Sheets of rain are blowing quickly across the pond. The ducks are scurrying to hide underneath the dock as the winds gain momentum. The grass is drinking deeply as the sky finally releases the moisture it has been withholding all day. Although it has rained all around Green Acres today, we remained high and dry and wondered if it would skirt around our land as it frequently does. It is almost humorous the way the rain rushes towards us on the radar, splits apart, and makes a wide circle around the pulsating blue dot that represents Green Acres on our radar, then meets again on the other side as if mocking our need for rain. We haven’t seen much rain in the past six months and the ponds are definitely showing the signs. There are actual “shores” along the bank of the pond where we use to balance upon steep embankments arising from the pond.

The Outdoorsman and I have made frequent jokes about the weather since the big Texas snowfall on December 7, 2017. It’s like the local weatherman just threw in the towel once that occurred and just rolls the dice to determine which forecast he will give for that day. I’m not sure if his confidence was ruined or his pride was hurt by the fact that he completely missed that one, but we haven’t had one accurate forecast in the almost four months since the snow occurred. I’m talking missing the temperature by about 20-30 degrees at times, forecasting 100% rainfall and receiving ZERO instead. It has been REALLY off on a regular basis so my husband has decided to go with Redneck Weather Forecasting. He said you hang a t-shirt on the fence. If it’s wet, it’s raining. If it’s dry, it’s not raining. If it’s stiff and cold, it’s freezing outside. You get the picture!!

Back to Green Acres.

The winter was wonderful for us.  It was like a real winter for the first time in ages.  We had the best snowfall I have ever seen in Texas.  We had dozens of days with freezing temperatures and sheets of ice covering our cars.  We had weeks of holing up inside under blankets with a fire and or heater to keep us warm.  For two native Texans, it was thrilling to experience.  The only unpleasant moment on the farm that I recall were the few days it rained and stayed freezing for long periods of time and all of our animal’s water froze.  That made things difficult, to be sure. Other than that, the only negative thing I can think of is that we spent a lot of money on hay and feed to supplement the truly dead pastures on the farm.

In contrast, the newly budding grass on Green Acres is a shocking shade of green.  An unnaturally bright hue after we became accustomed to the wheat-colored blades of winter grass in our pastures.   To look around our land and see green growth bursting forth on the ground, shrubs, and trees is a welcoming sight.  A cheerful greeting from our farm to all who enter its gates.

This spring will bring much new growth in our family as well. Our son and oldest child, Brave Heart, graduates from The University of Texas with an engineering degree in May, gets married to Beautiful Soul the next week, leaves for their long honeymoon three days later, and returns to settle in another city not too terribly far away from home.  Blessings all around.  Good news on all accounts.  We are deeply thankful for God’s hand on our son.

We are grateful for this new and bold season of our lives.  Just like the signs of spring that are bursting forth on our land, our lives are busy and full of colorful changes, but we are ready.  God is by our sides helping us to navigate the changes and the growth that we are experiencing as we become a family of six in less than two months.  We could not be more excited!!