©susanirenefox

You are the vivid white petal of a cherry blossom,

the brilliant yellow of a hibiscus,

the deepest pink of a fuchsia bud,

the complex crimson of an open rose.

You are the fine, virgin down of a cygnet,

The fine dust of a clouded sulphur,

the shocking, blush of feathers of a flamingo,

the melodic trill of a cardinal.

You are the white-hot calidity of a Western summer,

The changing leaves of a Midwest fall,

The new growth of a Rocky Mountain spring,

And the winterberries of an Eastern Frost.

You are the Complex Creatior,

the Divine Designer,

the Radiant Arranger,

our Perfect Planner.

The heavens are telling the glory of God; they are a marvelous display of his craftsmanship.  Day and night they keep on telling about God. Without a sound or word, silent in the skies, their message reaches out to all the world. The…

As this is Pollinator Week (June 19-25), let’s think about planting for pollinators. Gardening to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, which are drawn to nectar and pollen-rich flowers, adds activity, sound and beauty to our garden. But more importantly, it helps ensure their survival.

Bees

Most have heard of Colony Collapse Disorder, a worldwide die-off of honeybees, upon whom we depend for pollination of over 140 food crops such as blueberries, apples, cucumbers, squash, peaches, avocados and strawberries to name only a few.

Early research has linked this mysterious decline to the use of neonicotinoids, a nerve-agent class of pesticides. As a systemic pesticide, every part of the plant takes up the chemical, becoming toxic to anything that eats its leaves, roots, pollen or nectar. To make matters worse, it can persist for months or years in the environment, contaminating soil and ground water.

I’ve always gardened organically because…