Four seasons of Joy

I grew up on the east coast.  I’ve moved up and down and all around.  No, we were not a military family.  As a child, we don’t usually make great observations or distinctions of the place(s) we live.  Now as an adult, having lived in many parts of the country, I’ve come to appreciate many things about our environment, namely the four seasons.

Before I moved to California, you know how you watch the movies and the tv shows (at least as a kid), how they paint California to be the best place in the country.  When I used to watch (sadly and weirdly- waaaay long ago) 90210, when there was a Christmas episode or winter one, I used to think how weird it was to see them outside with just a sweater or sweatshirt in dead winter.  You can’t get away with that on the east coast.  I guess for some, that’s a great thing.  So when I moved to California some odd years ago after graduating college, I soon learned how much I liked the four seasons, including the snow in winter, especially on Christmas day.  So every Christmas that came the short while I lived in Cali, was a bit weird, and void, of that wintry brisk feeling of cold.  I know, I’m weird.   The first time I saw snow in Cali was when we went to the mountains, Big Bear, excitedly I eagerly awaited as we journeyed up to the top, only to find a snow spitting out from a machine for tubers.  “Those snow machines are real!?” I thought.

We live in Idaho now, and though we don’t get quite the snow the east gets, at least we get some, and it’s real.  The first  year we lived here I was told that we get a white Christmas about every 7 years and we weren’t due for one for about that.  To my joy, we had a white Christmas the first year we moved here.  I can’t say that God did it for me, but I sure am thankful that it came to pass, as I so enjoyed it.

This summer I ventured upon gardening for the first time.  The weather has been a bit off.  My crops are not tremendous but it’s been a learning and growing experience for sure.  The tomato plants are still alive. Some are bearing fruit.  The peas did the best, though not that great.  The berry bushes started bearing fruit until I moved them off the back patio.  I recently put them in the ground.  They are still alive but no fruit anymore.  We’ll have to see what next year holds.  It’s been sweet to watch my little Lexi’s enjoyment in checking the peas each day and picking what she can find.  Then she actually ate them.  That by itself was rewarding to experience.

OH the Fall has got to be my fav.  The brisk breezes.  The pretty changing leaves.  I call it the sweatshirt- and- jeans season.  The spring has it’s joys too- namely the blossoming of the earth.  The summer- if I can get away from the heat, I’m good.  I do love water play though.

In all of it, I thank the Lord that each has it’s purpose, and that it’s good.