Snowdrop time

It's that time of year when the snowdrops start to appear. They pop up all over the place. There are drifts of them in our local park. Down the lane where we walk every morning we see clumps of them peeping out from the garden of the house on the corner.  There are more clumps which have escaped into the hedgerow along the lane. I have some in the garden and at the allotment and every year I plant a few more in the hope of getting a lovely display.

The snowdrop seems to be loved by so many people.  For me they are a sign that life goes on, they appear at a dark time of year, one of the first flowers of the year and a promise of more to come. They grow, they flower, they die down, they have a rest then they come back again. I suppose that's true for many more flowers, but the snowdrop comes to life at a time of year which is quite gloomy It's a reminder of that hope which we so often need at this time of the year, a promise that Spring isn't too far off.

It's the start of the growing season. As we come out of the darkness of winter, more plants are coming to life and we can look forward to more colour in our gardens and in the countryside. Soon we can start work in our gardens and allotments--some of us have started already!

Into a dark world

a snowdrop comes

a blessing

of hope and peace

carrying within it

a green heart

symbol of God's renewing love