Or should we say the Vernal Equinox if we’re feeling fancy. The moment when the sun passes the equator moving from the southern to the northern hemisphere. The North Pole begins to lean toward the sun yearning for those warm summer days to thaw her frozen crust. The long nights of winter have come to an end as the world begins to shift begging for the sun’s rays to tarry longer warming the air once again.
It’s the first day of Spring. It’s the reason for the tulips and the daffodils, for the sun that hangs low over the horizon teasing the moon as it stays above for hours more than before. It’s the time to start planting seeds. It’s when the earth begins to recover from its long sleepy snowy slumber and shakes the snow off its branches. Nature is slowly sweeping her arms out over her frozen lands, warming them with her sunny nourishment. She begins to unveil her rolling green hills, lush colorful meadows, and de-freeze her cascading waterfalls and gurgling streams.
Yesterday, Spring made her long awaited appearance.
Spring Flowers Bring Smiles
I live for spring. The little blooms all around in people’s yards or along the streets as the earth reminds us just how colorful she can be. As a florist, it is the beginning of endless possibilities. The slim pickings of our winter variety flowers have come to an end and the earth gives us little presents in the form of daffodils and tulips along with numerous other flowers that remind you of the endless color pallet possibilities that are now available. Flowers you forgot about make themselves known and remind you of just how much you used to love using them in all of your arrangements. This flower for me is the straw flower also known as the golden everlasting. A small little flower that even when dead and dried still looks the same. It is native to Australia and known for its paper like bracts, or specially modified leaves. These beautiful blooms, as depicted below, disappear for the winter only to come back to me every spring.
Ever since I was little, I have always had my nose stuck in some sort of bloom sniffing away at the lovely perfumes each new blossom had to offer. With blooms below and above me, my world would become engulfed in flowers. Dancing around in the apple blossoms as the fell to make way for their hard earned fruit to picking daisies to create little crowns for my sisters and I’s heads, everyday was like walking through paradise. I would notice the new little buds and anxiously await the day when their petals finally saw the light. Peeling away the poppy pods to see what new vibrant color lies within or watching the roses slowly unfurl to their full extent accentuating each petal. Spring is a little flower child’s dream. I would always volunteer to go to Home Depot with my dad once spring came along. I’d wander through the garden section while he looked for a certain length of nail or specific piece of crown molding he needed to finish his at home projects. I would get lost in my own little fairy land of flowers and butterflies as the sweet aroma of spring filled the air.
Not much has changed since I have grown up. Though instead of making up floral names in my head based on what each flower looks like, I now know most of the names of these beautiful little creations. It is amazing to think that our Heavenly Father created each variety of flower for the sole purpose of happiness. They are scientifically proven to help the brain release its happy and calming chemicals when our human eyes catch their brilliant color and form. They are literally happiness packaged in delicate color from our Creator. How extremely thoughtful our God must be in order to know that after winter His children would need little pick me ups, like daisies or hydrangea, to get them out of the seasonal depression and bring small grateful smiles to their faces.
Flowers have always been a symbol of my Heavenly Parent’s love for me. Looking at each intricate vein in each petal and seeing the amount of detail and how complex it all is just to create one flower made me think about how much effort my Heavenly Parents went through to make me. How they made me perfectly who I was supposed to be. How They put certain people in my life, had me go through certain experiences to help me grow and learn. The same way They put those tiny little chloroplasts in plant cells so they can convert sunlight into food, They helped nourish me through Their divine knowledge of who I am. They know me perfectly. For I am Their daughter. As President Nelson said in 1998 October General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Who are we? We are children of God. Our potential is unlimited.” I find so much comfort in that and know that to be true. Just like flowers, we too grow, bloom, and die, but just as winter does not signify the forever death of flowers, death does not signify the end for us either. We are given the opportunity to become resurrected beings and live again with our families and Heavenly Parents. Our loving God is an immortal being and our Heavenly Parents created us with the intent for us to become like them. Our potential truly in unlimited. These little floral blessings have always been a reminder to me of my divine nature and heritage. Nature was made by His perfect hand, it makes sense for it to reflect His plan.
As we enter this new interval in our 2021 progression, here is a little update on the goings-on here at Bristlecone:
The Bristlecone Firesides’ Podcast
If you are interested in listening to nature discussed through a religious lens and like the idea of casual conversation around a virtual fireside about Faith, the Earth, the Universe, and Everything then you will certainly enjoy this podcast! New episodes are posted every Wednesday.
Call for Submissions
If you have any Christ centered or Nature centered poetry, essays, or creative writing pieces, send them to us! We would love to read them and give you an opportunity of having your piece published on our blog. You can submit your pieces through our blog under the tab ‘Submit’.