This week celebrated the first days of Spring!
As I sat on my front porch this morning to watch the sunrise, the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance were actually blue. But today the blue was like a hue I had never experienced. It was spa blue, the color of Calm. It was as if God painted it Himself by hand just for me.
Spring to me always evokes feelings of recommitment to hopes and dreams and reconnection to our true self. More than the frenzy of New Year’s Resolutions after a month of holidays, spring is an awakening of life within our souls, yearning for purpose. Just as the early shoots of spring emerge from the earth and point their way upward to the sun, so too our hearts long for that resurgence of nourishment and growth.
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| Virginia Bluebell's A sign of spring's arrival! |
One of my favorite things to do in early spring on our farm in Tennessee was to take walks in the woods looking for wildflowers. I knew the spots to hike to find the Dutchmen britches, the Indian paintbrush and Virginia bluebell. But my favorite was a spot by the waterfall deep in the woods where there was a cluster of Narcissus.
When I reached that spot, I knew that winter was over and spring was here! I would spread out on my back like an angel in the moss and listen to the water as it hit the rocks and gaze at the white petals of the flower. In my spirit I knew that all was well with my soul.
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| We are like that little seed, and when given the right nutrients and elements will prosper as well. |
This spring do something to connect with the earth. Get your feet on a trail or hands in the dirt. Plant some flowers or herbs. Get adventurous and plant a garden. When you see those little seedlings sprout up out of the dirt, you are amazed at something so simple, yet so amazing. Within that little seed is everything the plant needs to become a tomato, a daisy or some basil. All it needs is the earth, the rain and the sun and it will grow. We are like that little seed, and when given the right nutrients and elements will prosper as well. This spring dig deep into your soul and discover what you need to blossom and bear fruit in your life.
“Be yourself, everyone else is taken” Oscar Wilde
Granola
When I think of the farm and hiking in our hills I think of our homemade granola, that I made every spring and summer for years. In the fall and winter we made oatmeal. Remember oats are great for lowering cholesterol and their low glycemic index makes them a great breakfast to keep your blood sugar stable. This recipe is an adaption of my original recipe.
Bon Appetite!
GRANOLA
3 cups rolled oats
½ cup ground flax seed
1 ½ cup sunflower seeds
1 cup coconut
1 cup slivered almonds
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup raisins
6 TBLS Natural Peanut Butter
2/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. I like a wooden bowl. Heat the peanut butter and agave nectar on low until blended. Add the vanilla extract and then add to the dry ingredients. Blend thoroughly with your hands to coat the oat mixture. Spread out on a large baking sheet or pan and bake at 300 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes turning once, until lightly toasted. Dump out on your clean counter to cool. If you like a clumpier granola, let it cool in the pan. Let it cool completely before you store in glass jars.
Nutritional data:
Serving size ½ cup
Calories 234
Fat 13 grams
Carbs 25 grams
Fiber 9 grams
Protein 7.5 grams
