Archive for the ‘Family’ Category

St. Patrick’s Day, 2007: The Growing of the Green

Saturday, March 17th, 2007

Hello Hope Patch gardeners!

As mentioned earlier, today is March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, when we celebrate Irish culture, beauty and sainthood. Ireland offers magnificent scenery, green vistas, expansive meadows and rugged cliffs. Those of Irish descent and wannabes (like me of Sicilian-Polish descent) show their colors by the “wearing of the green.” While calendar Spring officially begins on March 20, today marks the “growing of the green” in my Hope Patch.

I’ve begun documenting this year’s Hope Patch by photographing the growth of the purple tulips that I planted last fall. Right now, the tulip shoots are about one inch high above the ground. Look at this close-up photo that shows the current growth.

Picture of tulip flower sprouts
Tulips often blossom in mid-to-late April through mid-May, although some can bloom later. It depends on the weather and the hardiness zone. For more detailed tulip flower growing information, make sure to visit www.tulipreview.com

I look forward to sharing the Hope Patch’s progress with you in the coming weeks. Until then, happy gardening!

Dave Pipitone, The Rainbow Chronicles

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Five Vital Elements of a Hope Patch

Wednesday, May 31st, 2006

Does this idea of creating a Hope Patch for your family appeal to you? Do you have a family member, a friend, or a pet that you miss or are grieving? If so, you may wish to consider creating a Hope Patch as a remembrance garden. Here are five things to consider:

 

1. Choose to plant flowers and colors that were favorites of your family or friend. If he or she loved roses, plant one or more rose bushes. If bright orange was the favorite color, plant orange tulips, dahlias and tiger lilies.

 

2. Get a customized garden memorial stone with the name of your beloved. Or choose one with a comforting verse that will inspire you with hope whenever you see or read it.

 

3. Position your Hope Patch so that you see it easily every day. Don’t tuck it on the far side of a house or the back of the lot where you can’t see it. A Hope Patch is made to be seen by you — and others.

 

4. Tell others about your Hope Patch. Let them know about your hope for a better future for those who have passed on. Hope is contagious and healing — make sure that another person “catches” it.

 

5.  Add to your Hope Patch every year. This may include new statues, more flowers, a bush and other things to enlarge the impact of your garden. Real hope grows as it is exercised. Commit to making your Hope Patch grow and you will be amazed how much it will mean to you.

 

Remember, a Hope Patch is not just for those who have passed on — it is for you to hold them in your memory and imagine they are in a better place. Creating a remembrance garden as a Hope Patch is a life giving activity for you.

 

 

Copyright 2006, Dave Pipitone

For more inspiration, please visit http://www.thehopepatch.com.

 

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Welcome to the Hope Patch

Saturday, May 20th, 2006

Hello and welcome. I am Dave Pipitone, owner and administrator of The Hope Patch blog and website.

This blog is devoted to the important role that the virtue of hope plays in our lives to live with purpose, meaning, and peace.

What is hope? Webster’s dictionary defines hope as a desire for some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it; confidence in a future event; the highest degree fo well-founded expectaton of good.

To put that in plain words, hope is directed towards obtaining something good in your life. It starts with a desire for something good (love, peace, joy, meaning, contribution, a great marriage, friendship, happy family, and more.) Then, hope grows as we realize the good we desire take place.

Hope is a spiritual gift from a loving and gracious God who desires that all humanity live well and abundantly in love, happiness, peace and justice.

The Hope Patch is that area of our lives where we plant our hopes and dreams. The Hope Patch is based on the inspirational family story, The Rainbow Chronicles: A Bedtime Story for a New Day. (For more information, visit www.therainbowchronicles.com.)

Gardens are a great start to begin planting a hope patch. My very first hope patch began with death of my wife’s uncle, Don Jacobson, in early November, 1999. Our Catholic parish had a memorial service on All Soul’s Day in honor of the deceased. The parish offered a tulip bulb, along with a verse encouraging us to plant the bulb knowing that God would bring new life from suffering and death. We planted that bulb at the base of a shepherd’s crook that Don made for us for a hanging plant. We formed a little semi-circular area to be our Hope Patch. Every year, we plant new annuals in that area, knowing that God will bring about new life to us and our family, just like bulbs, seedlings and small flower plants will grow into something beautiful with time.

I will post articles, thoughts and ideas about how to do practical things to build and live in hope.

I invite you to register and participate as a blog member by sharing your stories of hope and meaning. I also encourage you to plant a Hope Patch in your yard or kitchen, to remind your family that good will and peace are worth striving for in life. Watch the developments for our website, www.thehopepatch.com.

Until next time, peace and God’s blessing to you.

- Dave Pipitone, Author, The Rainbow Chronicles

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