MAKING ALL THINGS NEW(ER)

The house next door north has been empty for two years. The former owners had to leave--the man had ill health and had to go to a nursing home. The woman who had taken care of him went to live with family members. Our neighborhood, without any formal organization about it, took on the responsibility of looking after that house and yard. Our concern was that it become a derelict property.  Even though there were mini blinds at some of the windows, it was clear to anyone who made a study of it, that the house was unoccupied and, basically, uncared for. But the grass was mowed from time to time and trash was removed from the patio.

A few weeks ago we learned the house had sold at sheriff's sale. Then we began noticing people coming around to do a little work on the yard--blowing leaves from the past two years into piles and shifting them to the curb out front. Picking up the sticks brought down by wind and rain.

Recently that house had a break-in. It happened in the wee small hours of Sunday night/Monday morning--patio door broken and apparently someone entered. We woke up in the morning to learn that our street had been full of police cars and officers milling around, lights on, people checking out the house inside and out, neighbors out rubbernecking. Except us. All this had taken place around 2 AM. I sleep on the side of the house nearest that patio and I heard nothing. (So much for claiming to be a light sleeper.)

Couple days ago a crew of young men arrived at 7 AM and began to replace the old roof, part of the necessary rehabbing of the property. I'd been away most of the morning and over the lunch hour. When I returned at 1:30 there was a trailer load of old shingles standing in front of the house and a new medium gray roof up there. The roofers had departed to another job.

That's what I call renewal.

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Tuesday, on my way home after a busy morning, I spied a forsythia bush in full bloom and bright color. Wonderful welcome to April!

My bird feeders are half-empty again. We filled them last weekend! The diners are: goldfinches, now wearing their bright summer clothes; house finches, with purple cloaks; blue jays occasionally; sparrows looking their usual inconspicuous brown (good for hiding in plain sight among other sparrows); and from time to time, grackles. (I do think God made a mistake with grackles--they should be out eating stuff in the fields and roadsides.)

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With all this renewal going on around me, I had to get into the act myself. A week ago a friend invited me to her house so we could work on watercolors together. Not on the same picture, you understand, but each of us doing her own thing. I was amazed--nay, shocked--at how much I'd forgotten about painting with watercolors. But little by little the brushstrokes and color mixing are coming back.

In a week or so I'll be starting a new quilt. Recently I went with my quilting friend Jane to visit our favorite fabric seller, an independent vendor who works out of her  home. Jane took a large wall hanging to be machine quilted; I shopped for backing fabric for the soon-to-be-started bed quilt in many shades of gray. 

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Amazon had promised to deliver my book order yesterday, so I knew that would be a good day. Any day when there's something new to look forward to--a book order, the promise of a new quilt to make, a text stating that a letter was mailed and I can look for it in my mailbox in about three or four days--that's a good day. (The books came before suppertime.)

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Renewal and promises bring us to Easter, which is nearly here. Now that was a promise to look forward to. The disciples had been told that their Lord would die and rise again from the dead in three days. Did they forget? Didn't they dare believe it was possible? Or were they, like us, so distracted by pain and suffering and grief that they couldn't see beyond the moment to a time of something good?

All we can do is look for the good stuff--keep our eyes on the possibility of joy to come--remember what hope looks like--and share what we see and remember and hope for with someone who needs it.

Blessings and Happy Easter!

Thursday's Child