What stirs the sleeping plants to spring forth from the earth? An increase in the daily amount of sunshine and the corresponding warmth of the earth signals the plant that it could be time to start. Sometimes, our hopes are thwarted with late hard freeze. Not so many years ago I recall that the trees in southern Illinois had leafed out. It was an early spring with a late frost that froze the new leaves and the leafing of the trees began all over again. I was disappointed as I think many others were as well. The early pink cherry trees are blooming. The forsythia is starting. Even the tulip magnolias and the star magnolias are beginning to bloom. I certainly hope they are not wrong.

The pink hyacinth is beginning to unfold. I noticed several days ago as I walked our garden that the leaves had begun to push their way out of the soil. Now it is preparing to bloom. It is early. But yesterday on the way home from church I noticed the tulip magnolia tree at the WSM radio tower (the Home of Country Music) was beginning to bloom. Tomorrow or the next day it could be in full bloom. By Valentines' Day? In some ways, it is not surprising as Nashville barely had a winter. I love spring!

The Gospel lesson for today continues the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5:21-37. And Jesus makes some startling pronouncements: anger is the same as murder and lust is the same as adultery. We recognize the prohibitions against murder and adultery as part of the Ten Commandments. They are religious and cultural norms that limit destructive behavior. Most of Jesus' listeners then as today could say of all of the Ten Commandments they have kept these rules. But now Jesus crosses over into the mess of our lives where anger and lust and name-calling and broken promises litter our landscapes. Those listening can no longer say they are not guilty. Anger is a frequent emotion, or at least we engage in name-calling while driving in metropolitan traffic. And it certainly has shown up in this political season with its sidekick fear. Essentially Jesus said that rule-keeping is not enough. Relationships are more important, Reconciliation is a hope for those who have a dispute. Seek the wholeness and respect of men and women rather than treating them as sexual objects. Oaths are to be replaced by unabashed honesty. At the core of this message is certainly the teaching of the Golden Rule, treating others as we wish to be treated.

Okay, what is this picture supposed to be? I was fascinated by the light coming through the textured glass in our front door.

Dozens of robins have been in my backyard this past week. On the one hand, robins are frequently seen throughout the winter here. Several years ago, I posted an image of a robin perched in a tree in our backyard during a snowstorm. But now they are down on the ground, pausing for a moment, and then scurrying to another place just a foot or two away, pausing, and moving again. Robins search for their food source using visual, auditory, and olfactory senses. Experiments have demonstrated that they can find worms underground just by listening. Their numerous appearances suggest to me that the ground is warming and a variety of bugs and worms are moving through the topsoil and attracting the robins. Maybe it's another sign of an early spring.

Eight days ago the so-called spring-predicting groundhog saw his shadow and went back into the ground for six more weeks of winter. I'd rather believe real observable facts. This maple tree next to the driveway at the Hideaway is blooming. Daffodils are blooming all over metropolitan Nashville. The lawn needs to be mowed. The iris leaves are more than 8 inches long. The daylilies are sprouting.

After today's cold start, there are no more freezing temperatures forecast for the next ten days. It may be that rural Pennsylvania will have six more weeks of winter. But it is looking more and more like it will be early in Nashville and much of the southeastern USA. Our nursery man warns that it is still possible for a hard freeze. However, in light of the evidence, it is a challenge not to get spring fever. Especially when the tree buds are exploding. This is a macro image that is larger than life-size.

Yesterday was mostly a cloudy, rainy day, but for just a moment the sun came out and highlighted the trees at the back of our property. I know that the sun hitting the trees in just this way has likely happened many times. The difference was that this time I saw it, and that I noticed it, and that I took a picture just before the sun disappeared behind the clouds. And the scene that was there for a moment had vanished. I share the photograph as an illustration that our lives are a series of moments. Some we sleep through. And others catch us with awe because we opened our eyes.

Not the most flattering picture, but it's real. And it's all Maddy had to work with. Thanks to Judy for the German Chocolate Cake (made from scratch). Birthdays were always important in our family when I was growing up. So we celebrate and give thanks for another year of life and the blessings of family and friends. I am so thankful for this journey so far and all the delightful people I have met and all those I love. Far more than I deserved. My life is good.

This is the kind of photo that makes me wonder. Because it was taken nearly 12 years ago, with equipment that is not as good as I currently use. But I would be hard-pressed to say that any of my photos now are significantly better than this one that was taken at my sister-in-law's house, through her dining room window. The white-breasted nuthatch has created a hole in the bark of the tree by repeatedly using it to hold the seed that the bird cracks open.

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