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Spring trickles through the days as of late, and I giddily smile and grin anticipating each day’s accumulation of minutes, daylight, warmth and birdsong.
While officially arriving on March 20th, we can prepare for its arrival these next three weeks. 🙂
Don’t get me wrong, Winter, you were splendid, especially here in Bend. Just the right amount of snow to shovel, snowy days and ample cozying-in paired with surprises of blue sky here and there, but I am ready. My garden is ready and well, it’s been a long year since last spring.
Today I would like to share with you eight ideas to try in a variety arenas in your life to welcome the new spring into being with brilliance.
1.Become serious about how you want to live in your house, in your life.
Being inside our homes for these pandemic-prompted extended periods of time, especially so during the winter, but multiplied by the days leading up to winter, the clarity of what works . . . and what doesn’t . . . stares us in the face.
With so much out of our control, our homes are the one space where more control is possible. Now is the time to put a plan into action which will stay within your budget and make the necessary changes. This article points out how many decor trends will likely become more permanent as we realize the value in investing in quality furniture rather than fast, cheap pieces; finding a private space for each individual in the home for good mental health practice as well as thoughtful kitchen design.
~Check out these posts for more ideas and inspiration on how to customize your sanctuary: Phase One of TSLL’s Home Customization: Where to Begin?; Phase Two: 10 Steps to Help You Begin Customizing Your Home; Read this book – profiled in this post to help guide you along your journey of customization.
2. Sharpen the garden tools
Reminded by my mother this past weekend who was tending to this task, sharpen our tools and garden devices now so when the weather allows, we can dig in! 😉
– Monty Don shared his March garden jobs post here for a few more ideas to tend to in your garden.
3. Freshen up and clean up your beauty and skincare routine
4. Try one new recipe that captures your tastebuds in pictorial form. And then try another one, and then another one, and see how your cooking repertoire expands.
I recently saw this Ginger-Dill Salmon Recipe in the NYT Cooking insert in the Sunday paper and had to try it. Okay, I will admit, it may have been the avocados that sold me. 🙂 Just look at the picture!
5. Consider growing your own herbs and any other vegetables you enjoy eating in your own garden.
~Learn how to sow seeds here, and yes! You can do it! I just sowed two packets of tomato seeds this past weekend, my lettuce – rocket as well as French mache – are doing quite well delightfully, and I look forward to giving many more vegetables a try that I personally enjoy eating. Stay tuned!
Many herbs and vegetables can be sowed now for a late spring and summer harvest, so start making a garden wishlist and purchase those seeds.
6. Invest in 2-3 pieces for your spring capsule wardrobe – start planning and perusing now.
TSLL’s Spring Shopping Guide will be posted on the blog on April 1st, but until then, examine your spring capsule wardrobe. What is working? What are you looking forward to wearing as the days become a bit warmer? What is missing?
Why narrow your list down to just a few items? Your budget will enable you to invest in quality items you love. And when you start perusing, but not purchasing just yet, you give yourself time to think about and thoughtfully decide what your wardrobe needs as you are ahead of most shoppers AND more sizes will still be available when you finally decide upon what you want.
~Learn more about How to Build a Capsule Wardrobe On a Budget.
7. Assess your fitness regimen – perk it up a bit with time spent outside doing something you not only love but something that breaks a sweat or tones your muscles
With more daylight and gradually warming weather, making wanted changes to your fitness routine just became a bit easier. Or course, working out in the garden is a form of exercise, but why not take your yoga onto your porch, go for a longer run as the evening or morning light allows. Start with one day with a longer time allottment and then gradually do so on subsequent days as you desire.
8. Put winter (or the nearing-its-end season) to bed with gratitude and celebration
In many ways, my birthday marks the end of winter and the start of spring, so I tend to see my personal celebration as a reason to become excited for spring. However, I also am someone who does enjoy winter, so I don’t want to dismiss it. This past weekend, I made one of my favorite chocolate cakes, but in mini form – Reine de Saba (seen below), and in so doing, celebrated the cozy gifts of winter giving myself permission to then fully become excited about the impending spring season’s arrival.
Okay. Spring, I am ready! Wishing you a lovely final few weeks of the winter season, and may the 20th of March find you at peace with the passing season and bounding into the new. 🙂
SIMILAR POSTS FROM THE ARCHIVES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
4 Simple Ways to Spring Forward, episode #29
Wonderful ideas! Our March is blowing in like a lion, as I write this. However, you have inspired me to jump up and put a bit of spring in the house! I am committed to starting some seeds and fingers crossed, they will not “cross over to the other side.” I need to take down a diseased tree this weekend and am looking forward to deciding how to fill that space with color. Have a great rest of your week!
Michelle, Wishing your seeds much success! 🙂 And have fun designing your new outdoor corner space. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.
Fantastic and inspiring list, Shannon! I am ready to throw open the windows for the fresh Spring air, take the house by its ears, so to speak, and give it a good shake.
We’re so lucky here. The birds are now up before dawn with their songs, the sun shines most days, and the temps are all ready in the 60s-low 70s! There is MUCH cleaning up to do after our freak cold snap, but, as I said to my sister in Houston, it just means we get to a) plan new garden spaces, and b) buy more plants, never a bad thing!
This morning I started on a real refresh and cleansing of the old wardrobe–ye gods, didn’t I just do that LAST Spring?! Oh well. And yes, sharpening our garden tools, revamping our face/body/makeup routines, new recipes(I’m concentrating on new Mediterranean ones), refining our home space…well. I think that’s enough to keep us off the streets and out of trouble. At least for weekend or two…?
Thank you for these ideas Shannon..
Noted – and reminded to – clean my make up brushes, try a new eye make up look, try some new recipes, and assess my wardrobe.
I love springs arrival, my birthday falls in early April so I look forward to perusing your spring shopping guide for a treat!
MY spring commences on 1st of March .It gets me motivated. Wonderful ideas to dust off winter and move into Spring. The sun is out , birds are tweeting and the garden is coming to life . I put in the work in autumn to mulch and prepped the soil so I didn’t have to do too much before sowing some early mesclun, radishes and . Still harvesting the winter spinach and endive and lettuces under over. Garden tools all cleaned and ready. I love this time to organise the spring cleaning of the house. Started with the pantry and will work round the house in the coming weeks. it just feels so good to herald in spring. Have a great week Shannon.
Thank you for sharing the link to the Laura Mercier videos. These are terrific!
Aren’t they?! Simple, clear and full of new, yet doable ideas. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by.