Hello dearest ones.
My friend the red squirrel and I are here to help you remember that hope springs eternal. These photos were taken last weekend, when we got 16-17 inches of snow here in Central Vermont.
I took this photo this morning. These brave little snowdrops sprung back to life once the sunshine created lots of solar warmth to melt the snow.
Here is a snow drop in bud, and the same stem once it opened its umbrella-like flower. I adore them and am slightly jealous of folks in Europe, who cultivate many more species than we have here.
A few years ago I used “birthday money” to treat myself to this sweet little dish made by Memphis potter Melissa Bridgman. Her work is gorgeous (and often blue and white). The wee pitcher (in the “chintz” pattern) is another of my faves, from Burgess and Leigh, in England. You can read about it here. Little bits of beauty on a windowsill or table can really lift the end-of-March spirits!
You’ll be glad to hear that Batman was able to resurrect the hoop house, and it will need just a few adjustments before we start planting in there.
And isn’t that hopeful? Planting again!
If you are thinking about gardening this spring check out Anne’s Seed Sowing Planner and Lori’s Garden Planner and Journal, both free printables!
Another way to find hope is to get out and help if you can.
I invite you to check out work I’m doing to feel hopeful in the midst of such overwhelming struggles in the world.
Vermont has the second highest homelessness rate in the country, just behind California. Food insecurity adds to the challenges of simply getting by. Yet, Vermont has a healthy number of not-for-profits, folks working together to improve the lives of their neighbors. I serve on the board at Capstone Community Action, and you can read our inspiring Annual Report here. It’s a snap shot of the wonderful things the agency has been able to accomplish despite last year’s flooding, in July and December.
Our sweet little library was just awarded a grant to repair our historic cupola. You can read about it here. And we are watching a bill move through the legislature, hoping it will pass.
You may wonder how repairing a cupola will really change things…our little rural library has much to offer and builds community for anyone walking through its doors. Keeping it in good repair (mending a leaky roof) allows the library to continue to shelter its patrons and the collections as well. And truth be told, libraries shelter democracy, too. No small feat these days.
If you have work you are doing to sow hope in the world, please jot a comment below. Share it with us here! Each time we put our hands into the soil, each time we mend a garment or a relationship, each time we pitch in to help a neighbor, each time we raise our hand to say “yes, I can help”…gosh we are doing good work in a world that defies understanding.
And later this week another 12-13” of snow are forecast. No worries, it will melt…
Hope.
Let’s put on our boots and go stand in that puddle of hope together, shall we?
xo
PS More of the 100 days of stitching project to come later this week…
PPS I finally responded to your many kind comments on the last few posts. xo