Time to Think Easter Eggs

 

Easter is so early this year so we are going to dye Easter eggs this weekend. Hard to believe the Easter bunny is due to visit next week end. It doesn't really feel like Spring yet with cold weather and snow, but we will break out the PAAS dyes and get to work.

Spring!

 

Welcome Spring, even if you are freezing cold. Not get to work and green things up.

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring

I enjoyed last Friday's snow storm and was struck with how pretty everything looked in the morning not to mention that the weatherman got it right. I wasn't bothered because I saw it as winter's final hurrah. A snowy goodbye that didn't cause too much trouble or last long. Now I'm ready to embrace a Spring state of mind.

The photos above are from a wonderful DIY project from the Norwegian blog Bratte bakka. Check out how some old windows and cinder blocks were transformed, with some imagination and hard work, into this wonderful green space. Reuse and recycle works.

Dream Garden

The British really know how to grow their gardens. I would love to walk out my back door and step into a garden like this one.

Rushing into Spring

Okay it seems like Puxatony Phil and everyone else is ready to rush into Spring! The stores are starting to fill up with pastel and neon bright clothing and there are gardening supplies and seed packets displayed in the supermarket.

I can't blame this "Jump into Spring" mentality solely on consumerism. I'm sure since ancient times people have had a longing for signs of Spring at this time of year. Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday are less than two weeks away and the count down to Easter begins. Easter is undeniably a spring holiday.

But what about the last of winter? Maybe because I'm a February baby, I like winter and want it to feel well, like winter. I would probably be as eager for spring as everyone else, if this winter really felt like a winter.

Yes, it was cold for a couple of days and there was a little snow. The flu thrived, but so did the parsley and pansies in our garden. Maybe, I'm not so eager for spring, because this whole winter has felt like a cold spring. I feel like I am living in a warmer climate than the our zone 6 USDA designation calls for. Come on February bring it on!

Photo via A Blog with a View

Affordable Luxuries #14: Peonies

 

Along with violets and lilacs, peonies top my favorite flowers list. There are a few blooming in our yard right now which are sadly getting beaten by the rain. I'm going to treat myself to a bouquet from the corner deli today while they are still available and enjoy watching them burst in to full bloom. Ten dollars and a few stems pay off in terms of flower power when it comes to peonies.

Images: Girl with Peonies by Espranza Moya
Jackson Dress from Plumo
Drawing Study by Martin Schongauer

Going on an Egg Hunt

It's amazing how quickly the pre-K/ Kindergarten set can pick up hundreds of treat filled colored eggs. I laugh imaging my daughter having the same energy when it comes to cleaning up her toys or even myself when it comes to house cleaning. Maybe I need to hide a golden egg in our house for an inspired cleaning day.

Here's a few photos from our Easter Egg hunt yesterday. I meant to take more photos but got sucked into the excitement of the moment and just enjoyed watching the egg frenzy.

Giving Up on Snow

There were a few snow flurries yesterday which, even though it is February, seemed out of place. Spring like weather has dominated the month and I've finally given up on winter for us here on the east coast.

These images of Sonja Hinrichen's Snow Drawings make me a little wistful for a winter landscape but now I'm moving into a Spring state of mind.

Images via Swiss Miss.

Lent and the First Signs of Spring

Lent has started which means spring is not far away. Usually the start of this period of reflection coincides with the most difficult part of winter. I associate February with awful cold, a bleak landscape and blizzards. Not a bad backdrop for 46 days of giving something up.

Instead the chipmunks are already out of their holes and I've seen butterflies flittering around. The days are longer and the extra light is refreshing. It's unnatural but I'm not going to complain. I'm glad not to be fighting the cold. I've even gotten a little early yard work done.

I'm not holding my breath or packing up the snow boots either, I know February and March are fickle months. As for Lent I'm putting a positive Spring like approach on it. Rather than give up I'm going to try doing. Instead of restrictions I'm focusing on action. My goal, at least three small actions/steps a day to make our lives better.

I'm going to keep a list and will post about any of the little things that had a big impact.

Spring Cheer

It's Monday and I didn't get to spend time in the garden this weekend as planned. I did manage to make it to Home Depot and purchase a bunch of gardening supplies. I'm looking forward to the chance to really dig in and "rebuild our garden". That's how my little one referred to it when she asked " Are we going to rebuild our garden?" Yes indeed.

We will post plenty of pictures this summer and record our progress. In the mean time, here are some photos above and a link to a nice DIY way to share Spring cheer with friends from Dos Family.

Springing

I'm ready to start Springing. Not springing like a cat after a play toy but springing like getting in to a Spring state of mind. Spring, when everything is new again and growth and re-growth is all around, seems like the perfect time to get on board the growth spurt bandwagon and plant some seeds of one's own.

I want to do some sowing and see what grows literally and metaphorically. I know what I want to grow in my backyard garden but I'm mulling over where I want to focus on some growth in my life. I'll post more about the Spring Growth project as it takes shape.

Image: French Seed Packets via Paula's Kit Club.

Spring Weather

What a difference a few days and a little sunshine can make. Easter Sunday was amazing this year. Suddenly, after what felt like an extra long winter and way too much rain, the weather decided to behave. The timing was perfect and spring really felt like spring. The daffodils joined the forsythia already in bloom, the air was warm and fragrant and there was a real sense of renewal. We took a ride after our Easter egg hunt and I felt as if we were in a story book version of spring, complete with a babbling brook.

Spring is Spreading

Our garden is making progress! See comparison below. I'm feeling better about all the holes I had to dig in the fall.

Spring, Spring Green and the 64 Pack

Spring is sprung. Well it's starting to feel that way, even if the official first day is still 15 days away. The daffodils are starting to come up and the buds are visible on the trees, so before we know it the world will be green again. Not the full green of summer but the acid yellow green of spring. Part of what is so wonderful about spring, is the return of vivid colors. Thinking about how to describe the color of spring lead me in a completely unexpected direction, suddenly I was thinking about my Crayola 64 Pack.

Spring Green was one of my favorite Crayola colors along with Sky Blue and Periwinkle. I loved Periwinkle because of the way the name sounded and its grey blue color. But the Sky Blue and Spring Green crayons were my absolute favorites, so bright and cheerful. Sadly, they were also always the first to need the built-in sharpener. The sharpener was a good idea but it never quite worked the way I wanted it to. I always wished it could put a perfect new top on my crayons. I think I would have used my 64 crayons more freely if part of me didn’t want to keep them in mint condition.

The images above are from Google image searches using the color names Sky Blue, Spring Green and Periwinkle Blue. Clearly Google and Crayola are on different pages when it comes to Periwinkle Blue. That's not my Periwinkle Blue. Do you remember what your favorite Crayola colors were? Here's a cool chart to jog your memory, unless maybe like me, you still have a 64 Different Brilliant Colors safely tucked away.