One element shared by garden spaces all over Coppertop is this view. We chose our mountain home partly because of the vast feeling of space we enjoy here, as we look out over the Dungeness Spit, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands, and toward the snow-capped Northern Cascades.  When weeding, watering, or performing other garden chores, I simply need to pause and lift my face toward the northeast. The beauty invigorates me! I am profoundly thankful.

Today marks my 40th gardening journal entry, a goal I set for myself on Ash Wednesday. I’ve learned all kinds of good things and have enjoyed sharing our new abode with those who travel online to have a look.

Our Lenten roses –Hellebores – are in full bloom:

Always my hope for Lent is that my faith will deepen. My time in the soil has given me a deeper appreciation for God’s miraculous, intricate creation and my part in caring for it. I’ve been especially impacted by the newness and promise of all life. While immersed in raising baby plants and baby hens and seeing green sprouts come from dead-looking bulbs, I try to comprehend then share how new life in Christ is daily like the fresh life I see all around me, but on a huge, eternal scale. Just as I open my eyes to the freshly new, glorious view of snowy Mt. Baker across the strait each morning, God’s mercies are indeed new every morning.

Lamentations 3:22-23 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Even though the 40 days of Lent don’t end until Easter,  we’ll travel during this Holy Week so I’ll take a break and resume chronicling Coppertop gardens next week. I hope to make 2 or 3 weekly entries in this journal going forward.

Joyous Easter!