Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, March 30, 2020

MARCH 2020--- A Crazy Month, but even still, there's HOPE and BEAUTY

Some pretty CROCUSES in our yard (3/12/20) --usually the first flower to bloom in Spring!
Dear Friends and Family,   I for one will be glad to see the month of MARCH move on 'outta' here this year!  Besides the terrible COVID-19 CoronaVirus,   here in Tennessee we have experienced tornadoes nearby,  along with huge amounts of rain and dreary skies most of the month. However, for the past 2-3 days,  we finally have had some beautiful blue skies and sunshine!!!!! WELL---then last night happened  (3/29/20)!!!!  We had a huge storm here ---taking our deck umbrella and deck table for a ride!!!  Again though, like during the tornadoes,  we were very LUCKY in that we didn't have much damage.  Other areas around us sustained much worse damage.

BUT--as in all storms we experience in life,  God gives us HOPE for better days ahead for each of us.   As I write this post (after our big storm),   I am looking at some beautiful blue skies and SUNSHINE!!!!!  The flowers are blooming --and all is right with the world!!!!

I have taken these pictures off and on during March around our yard,  to share with you today.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do sharing them with you.


Pink HYACINTH bloom,  3/12/20;   I love to smell these --especially when George brings one inside in a vase for me to enjoy!




We have many Varieties of DAFFODILS which bloom off and on for about 1-2 months.  This was one of our first groups to bloom --3/12/20




A BRADFORD PEAR tree in bloom in our area,  3/12/20




A close-up picture of our special Ground Cover (PERIWINKLE) --which blooms every spring;  Taken 3/26/20





Our side yard --showing more Daffodils and Periwinkle,  3/26/20;   As you can tell,  we still do not have any leaves on our big trees...




On 3/18/20,   I was so excited to wake up to a little SUNSHINE!!!  This was taken from my deck EARLY in the morning.  I think that the deer thought they were safe grazing on the golf course fairway in the fog!!!!



FORSYTHIA,  3/22/20;  I love seeing all of the yellow Forsythia in bloom in Spring.  We planted this little guy  (along with 4 others) from branches of one of our bigger bushes --and all five are looking good!




The DAFFODILS have done GREAT this spring,  3/26/20



This old woman absolutely loved sitting outside on 3/25/20 ---on the first full day of sunshine and blue skies in awhile!!!!!!  



OOPS..... I don't think the deck table and umbrella are supposed to look like that!!!!!   After finally having NO rain (from 3/25-3/28) ---we had a BIG STORM during the night on 3/29/20...   We were lucky though --since we didn't sustain much damage from this latest storm, except for the poor umbrella...



More of this year's Daffodils and some Tulips beginning to bloom,  3/26/20





The same group of Daffodils (see the picture above)  from the opposite direction,  3/26/20



I'll close with a picture of our front yard,  3/26/20;  Can you see George out there working in the Road Bed????  After all of the rains,  our grass certainly is pretty this year, don't you think?

WELL---enough for today... An upcoming post will feature close-ups of some of our Daffodil varieties and also our Tulips....  What hasn't bloomed yet:  Red Bud trees,   Dogwoods,  more Tulips and Daffodils, our Irises ---and the Lilies and Day Lilies!!!!  AND --then comes the Roses!!!!!   OH --how I love Spring in Tennessee.

I may complain about the rain and dreary skies --but I'd much rather have too much rain than to EVER have drought....   Today as I write this,  my heart and soul are full of HOPE for all of us.   We'll get through the "Virus from Hell" (as others have called it)...  We'll get through whatever nature gives us when it comes to rain and storms---and we'll all experience that rainbow and all of its colors AFTER it is all over!!!!

Have a great week --and stay HEALTHY and SMART...
Hugs,



21 comments:

Ann said...

All your spring flowers are beautiful. Hyacinths are one of my favorites. It still doesn't look very spring like here but the temperatures are getting better and we've had some beautiful days.

Big Dude said...

