SPRING

The winter battle is over and we have survived. We are liberated out of our homes and into a spectacular color show. As the days become longer and the sun shines brighter, animals emerge from hibernation and the flowers strut their stuff.

Spring Thoughts

Something awakens with in us in the spring. A long winter can take a toll on the mind and body. Going outside and feeling the warm sun on our faces is like drinking a cup of natures coffee. If the warmth of the sun does not wake you, the bursts of chilly wind will. The temperature can be bipolar going back and forth between cold and warm. Embrace this season before the strong heat of the summer begins. The washed out scenery gives birth to color as the grass grows green and trees bear flowers. Nature appears to be alive again and so am I.

Spring Activities

People are outside again greeting familiar faces that they have not seen in a while. Spring and fall have the most favorable temperatures and in my opinion the best time to go hiking, camping and take picnics. Love is in the air and be prepared to go to many weddings, baby showers. Spring brings on some opportunities for amazing dates and family outings such as flying kites, visiting gardens, going to baseball games, picking fruit at farms, and horseback riding.It is still to cold to bring on the water sports in most areas but that season is right around the corner.

Gathering food, Gardening, and Cooking

Even though flowers are abundant during spring food is still limited in the gardens. Cold loving plants are available and should be growing in your garden such as; broccoli, lettuce, celery, asparagus, peas, spinach, strawberries, Rhubarb, and more. At this time you can begin to harden off the plants that you started indoors and bring them into the garden and continuously sow seeds. As the temperatures rises in the water the fishing increasingly becomes better. Some Fish and birds begin their migration back up north. In the spring love is in the air for the animal kingdom as well. It is mating season for many animals, spawning season for some fish, and the time of year when a lot of animals are being born , therefore fresh milk and eggs are available. Everyone is awakening from their deep sleep and become very active with an appetite for food and love. Turkeys are now the target for hunters in most places. This time of year folks go hiking in the woods in search of the delicious morel mushroom. And so it begins……….

Home Making

We have over stayed our welcome in our own homes. At this point we can say our house has a “lived in” look, with blankets thrown everywhere, firewood piles depleting, carpet stains from muddy shoes, and the coat rack is drowning in jackets. Finally in the spring you can throw up the windows and let the house breath again! Spring cleaning is a great way to get some exercise and work off that winter layer of fat. Lemons are now in season and can be used to clean with which causes the house to smell wonderful. Fresh cut flower are cheap this time of year especially if they come from the back yard. Doors welcome company with hanging wreaths decorated in flowers. The family coat rack is dressed in raincoats and light weight sweaters now and the snow boots are put away while the rain boots come out to play. All the heavy quilts are folded and stored away as the light sheets are thrown in the air and floated down to the bed. Easter rabbits, chicks, lettuce plates, and pops of pastel colors are found in every corner of the home. Spring provides enough beauty for you to be inspired to liven and freshen up the home. There is a lot of organizing and donating being done and a good time to throw or hit a yard sales. It is easier to keep the house clean because everyone is outside now. I always love to bring the outside, inside with cuttings of apple blossom branches, moss covered stones, and flower clippings. A home in the spring is an extension of the outside.

Holidays and Traditions

Easter/Lent- God could not have planned easter for a better time of year. As we are dying inside for the winter to be over we are also morning the death of Jesus Christ. We silently await for His resurrection and our new beginning. During lent we deny ourselves and do penance in order that our sinful ways and bad habits can be left behind. On easter morning you can see the earth come to life again and we are renewed with good habits.

St. Patrick- Is the anniversary of St Patricks death who was an Irish man that loved God very much. At 16 he was kidnaped and made a slave. He was able to escape and become a priest. He used the shamrock to explain the trinity. We celebrate this day by wearing green and lifting lenton restrictions.

April Fools- Hahaha I fooled you, winter is not over, here comes more snow! The origins of this holiday is a little sketchy. I find April fools day as a good reminder to laugh a little.

Mothers day- The fifth commandment says to honor thy father and mother and we have two holidays set aside to do just that. Of course this is something that we do everyday of our lives but if we can give a holiday to presidents we can give one to our moms as well.

Homestead

First thought that comes into mind is “busy as a bee”. This is when all of the goal setting and planning that we did during the winter comes into action as we hit our Homestead with all our stored energy. As slow as winter was, it is twice as busy in the spring. Even the bees have a huge load of work pollinating flowers. Hens watch over their chicks while laying eggs again. Baby goats and calfs are born and their mothers start producing milk. Starting the garden on the right foot can help you to have a low maintenance garden in the summer. Spring and Fall are also a time of year with unstable weather. This is because the cold air is still pushing from the polar regions while warm air is moving up from the lower latitudes. Flooding, tornadoes, super-cell thunderstorms, hail, and high winds, can become a problem. Being prepared and protecting your homestead, livestock, and garden is important. They do say, “Sweet April showers, do spring May flower.”