with thanks to my fellow Spiritual Journey writers who gather on the first Thursday of each month, and to Carol Varsalona for hosting today. Carol chose the theme “Blossoming of Joy.”
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
Song of Solomon 2:12
One of my favorite things about spring in North Carolina is the birdsong. Each morning when I rise, it’s to a chorus of cheery songs in myriad bird voices, a tiny angelic choir singing praise for the day from the pines surrounding my home. I listen, and am strengthened.
Another favorite thing is wisteria. It usually blooms for a short while in April. The pendulous blossoms hanging from trees fill my soul with nostalgia, for bygone times walking with my grandmother along the old dirt road of her country home, listening to stories of people who lived, loved, and died long ago. Wisteria threads through the landscape like pale purple banners of celebration for spring. It’s both old and new every year, full of secrets and mystery…and this year, for some reason, it is continuing to bloom into May.
I am not questioning.
I am just savoring.
Mysterious how
wisteria lingers on
disregarding May
This week I have been working with some kindergarteners on letter sounds and names. One little boy had his head down on his desk, buried in his arms, when I arrived. We started a game of naming objects that begin with “y” and he informed me that “yacht” is a boat and “people have parties on them.”
I sat blinking while he played with the toy yacht. He smiled at me: “I am feeling happier now.”
On leaving school, I saw a dandelion growing as close as it could to an old tree:
Y is for yellow
the self-confident color
of dandelion
Thanks to Carol’s prompt today, I am thinking of many facets of “blossoming of joy.” An image returns to mind from last week. At my church there are three women expecting babies in May, June, and July. We threw a shower for them on Sunday; it was one of those perfect spring afternoons, when the sun shines bright and a soft breeze blows like a comforting and encouraging caress from on high.
Sunday afternoon
three young women sat outside
their fellowship hall
greeting well-wishers
arriving in the driveway
bearing baby gifts
a drive-through shower
a celebration of love
a church family
multiplying grace
blessing by blessing outpoured
on expectant moms
blossoming with joy
and the new life they carry
despite pandemics
My own son and his wife are expecting a baby in the fall.
There’s simply just so much to celebrate.
Abundant blossoming of joy.
lit bits and pieces 
Thank you for sharing all these wonderful blessings… blossomings. I am delighted to hear that there is a child on the way in your family, Fran. Congratulations! And that your church family has found a way to celebrate and welcome the new ones on the way. I love the confidence of the yellow dandelion, and the pendulous wisteria. Such good images and words to savor. Thank you for this post… I wish you much joy.
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Wishing you much joy as well, Karen – thank you!
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Fran, your fellowship group is full of celebratory ways to bring blossoming of joy cheer to the expectant moms. I savor your words thinking of one of my favorite flowers wisteria: Wisteria threads through the landscape like pale purple banners of celebration for spring. Spring celebrates blossoms of joy. You added to the celebration by taking the action word blossoming and create a collage of wonder-filled poems and photos. Joy filters through your post.
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Your theme was wonderful inspiration, Carol – thank you!
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So many blessings now and coming. Signs of hope. Love wisteria. It grows so wild in our yard that it’s like a weed.
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I would love to see the wisteria in your yard!
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Oh, Wow! Congratulations on a grandchild. What a wonderful, wonderful expectation. I love how your writing embraces relationships. You have a relationship with the mysterious wisteria, the birds, the soon to be born grandchild…..ok. maybe not with yacht! lol. Wonderful post. Thank you.
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Many thanks, Linda – still floored about that yacht!
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Abundant blossoming of joy is a wonderful way to describe your post. A drive-by shower . . . we’ve had several this year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an outside book club gathering in June. We might have to meet earlier than usual, but wouldn’t it be grand to be together in person? I love wisteria too and especially the image of you walking the dirt roads with your grandmother, listening to stories.
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Those moments with my grandmother and those stories are among my life’s greatest gifts, Ramona! ❤️
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There’s so much to love in this post! Ruth, thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com
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We’ve had a similar week, Fran, with unexpected flowers (your wisteria, my rosebush–though it needs to be deadheaded, now), inspiration from students (I received a handwritten card that made me happily teary), and birds, always the birds–they have finally discovered my feeder, and the doves can’t keep them away. Little chickadees, blue jays, sparrows, and a gray tuft-headed bird that I’ve yet to identify. There are big transitions in our family, too–my niece is graduating from high school, my son from college, and my daughter and her husband moving home. So much newness and happy beginnings bring a spark of joy to this pandemic!
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So glad the birds have discovered your feeder; if only they knew the joy they impart! Congratulations on the graduations, such happy milestones (yet where has the time gone?). So exciting that your daughter and son-in-law will soon be home! So much to celebrate, indeed.
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