a sign of summer

the image of a butterfly landing on this flowering plant outside my office, is a sure sign that summer is here. we're in the last week of july already, and the (better known name for that plant) lily of the nile, is beginning to wain, but i was able to capture this picture anyway!

oftentimes, i walk out of my office door in spring, and find that the neighborhood children (god love 'em) have been attracted by the pods of these plants before they bloom. they are fun to pull off and open up. and they are really fun to pop open! these drought resistant plants are a mystery, staying green all year. then in spring, they shoot up these pods that grow bigger and one day burst open to reveal this multi-pedal flower/lily.

if they are lucky enough not to get pulled off before they bloom, they turn into this beautiful gift that lasts for many weeks.

but this is the first time, in my memory, when butterflies have been so prevalent around these flowers. for several weeks, two yellow and black butterflies have been flying about. they may be the same ones that i have been around other parts of the church. they remind me of my former mother-in-law tanya, who died in 1997; she loved butterflies, and made sure to plant flowers that attracted them/welcomed them into her yard.

we often think of butterflies as the easter symbol, emerging after having a metamorphosis. but honestly, i didn't remember seeing butterflies this spring. so this summer, i guess, is the reminder that christ is risen indeed. long after the spirit has come upon us, a butterfly shows up! this is certainly not a bad way to start my day.

so, my suggestion is to be sure and enjoy the signs of summer. spend a little time in your yard to see what is developing. are there any surprises there for you? i've commented this year on the reward of spending time over the years tending to the flowerbeds, and how i don't have nearly the number of weeds i had expected this year after the long wet winter. but the color spots i thought would do well this year have been dismal. but, some daisy looking color spot that i picked up for the first time this year is offering great enjoyment. it might help if i knew what to call this rewarding plant, but in the end, i am just delighted.

that's summer, isn't it? a time to be delighted?! fix some iced tea, set a-spell, and enjoy the evening as it begins to cool down. we are often blessed in merced by a breeze. what a restful time god has designed for renewal. and while you are enjoying the beauty of the out-of-doors, do look for surprises. a butterfly could be coming your way. what a reminder that new life happens, even in the heat of the summer!