SPRING
Spring is my favorite time of year. Everything is coming back after winter. The trees are budding out even though allergies plague me I enjoy watching the day-to-day progress. The birds are coming back to the Ozarks where I live. I like to try and name the kind of bird by its call before I see it. The weather is still getting regulated. But it is not bitter cold or scorching hot. Most days a light jacket is all that is needed to stay comfortable. The grass is greening up and the delicate first flowers are lifting their heads. Spring flowers are small with muted colors. It is as if nature is easing us into being outside before the on slot of all the vibrant summer hues.
Living on a farm there is nothing cuter than spring babies. A new calve is a joy to behold. They are so inquisitive in exploring their new world. They are soft and friendly and will follow you wherever you go until momma cow says no. The squeals and antics of a litter of new pigs, all trying to eat at the same time is better than watching TV. Mom always kept the baby chicks in the kitchen in a make-shift pin behind the wood-burning stove. This was so they could stay warm until they were big enough to be with the other chickens. You could hear their chirping all night long because they never seemed to all sleep at the same time.
Spring Work
Spring was also planting time. The fields had to be prepared to be planted and that meant everyone had to help. We learned to drive a tractor at an early age, not be afraid to ride on the back of the corn planter, and feed the seed into the hopper. It was hard work and the days were long, but we knew the corn was to feed the cattle that made the milk we sold to make a living.
Spring Fun
We got to have fun too. It was baseball season and everyone boys as well as girls got to play on the school team. We played other small schools in the area and the competition was fierce. The whole community would turn out for the games.
At Easter, some of the local families would get together for a community egg hunt. We would color dozens upon dozens of eggs then on the Saturday before Easter we would get together in one of the winter hey fields for the hunt. Each family brought a picnic lunch that was combined with all the others and while everyone enjoyed the food some handpicked egg hiders were doing their deed. It was an all-day affair with prizes, games, and some good-natured arguments over the ownership of certain found eggs
I remember one year when a devious egg hider put a prize egg where it was easy to see from a distance. Two of the older teenagers both spotted the egg at the same time. Wherewith a determined race took place; resulting in spectators yelling encouragement for their favorite racer. Then a mad scrambled to reach the egg that had been tucked in the top of a blackberry bush. This resulted in the egg falling down inside the bush. Both boys trying to reach, or snag the prize egg, to no avail; finally crawled in the bush in spite of the scratching briers and came up with the egg. It was determined that it was the best part of the whole day and both boys were given a prize.
There is nothing better than neighbors getting together after hard work to enjoy the spring and to develop lasting relationships. In our farming community, we helped each other to see that everyone succeeded and not just individuals. When the large truck farms moved in and most of the small family farms died out and this country lost the caring neighborhood mentality.
In the book of Acts in the Bible, we are told about that community spirit. We need to get back to caring about our neighbors. Many church families especially the smaller ones are nurturing that spirit today. If you are looking for a caring group of people check out a neighborhood church family. You may just find what you have been searching for.
Hebrews 10: 25,26
Leave me a comment and your email. Tell me about your caring community I would love to hear from you.
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