandmother believed in all the signs of planting, etc. She knew all the "winters" that we go through before summer is here. She had all them down pat. I find myself also watching for those winters. There is sarvis winter, although, I don't ever see any sarvis trees here. They are those white blossomed trees in the woods that are the first to bloom in the spring. Then there is redbud winter, dogwood winter, the Easter spell, blackberry winter and my grandmother had one she called whippoorwill winter. I think when you heard the first whippoorwill singing it was that winter.
This weekend as been very cold for this time of year. One of the ladies at church told me it was blackberry winter, that her blackberries were blooming.
People have planted gardens here as we had  a really warm spell very early this year. I guess since we had a colder than usual winter everyone was anxious for warm weather. We got tomato plants earlier than we usually do and put them in large flower pots, so we could bring them into the garage if it got cold at night. And it did so they have spent several nights in the garage. Now they are in the ground and if it gets too cold we will have to wrap the tomato cages in old blankets. We also planted 3 pepper plants this weekend. I'll have enough peppers to freeze some for chili and spaghetti for this winter.
My irises are really blooming this year. Some are blooming that have never bloomed before. Looks like we will have a bumper crop of day lilies also.
I think about the people who were effected by the flood in Nashville over a week ago and think about all the work that they will have cleaning up from the damage. Some of the damage will not be able to be repaired, and I am sure, many did not have flood insurance. I am sure the ones who did have flood insurance will not be compensated for all their lose. Many have lost photos and mementos that they had wanted to keep from past events and children being babies. If these things were in the flood waters many will have to be destroyed because of the mold/germs that could grow on them. I have thought a lot about the people and how the flood has changed their lives. I just pray they will be able to quickly get things back in order and will be able to move on in the daily lives.
I wondered what we can do to help them. My son last night said a friend of theirs who recently moved to Nashville said to go to McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, other fast food places and get $10 gift cards and send to West End Church of Christ in Nashville and they would be distributed to people who had no way of cooking right now. Good idea!!