The Cooler Weather?

 The Cooler Weather?

 

The book being devoured at the moment is based upon one of the areas of England where it is normally miserably wet all the way from fall through early spring. And the cooler weather today has made me realize that it really does feel like it should be raining. At the same time, it is obvious that we don’t get the kind of rain that falls in any of England! Rather, we can just sit around and wish that we had so much rain that we could appreciate a dry day! THAT is pretty hard to imagine in this part of the world and in almost any area of Texas. In fact, out in West Texas, my friend Carol just dreams of having any rain! West Texas, New Mexico, and most of Arizona have a lot in common. Wet weather is always a surprise, if not a real delight. Of course, out there in Arizona, a rain more than likely means some flash flooding! Good Golly Wash was one of the signs we read on the highway to Tucson. The children laughed about that one while we just nodded our heads. We had seen that happen in our part of the world before! A spring downpour could easily become a gully washer!

 

In this book, the child asks for a drink that they call a ‘squash.” Apparently, that has nothing to do with a vegetable and everything to do with a sugary fruit drink. In Scotland it will undoubtedly be orange in color and be something of a national drink to go with their idea of sports. And don’t even think about iced tea. Those folks think that tea of any sort is supposed to be hot and drunk with either sugar or milk—or both. What really appeals about A Casterglass Garden is the actual gardening and trekking about on the grounds of a castle that needs the bolstering of about a million or two dollars! The idea of finding antiques in barns is somewhat appealing as well. But the entire gardening idea is just about floated away by the amount of rain, chilled mornings, and hidden things behind massive, overgrown bushes. Somehow it is still appealing simply because of the stone paths that are covered by grass that needs to be hacked away. Even here on this old hill is a concrete sidewalk that once existed on my property. But nothing would probably cause me to uncover it totally and make it useful again. Who would even walk there any longer? Maybe that is why hidden gardens are hidden. Who would go there to walk, sit on a stone and read, or merely daydream?

 

Once upon a time the hills above my grandfather’s farm looked as if they had been the campgrounds of some Indians who brought their horses there to graze. But maybe that was just in my imagination. The little seep spring that fed a small pond was about right for a few head of cattle or some horses, but it would not have been adequate for more than an overnight camp. Let’s face it, Texas springs dry up rather quickly without a good rain once in a while.

 

Other things dry up without something to replenish their sources, too. Our faith is one of those things that needs to be replenished often. The first disciples may have walked with the memories of having been with Christ, but few of us have ever had more than the stories we have read in the Bible. Some of us have seen miracles or been made aware that the things we saw and heard actually were miracles. But just as a few flowers do not make a garden, noticing happiness in things does not make a personality or convince us that His love is unconditional. We need reminders. We take time each spring to hope for flowers or to put some plants around in pots and planters with just hope and a little water to keep them going. Our summers usually put the quietus to those ideas. It takes more than just a dab of water to keep things going in tough weather. And it takes more than just a daily Bible reading to help us remain hopeful in spirit. Maybe we should all begin to look for those hidden gardens to uncover paths of hope and promise.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.