The opening spectacle

I thought I would make a pre-emptive strike and show you pictures of our flower garden before and after. This is 'before'.

The variable spring weather has had me worried. As I looked on Friday last I saw two things. First that the roses (of which there are many) looked as though they were about to bloom.

This worried me a little as weather wise wind and rain were being predicted and I feared that it all might be a little short-lived. However, they haven't quite burst; and a little flood of warmth later this week should bring them along nicely. However, we decided a few years ago that we would plant a few bulbs and so quite a lot opf irises were planted. When I was looking on Friday I saw the second phenomenon and that is that we would have quite a good showing of blue irises. But, since then there seems to have been a flood of yellow as well. These, too, have missed the bad weather and so there will be more after photos of them too. Though they won't last as long as the roses I suspect that, however briefly, they will be more spectacular.

Ahhhh Spring!

The flower that blooms in the Spring

We have had the joy of planting two new roses in our respective gardens. Called "A Blooming Miracle" these, I suppose you would call them, apricot coloured blooms are sponsored by the Anglican Board of Mission; or as we affectionately have always known it ....ABM.(here)
The flowers bloomed at St John's a week or so ago (the first photo) and yesterday they were more fulsomely in bloom.(the second photo....I am afraid my camera phone photos don't entirely do them justice

Although Mission agencies aren't terribly fashioonable at this point in history our fondness for ABM is well placed.
Although only a small agency it's work is critical and creative. I was struck by this some years ago when I heard a speaker who was responsible for the delivery of government educational programs in New Guinea.
It occurred to me that churches at least had enabled the establishment of social infrastructure like education and health delivery, and continue to work in creative projects like enabling women to develop independent incomes, and villages to have pure water.
These are small projects in world terms, and life changing to individuals.
Any way this speaker began his talk by saying, "I am an Anglican the son of an Anglican, the grandson of an Anglican."( I too can say this)
What occurred to me was how seriously we have taken the need to prepare young men and women in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Phillipines, the Middle Eas, parts of Africa, Korea and Malaysia and all sorts of other places.
The result?
A Blooming Miracle!