The famed Princess Summerfall Winterspring appeared on the Howdy Doody children’s TV show in the 1950’s. She played a fun, pretty, Indian girl from the Tikki Tonka tribe. A favorite thing about her is her name – a name for all seasons. “For everything there is a season.” (Eccl. 3:1). Spring is about transformation and newness…and Spring leads the “parade” of blooms as the seasons change.
My heart is warmed as I remember the announcement of Spring that took place in my grandmother’s big front yard. Perennial bushes that had survived decades of hard cold winters began to push winter aside and respond to sunshine and warmth of nature’s change. Why they didn’t give up during damaging storms or the hard freezes, I often wondered.
Nudged by nature, they rallied and flourished. Tightly wrapped in green, little round heads began to form. It was fun to count them and anticipate loaded bushes of color and fragrance. By May, bald-looking, pink heads of life began to show through the green. Voila! Peonies, my favorite! In Southern Indiana, they were called “pineys.” A long “o” sound results in them being called “pe-Onies in the deeper South, while in the North, they are known as peonies with an “uh” sound in the middle. As the baby blossoms begin to pop into life, the sleeping ants awaken and “go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah,” bounding up and about as if running late for work. I wonder if they were awakened by the sweet fragrance – pretty sure, however, that the ants have no nostrils. Wise King Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, advised “Consider the ant.” For sure, they cannot be ignored as they scurry up and down, in and out of the large, showy pink, white and crimson bushes bursting with color.
As Grandma’s yard began to green and come alive with color and fragrance, tiny purple clusters and bubble-like white beads followed suit on neighboring lilac and snowball trees. Tulips and daffodils, competing with faithful irises and hyacinths and tiger lilies, came bursting from winter’s hideaway. Not to be outdone, the gentle, pink bleeding heart made her appearance close to the front porch. She kept alive sweet memories of loved ones, family reunions, hard seasons and good ones.
Spring leads the way carrying hope and newness into God’s new seasons for His children.
“Because of the Lord’s great love . . . his compassions never fail. They are new every morning: great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)