Everyone seems to have a favorite season of the year. Mine is spring. The days are longer and warmer. Utility costs are down. The full moons are haunting, especially this week’s “Pink Moon”. Flowers are blooming and trees and shrubs are turning green. Easter is in the mix, with its wonderful music and messages of hope and redemption. Spring is a happy time.
One of my spring chores is cleaning up my yard, which is not a simple task. I have no grass, so I don’t have to worry about that. Many, many years ago I faced the fact that I did not have time in my life to tend to a yard. I had grown up taking care of my mother’s complicated and immaculate yard. And before I was old enough to get a work permit and a job, I cut lawns throughout our neighborhood – $.75 cut – with a reel push mower, if you know what that is. When I bought my house 44 years ago, the yard had a lot of trees, and a lot of landscaping, and I made the conscious decision to let it reforest and see what happened. The end result is a yard that has to be cleaned up in the spring, and then just trimmed and maintained through the summer. I like that.
Each spring when I start my clean up, I find surprises. This year it is a weed that I have never seen before. It is everywhere. Its leaves are sort of like those of a dandelion, with a very long stalk, and a cluster of very small yellow flowers at the top. It pulls up by hand very easily. But the amazing thing is how quickly it regenerates. Within three days, new leaves, stalk, and blossoms are all over the place – again. Heaven knows what would happen if I let it “go natural.” I’m sure some of you know exactly what it is. It’s not ugly, doesn’t have thorns, doesn’t smell bad. It’s just there – everywhere.
So my wonderful springtime surprise this year is a pest. I find that sort of amusing in the greater scheme of things. I mean, we have a pandemic turning our lives upside down. I have a parish to worry about. I have housing projects to keep me awake at night. I have pets that challenge a sane existence. I have ample things about which to worry, and here I am putting my “frustration energy” into a strange little plant, of which I don’t even know the name.
It’s springtime. God bless it, it’s wonderful, beautiful springtime. And I will give thanks to the Lord for the blessing of springtime.
Richard +
May 1, 2021
$25
Get your copy now by calling the Church Office at (757) 622-7672.
Get the Book!
A compilation of The Rev. Richard O. Bridgford’s most memorable articles from his nearly 25 years at Church of the Epiphany. Enjoy history, humor, nature, travel, and wacky experiences with Fr. Bridgford, his two-legged and four-legged friends! Recall:
- the New Year’s resolutions he couldn’t keep
- the year Santa’s elf delivered Baby Jesus to the creche
- the volcano that threatened his vacation
- sweet elderly widows and “a little afternoon sherry”
See if he has written about YOU
Proceeds go to The Church of the Epiphany
How about a coffee? I’m vaccinated now and interested in connecting with Tucker House.
Morning Lit,
That would be great. I’m always at Epiphany on Wednesdays from 9 to 3. And I’m at the NUOM office at 972 Norfolk Square (near the Police Operations Center on Va. Beach Blvd.) other days of the week. Our phone # here is 461.4213. I, too, am vaccinated, so we won’t have to talk through masks. We’ll need to schedule a time.
Richard