I believe you have captured early spring well and I love the shot of the deer in the mist. Stay safe.

Shug said...

Key word on your post....HOPE. Every single picture of these beautiful flowers, gives hope! So thankful that y'all did not have any more damage....Our friends in McMinnville were hit pretty hard. Beautiful smile on your face as you relax in the sun. Y'all stay safe.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

I am glad you are safe and did not have more storm damage. Your flowers look beautiful, you have a lovely place there. Take care, stay well. Wishing you a happy and healthy new week!

George said...

Thank you for sharing some of the beauty from our yard. Thank you, too, for the encouraging words and the hope they bring.

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

No blooms here yet and tons of rain. Shops are closed and we are house bound for 3 weeks now. Sadly kids and grands in UK are on day 5 of Covid 19 and so far are coping at home. Praying it continues to be mild.

Arkansas Patti said...

Lovely shots Betsy. Most of our spring flowers and budding trees have quit blooming but the Red Buds and Dogwoods are now in full bloom. So enjoyed a brief ride to enjoy them.

David said...

Betsy, Lovely and hopeful spring photos. That was some storm although it wasn't as bad down here in the south valley. I slept through it but the wind did wake Laurie up. Stay Well and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

your wonderful bllom showing spring are fabulous. Hope you both are keeping well, please keep safe

Ginny Hartzler said...

A wonderful tour of your yard! I think my favorites are the pink Hyacinth and deer in the fog - and YOU!! I hope you are not leaving the yard, and staying safe!! How are you getting supplies?

Betsy said...

Thank you for sharing your beautiful flowers with all of us. We still have. gray days and cold here in the northwest with a snow/rain mix predicted so it is extra nice to see the beauty around you.
I'm glad there wasn't more damage from the storm.
Wishing you and George good health and blessings from the Lord.
Betsy

Charlene said...

Hi Betsy, I am so glad I found your blog. I love reading it. I live in western NY, in the beautiful Finger Lakes, south of Rochester. We have a ton of waterfalls here. Your garden looks so pretty. Everything is just started to poke their heads out of the ground. Can't wait to see everything. We have been having a lot of rain lately-better than snow! My sister,who lives near Mobile, and I went to the Biltmore just after Christmas. It is beautiful. We drove around to a few towns, Hendersonville being one of them. We ate at a neat little diner downtown. I think it is called Mike's on Main. Really good food. We also stopped at this pretty little church I think in Flat Rock and we went to Carl Sandburgs home. I would love to go back when there is more time. Hope you are all safe down there. Can't wait to read more. Charlene

Chatty Crone said...

You did have some bad weather there. Your flowers just makes me so happy and I see such beauty in them. Doesn't it feel like March - which it is still March has been a hundred days already???? Another month to go! Love, sandie

Rose said...

Betsy, your flowers are beautiful. I do love seeing them...they brighten the day. We had sunshine today! I am ready to have a few days of sun rather than just a day here and there.

The Furry Gnome said...

Beautiful! But your flowers are SO far ahead of ours!

Ruth Hiebert said...

Thanks for this uplifting post. The flowers are gorgeous and it is good to read words of hope. I have to admit that at times I get overwhelmed by all the bad news. God is good and I know He has a plan even in this.

Linda P said...

Beautiful blooms in your yard Betsy. They sure give us a sense of joy. I'm thankful you didn't experience too much damage from recent storms. All the best to you both. Stay safe and well.

Lowcarb team member said...

Hello Betsy
Despite all that has happened, my thanks for such a positive and cheerful post.
Not long and March will be gone!

Always nice to see your blooms, I love Spring days.

Stay safe and well.

All the best Jan

Beth said...

I did comment on your most recent rose blog, but I can't get back on it for some reason. I have put out a new post talking about this isolation time and also featuring old pictures of Ireland trip.

Linda said...

Lovely photos, except for the storm-blown table! That must have been startling!
The deer picture is beautiful.

Connie said...

Your spring flowers are lovely! I'm glad you had only minimal damage from the storms.