My Top Ten Must-do Spring Activities
Inside: Spring is a mere few days away, so I’ve chosen my top ten must-do spring activities from my spring bucket list. See if your list matches mine.
Ah, spring! We’ve gotten a nice dose of it this week, and it feels as though we’re finally leaving the heavy coat of winter behind us. I am more than ready to move on! Now I’m turning my attention to the new season, watching the stories of budding leaves, flowering trees, warm winds, and green grass. Eagerly listening to the melodies of birds fiercely belting out their morning tunes, and peepers rising from slumber to add to the chorus.
Here at the blog, I’m dusting off words and airing out posts from springs’ past. One of my favorites from last year was my Spring Bucket List: 25 Ways to Celebrate the Season. While I’d like to do each and every entry on the list, realistically I’ll probably only get to do a few of them. What follows is my top ten must-do activities. See if your list matches mine.
My Top Ten Must-do Spring Activities
In no particular order, here are my must-dos.
- Start seeds in a sunny window. (Number 2 on my spring bucket list. Here’s a good post on starting seeds.)
- Wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, whether or not you are Irish. (Number 9.)
- Buy a beautiful pot for growing flowers and plan how you will fill it (Number 7 on the list. . . Check out this post on container gardening.)
- Egg salad, anyone? Here’s an easy recipe for Curried Egg Salad: 2 hard boiled eggs chopped, 2 tablespoons of mayo, 1 teaspoon of sweet and spicy mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon of red curry powder. Nom! (Number 17. More ideas for all those eggs? Click here.)
- Become a backyard birdwatcher—if only for a day. (Number 16. . . Love birds? See Backyard Bird Feeding 101.)
- Indulge in a chocolate egg (small indulgence) or a chocolate bunny (big indulgence). (Number 10. . . More ideas for being good to yourself here.)
- Allow yourself to wander around a garden center, taking in the floral sights and scents of all the new arrivals. (Number 15.)
- Make strawberry shortcake. No need to be fancy. Buy a pound cake to slice, cut up some strawberries with sugar or sweetener, and dollop generously with whipped cream. (Number 24. . . More strawberry recipes in this post.)
- Try planting something you’ve never planted before. (Number 22. . . Tips for planning your garden here.)
- Break out your favorite pair of sandals for a “test walk.” (Number 25.)
So that’s my short list. Probably the first thing I’ll do is make egg salad. Of course, that chocolate bunny is calling my name. And if I do that, then I’d probably better go for that walk in my fave pair of sandals. . . .Okay, I’m on a mission.
Springtime, here I come!
How do you celebrate spring? Tell us about it in the comments.
Related posts:
Spring Bucket List: 25 Ways to Celebrate the Season
Uncovering Strawberries in Spring
Trending Spring, Garden Talk, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Posts from a year ago:
Cloud Hunting, Cup O’ Happiness, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
You’re Never Too Old for a Tea Party
Inside: As an introvert, one of my goals this year has been saying “yes” to more social events–a tea party being the latest. Which proves you’re never too old for a tea party.
Recently I was invited to a tea party. Mom asked if I’d like to go to one of our favorite haunts, Sugar Grove Growers, for one of their events, and I happily agreed. As the date approached, she mentioned that she’d found out the Sparkle Tea Party was actually geared toward children, a fact which she shrugged off. She’d been wanting to go to more of the doings at her place of employment and didn’t mind. After all, she reasoned, I was a writer and it would be interesting to meet a local author.
The day of the tea party, as we headed up the stairs to a quaint makeshift tea room, I felt a little self-conscious without bringing a seemingly essential element to the gathering–a little girl. No worries, though. The author, Stephanie Paasch, welcomed us, introduced herself, and told us a little about her presentation. She explained how she’d gone from someone who wasn’t particularly fond of tea to a passionate tea drinker and promised we’d learn some interesting facts about tea.
Soon other guests arrived, and we found our place cards and sat down to a gorgeous table setting complete with small, delicate tea cups and a teapot centerpiece with cuttings that morning from the greenhouse. (Mom knows all about that, as this is her thirty-fourth year of working in the greenhouses there.) Alana Fravell, co-owner with her husband Bob Theobald and his father Bill, explained a little bit of the history of Sugar Grove Growers–how her inlaws, Bill and Ellyn Theobald, had started out with just a cart selling produce and plants and now their thriving business was turning 40 this year. I was touched when she spoke of Ellyn (who passed away several years ago) and how Alana wanted to continue Ellyn’s legacy. Ellyn had been the heart of Sugar Grove Growers, adding so much with her attention to detail and creativity, and it was so good to see Alana bringing those same talents to the store.
Next Stephanie read from her children’s book Sparklepants: Terrific Tea Party. And, you know what? I did learn a lot about tea! The story, although written for children, was informative and fun, and I like how she didn’t speak down to her audience. She introduced “big words” in such a way that kids could learn yet still remain engaged with the story. I certainly enjoyed it. So will the little girl in your life.
Meanwhile, as Stephanie read, Alana served us various teas and a plate of goodies–a ham and cheese finger sandwich as well as the ever-popular peanut butter and jelly version, along with apple slices, and two different kinds of cookies. (Definitely cleaned my plate. Well, you know, to set a good example.)
Stephanie answered questions about tea, signed copies of her book, and told us about other adventures she had planned for The Adventures of Sparklepants series. All too soon, the party was over.
Afterward we shopped downstairs–more goodies!–and chatted with folks. Such is life in a small town. What a way to spend an afternoon.
And there we were, Mom, a seventy-four-year-old, and me, fifty-three, proving that you’re never too old for a tea party!
Have you ever been to a tea party? