I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I joined back in 1964 after a long struggle with faith. I had loved the Savior ever since I could remember, but the church of my youth deserted me as it moved into the intellect movement of the 60's. Without spiritual guidance, I fell away. The Lord distinguished between the words of my mouth and the longing of my heart. He knew that I wanted to believe and so he sent a young woman who told me the story of the Restored Gospel. She bore her testimony of Jesus Christ and promised me that I could know for myself and have my own testimony.

Now forty-six years later I can only thank her from the bottom of my heart for introducing me to the church. Indeed I do have my own testimony. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, called to restore Christ's church to the earth. We have a prophet today who leads and guides us. I am so grateful for Latter-day scriptures that bear testimony of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the Word of God. It stands as another witness of the Savior and it's truths have touched my life in very personal ways.

I hope that my poetry reflects the growth of my testimony and my love for Jesus Christ.

Snowflakes Fell Today

My husband and I enjoy snow.  We look forward to it.  We fight over who will shovel the snow.  We build snowmen.  We like the crisp, dry winter air.  It feels good to be out in it.  We are among the few who can say we can hardly wait for the first real snowfall.


The Beauty of the Earth

In the Doctrine and Covenants it reads, "But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord."  I hope that is all symbolic or figurative of something because I happen to absolutely love our planet just the way it is and hope for an eternity in which to enjoy its beauty.  It was on a recent trip to southern Utah that I was reminded just how beautiful it is.


Wee Friends

We live close to Kensington Metro Park in Michigan.  There is a trail by the nature center where over the years the birds have grown accustomed to being hand fed.  It is magical to say the least.  I think of St. Francis of Assisi and the beautiful photos of him surrounded by birds.  He is known as the patron saint of animals, birds, and the environment and is quoted as having said,  “If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men.”  There is a story told of him that goes like this: "It is said that, one day, while Francis was traveling with some companions, they happened upon a place in the road where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his companions to "wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds." The birds surrounded him, intrigued by the power of his voice, and not one of them flew away. He is often portrayed with a bird, typically in his hand."

And so it is at Kensington.  The birds line the trees on either side and are delighted to see you hold out your hand to feed them.

Blue Skies

I must admit that as much as I like watching ocean waves and campfires, I have probably spent the most time just watching the sky.  The sky is always with us and it is ever changing.  It is never the same.  You can look in the  morning and watch the gradual dawn of light with its tendency to paint the clouds pink.  Sunsets are amazing; the colors blazing in the sky.  But summer afternoons when you lie on the grass and watch the clouds is about as good as it gets.  Isn't it amazing how much fun can be had for free?

Tide Pools

These photos were taken on the northern California coast when my husband and I served as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the California Santa Rosa mission.  Our son, Brad, came to visit and we headed for the coast.  We are each fascinated by the natural world around us and it was a wonderful day for exploring the tide pools. 

 

Landscaper

My husband and I love to go walking in parks - any park will do.  Just to be outside is so therapeutic.  Our backyard is in stiff competition as we have tried to create our own little park right here.  This poem combines these two places that we enjoy so much with the wonder of God's creation.  Isn't the world marvelous?


Autumn

Autumn doesn't last.  One day the trees are all afire with color and you think "Tomorrow we'll take a ride and enjoy them."  But that night it rains and the next day the leaves lie on the ground.  They have fallen from the weight of the water on them.  Just like that, you missed it.  Perhaps autumn was given to us to remind us that many things in life don't last.  Children grow all too quickly and they are out of the home and on their own.  Parents grow old while we watch but never see.  Each phase of life must be enjoyed while it is there.  It really is a once in a lifetime opportunity.


Morning Sky

It is amazing to me that all the people of this earth see the same sun, the same moon and stars.  We all hear birds sing and watch clouds up in the sky.  Flowers decorate every land.  Hills and mountains and plains and grasslands abound.  Rivers flow and oceans roar.  Peaceful lakes adorn the countrysides.  Shouldn't we just be so grateful for the beauty that has been given to us, that we are over-flowing with love  - and then extend that love to all mankind?


The Redwoods

When I was in the fifth grade, our music teacher taught us a song named "I know a Green Cathedral".  We memorized it and sang it in a program for our parents.  I have always loved that song.  But as happens with so many songs, it got lost in the recesses of my memory for a  very long time.  Then in 2006, my husband and I were called to the California Santa Rosa Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  We drove all the way to California not knowing what was in store for us.  Soon after arriving the locals began telling us of things we must see and do while we were there.  Seeing the redwoods was on the top of that list.  And so we found ourselves one day at the Muir Redwoods National Monument just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. After a short walk, we found ourselves in the midst of these giants and all at once I knew what that song from so long ago meant.  Here I felt what the composer had been saying as the words and the melody came back to my mind.

I know a green cathedral,
a hallowed forest shrine.  
Where trees in love join hands above
to arch your prayer and mine.

Within its cool depths sacred, 
the priestly cedar sighs.
And the fir and pine lift arms divine
unto the clear blue skies.
 
In my dear green cathedral
there is a quiet seat.
And choir loft in branched croft  
where songs of birds hymn sweet.

And I like to think at evening
when the stars its arches light. 
That my Lord and God 
treads its hallowed sod 
in the cool, calm peace of night.

Cloud Windows

Isn't the world amazingly beautiful?  Can you not recall time after time when you have looked somewhere and were just filled with the pure joy of seeing beauty surround you?  It can happen on a mountain top or in your own backyard.  It could be the night sky or the dew on a rose.  It might be a newborn calf or a blue bird on the limb of a tree.  On the day of this photo we were enjoying the northern California coast.  It was a cloudy day when just for a moment the clouds opened and let the sunlight through.

Blue Birds

We lived in Tennessee for five years amidst some of the most lovely scenery there is.  The Smokies lay a bit off to the east but the foothills spread way over to where we had planted ourselves.  Just thinking back I feel my body relax as an inner smile begins to spread through me.  It was just SO beautiful.  

My best friend Debbie called one day and asked if I was busy.  "Come on down and let's go hike the hills and look for bluebirds", she said.  And so I headed down Spencer Highway to Deb's house and we hiked all around her place.  And yes, we did see a bluebird.  It was a magical moment for me.  I had never seen one before!



Creation

I was reading in the Book of Mormon one day and focusing on scriptures that describe the Savior as 
Creator.  For example, in 3 Nephi 9:15 it reads: "Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the  heavens and the earth and all things that in them are."

As I read these words I was immediately transported in thought to our own garden.  I always feel 
like, when I am in the garden working, I begin to catch a glimpse of the creation.  And so I wrote this poem.


The Slow Pace of Winter


My husband gets so confused at my changing moods.  One day I love the winter and the next I have had enough; I want spring.  I don't see the problem - it's just how I feel at the moment.  I guess I have lived with myself long enough to know I will change my mind. You'll see what I am talking about as you read this poem and then the one called "I Need Spring".  I hope someone out there relates to these. . .

Seasonal Mix

Lynn and I served a mission in Santa Rosa, California from October 2006 - September
2008.  We love our Michigan seasons and knew that it would be different in California but
never dreamed how.  We love Santa Rosa now - it is our second home.  I suppose the
experiences of a mission endear any place to the missionaries who served there.  

But we must admit that we like spring best when the world around us has gone to sleep for a few months.  We are amazed each April as plant reappear "from nowhere".   And so the two pictures contrast the two places:  Michigan where each season stands alone and California where it seemed to happen all at once!



I Need Spring

I've never been diagnosed with SAD but my own self-diagnosis tells me that I have trouble dealing with the darkness of winter.  I love snow and the cold.  I like that the world slows down - no grass to mow and no weeds to pull.  But the darkness of winter gets to me and I'm always glad to pass the winter solstice and know that every day there is a little more light.


Beauty among the Thorns

We have not been successful at raising roses in our garden.  Our sandy soil extends at least fifteen feet downward and it is very difficult to keep it moist.  Add to that the harsh Michigan winters.  But one year we purchased this sweet and delicate rose from Jackson and Perkins.  Designed to grow in the north, it is guaranteed to restore itself from the roots if it is subject to winter kill.  It has tried admirably to grow for us.  It is quite small - about a foot tall and delicate all over.  But it is oh, so beautiful when it blooms.  We watch anxiously each year for this lovely favorite of ours to arrive and it never disappoints us.   Perhaps because we know how hard it struggles to survive, it is the perfect rose to remind us that  amid the struggles of life, there is a beauty that we must not miss. 



Spring Defined

Every year it is the same.  We are utterly amazed at the transformation of the earth that takes place so quickly.  One day it is a dreary winter landscape and the next flowers are popping up all around.  No other season bursts upon us like spring.  The joy of creation is evident.  Our gratitude for the beauty of the earth overflows.


Snowdrops defy the Weather!

The first time we saw a snow drop we were flabbergasted.  It was a snowy February day and we happened to be walking around our yard, enjoying a cold winter stroll.  There at the foot of our espalier were flowers in bloom.  We couldn't believe it.  What were these brave little plants that were hardy enough to pop forth in winter.  It's proper name is Galanthus but snow drop is much more appropriate.  They bloom anytime before the spring equinox taking their clue from the weather.  This year they bloomed late because they were blanketed in a foot and a half of snow until late March.


Cosmos Dance Along Our Driveway

Cosmos are an old-fashioned flower.  They are delicate and lovely.  You have to deadhead the flowers and so there is some maintenance for the flower bed.  But we chose them for another reason.  The goldfinch love their seeds.  And so we planted them all along our driveway and in the late summer as seed-heads form, the birds come and land on the delicate flower stems.  But the stems are not sturdy and the weight of the birds bends them.  Back and forth they sway - oblivious to their precarious situation.  The goldfinch are happy as they eat with delight.  And we are equally happy as we watch them!

 

Morning Glory

The morning glory is a hardy little plant that once established will twine itself around anything it can find and climb.  I favor the blue variety.  The flower opens early, greeting the morning.  It seems to have a will to survive and often self seeds and reappears the next year.  It can handle poor soil and very little water.  It is just a strong little plant that brightens any place it grows.


God's Palette

We are surrounded by a world of color and each season has it's own special display.  The colors of winter in Michigan are white and black and every shade of gray.  Those can seem drab as winter drags on and on but they serve their purpose to slow our lives and calm our spirits.  Even our February snow drops are white.

So when spring comes with its bright display I am surprised by it's beauty each year - as if I were seeing it for the first time.  The purples and yellows and greens come first as crocus and daffodils bloom.  Then come the tulips and hyacinths with colors of every hue.

I cannot even imagine how much fun it must have been to create the flowers!


Interior Design

I am sure I have said this before but there are many moments that come for a very short time and if you are to enjoy them you must lay everything else aside and just go!  Fireflies on a summer evening are only here at a certain time in twilight.  Early morning fogs disappear as the sun rises.  A newborn with all the sweet sounds and the wondrous smell of new life only lasts a little while and then the baby is rolling over or starting to crawl.  Snowfalls that cover the trees and make the whole world a magical place are another one.  Even on the coldest of days the sun's rays will reach down and touch  that snow and it will not last.  So when there is a really good snowfall and the world has been transformed, we grab our cameras and head outside. 



Daffodils Make Me Laugh

My husband and I love our yard.  We know every flower and plant and bird and weed!  We try to spend time out there daily enjoying nature and the little park we have created for ourselves.  The seasons come and go and we find ourselves watching for our little "friends" as they come forth from the ground or bloom in their own time.  There is always an emotional response to each.  And in truth, daffodils do make me laugh.  They are such a happy flower!

Sunset Dance

We have a favorite spot for watching sunsets.  It is "up north" as we say here in Michigan.  Just west of Mackinaw on Lake Michigan is a park called Wilderness State Park.  It is one of those few remaining beaches where you will share the sunset with but a handful of other visitors so you can sit and watch in peace and quiet.  Unless it is a rainy evening, we have always been guaranteed a beautiful sunset.  There is something wonderful about the sky.  Whether it is the rosy glow of the morning, a vivid sunset, puffy clouds on a summer day, or the magnificent night stars, the sky draws me heavenward, reminding me that there is so much more out there - like a glimpse of eternity.


God Gave us the Birds

I love this time of the year.  I like to crack the window open a bit at night; fresh air to sleep by.  And then in the morning I can hear the birds singing.  It is such a welcoming sound.  It is if they are calling us to "Come and play!".  My husband hates it when I say that because he is a night owl and wishes the birds would be quiet and let him sleep.  But not me - I love their morning wake up call and I am out of bed and ready for the day!




Fascination

I was sitting watching the ocean one day and found myself lost in time as I just watched wave after wave crash on the rocks.  I am fascinated by water and how beautiful such a simple thing becomes when you add movement. I began to think about if there was anything else that I found this captivating.  When else have I found myself just so caught up in something that the world around me just disappeared?  I realized that for me there are two other times I can remember.  I can sit and watch the flames of a campfire.  But probably the most fascinating of all is just a newborn child.  I could not help but write this poem.

The Snow Came Heavy

We have learned that some opportunities are here for just a moment so you must drop everything and just go and enjoy!  A beautiful snowfall is such an occasion.



Autumn Feelings

I  wrote this autumn poem one day when I was just have autumn feelings - you know how you feel when the seasons are changing.  You can't really explain it.  It's not about words.  It's about an impression you have.  Like spring fever.  I have autumn fever perhaps.  I just know when it's in the air. I can feel it.


Spring's Secret

I don't think our Michigan phenomena is universal, but certainly in all areas where winter is a very real cold season that drags on forever there is a longing for spring.  A warm day in early March comes and we get our expectations up.  We know that spring will not be here until April but we want it so much to come.  Our hearts override our intellect and then when the next day turns cold and it snows we are so disappointed.  This happens year after year after year.  But we only see the surface.  Deep in the ground those early spring flowers are at work, bulbs expanding, plant slowly pushing upward.  I think they like to be there just below the surface, waiting for the right moment to spring forth.  It is their little secret.


Sunrise

I love the sky.  My husband Lynn and I are often found calling each other and saying "Come, look at the sky."  And often, the beauty is momentary as light and clouds and color move and combine and then it is gone!  We will run to grab a camera only to return and realize we have missed the picture. Maybe that is why it is so fascinating.  It keeps changing.

Because the school where I taught was eastward, I watched sunrises daily as I drove to work.  They affect me differently than sunsets.  They are peaceful and offer promise of the new day before us.  I find them filled with hope.


Those Noisy Birds

I am a morning person so as dawn nears my sleep is light.  Perhaps that is why the birds awaken me. I really don't mind getting up early but there is a limit as to how early.  When the sounds begin at four o'clock  it gets really aggravating.

Of course, if the window was closed it wouldn't be so bad, but fresh, cool air makes sleeping more pleasant. I hop in bed and open the window each evening and take in the wonderful air.

And then there is a huge tree just outside that window so the birds have a lovely place to perch and sing or talk or squawk each morning.  So I do this to myself as you can see.


Spring Snow

The best snows in Michigan seem to come at the beginning and the end of the season.  The temperatures are milder and so the snow is wet.  It is snowman time and we look forward to those snows.  But once in a while we get one of those late spring snows.  They are beautiful but not welcome at all.  The flowers are in bloom and we are done with winter!  Mother Nature just had other ideas.


February Games

By the end of February each year I am getting spring fever.  The days are getting longer now.  Our earliest spring flowers, the snow drops, have bloomed.  The temperature is mostly cold but we get a break for a day or two and there I am - outside with just a jacket on.  Even though I have been through this year after year after year, I allow myself to think that maybe spring will be early.  But in truth February is our snowiest month and spring is a long way off.