My Baby Leaves Opened

As most of you know, every spring I excitedly anticipate the arrival of baby leaves. Once more I share my story, in hopes it will encourage the hearts of others who need a special sign from God.

It all started one cold, winter day when God gave me baby leaves to remind me of His hope. It was a difficult time in my life, and while I was walking our dog, Sparky, my eyes fixed on the maple tree behind our house. Stripped of all its colorful clothing, it looked dead. Just like my heart, I thought. And then I remembered baby leaves. Here is an excerpt of the article I wrote about them:

"Last February, I began watching the buds develop on the maple tree in my backyard. I couldn't remember ever taking the time to watch leaves grow, and decided I'd see firsthand how God have them birth.

"Sparkie and I would stop every evening on our walk to look for any development. It was a slow beginning, but finally--one day in April--the buds opened.

"Long tentacles reached out, as many as 10 or 15 from each bud, as I remember. At the end of the tentacles were blossoms and at their base were leaves. The leaves were bound together, just like the cold buds had been. As the weather warmed, they began to unfold.

"My heart tingled with excitement when the leaves began to open. My husband Jerry was at the garden and I remember yelling excitely to him: "Come quick! The leaves are opening."

"Half-inch baby leaves, perfectly shaped, stretched their little frames for all the earth to see.

"In one week, some leaves had grown to 3 inches in length. My eyes couldn't believe the transformation. As the leaves grew, the blossoms were blown to the ground. I walked on yellow drops of sun splattered all over the place. I had witnessed the birth of one of God's creations."

This year, my baby leaves opened while I was on vacation. But as the picture above shows, I still had baby leaves to see when I returned. God's wondrous hope to me!

Riding Around

I recently visited my sister, Kathy, in Oklahoma. It was a good visit--especially since she took me out on photo shoots three mornings! We took in many of the roads, just outside the towm limit of Enid.


To our surprise, the snap above is the favorite of Jerry and me. Yes, a dirt road. Jerry says, "It speaks volumes." This is middle America . . . flat land and dirt roads. A completely different way of life in our modern world. I found some envy in the quite countryside of long straight roads.

I noticed quickly the ponds along the side of the roads when we crossed over into Oklahoma. They were everywhere.


Cattle and oil drills relaxing together. (Oil Drill behind the tree on the left--hard to see.)

I felt an invitation to join the cattle here as they stood by the open gate.(Oil drill can be seen better here, just inside the left post.)


Cattle on the side of the road. As we got closer there was a baby!



I even snapped a white crane taking off! I saw a number of them in different ponds.


This was a familiar scene along the dirt roads.


Jerry snapped this big guy!


And, of course, barns and windmills.


Graineries too.


Horses too.



It was a good time, a welcome visit, and a great photo shoot!