Dear Reader:

Just recently I have finally gotten my sense of taste and smell back. The congestion, that accompanied my virus(es) started in the head and traveled down to the chest. It has taken (it seems like forever) a long time to get all my senses back and working together again….(that might be too broad a statement….some days I feel like I have  lost any semblance of “sense” completely!)

The smell of rain was one sense I did lose during the illness but now it is back ….just in time apparently with all the recent storms. There is absolutely nothing like the fresh, clean smell of of the aftermath of a spring or summer rain storm. It is like the earth has been cleaned and hung out to dry.

My friend and neighbor, Vickie, and I went to Hollow Tree Nursery Tuesday morning and picked up a few more plants to fill in here and there in our gardens. Vickie’s yard, especially her backyard, gets only filtered sun from the tall oaks surrounding her garden which makes it look more like a magical rain forest.

My garden, on the other hand, gets a lot of sun….too much really. So I look for full sun plants while Vickie looks for partial to full shaded ones. While cleaning out some of her old foliage to make room for her new arrivals (she got at the nursery) she came over with a potted plant, known as a Variegated Ginger Lily or Variegated Shell Ginger.

Here’s a description of my new, adopted plant. Thanks Vickie!

Leafy, arching stems create a tropical effect with boldly striped foliage. Large, drooping clusters of white and pink shell-like flowers are sweetly fragrant.

Vickie told me the plant needed more sun than her garden could provide. I decided to fill in a gap near the deck (on the recommendation of an article I read) because the fragrance from the ginger lily (when in bloom) will be too wonderful to miss.

I began digging (or let’s say trying to dig) a hole big enough to plant it….but between roots and dirt, as hard as cement, it was tough going. Vickie came over and made a more successful stab at it …..and told me to fill the hole with water to soak it and hopefully loosen the soil so we could dig a deeper hole the next morning. (Mother Nature also helped Tuesday night) *So that explains the title picture….The Shell Ginger is waiting to move into its new home.

*(Actually Vickie sneaked over while I was typing this blog and planted the ginger lily!) You’re a good gal Vickie Ewers!

While working in the garden yesterday I remembered a sweet little story by the title of the “Smell of Rain.” Let me give you a quick synopsis.

When Danae Blessing was born…she was given less than a 10% chance of surviving. She only weighed a little over a pound. But against all odds, with the help of modern medicine and machines, the tiny baby started putting on weight.

There was one problem though…her nervous system was under-developed and she couldn’t be touched or held because it caused too much pain. Her parents, David and Diane Blessing, could only pray to God to help Danae.

Five years later Danae was perfectly normal, with no physical or mental impairments from her ordeal….a miracle baby.

One afternoon she and her mother were at a ball game when Danae told her mother something that explained how her child survived those painful first few weeks of life all alone without the sense of touch.

One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Danae was sitting in her mother’s lap in the bleachers of a local ballpark where her brother Dustin’s baseball team was practicing. As always, Danae was chattering non-stop with her mother and several other adults sitting nearby when she suddenly fell silent. Hugging her arms across her chest, Danae asked, “Do you smell that?” Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, “Yes, it smells like rain.”

Danae closed her eyes and again asked, “Do you smell that?” Once again, her mother replied, “Yes, I think we’re about to get wet, it smells like rain.” Still caught in the moment, Danae shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, “No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.” Tears blurred Diana’s eyes as Danae then happily hopped down to play with the other children.

(The answer to her and David’s prayers had been answered: God could hold Danae, without causing pain, only bringing comfort and love.)

Dreams are made better by sharing….Come with me today to Anne’s and Vickie’s gardens…both filled with the same charm as their owners.

Anne: Passion plant blooms, Salvia, an oak leaf Hydrangea, day lilies and beautifully colored blue berries await your entrance into Anne’s garden.

Vickie’s garden: Who knew the neighborhood had a tropical forest in it more beautiful than any I have seen.

So until tomorrow….Take time to meet your neighbors and walk around the neighborhood….I think you might be amazed at the number of “secret gardens” in existence.

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

*Please take a few minutes and read Kaitlyn’s blog….this girl can write….her posts always make me feel vulnerable and humble and appreciative of the sincere honesty found in our adorable Kaitlyn!

Breaking through Shame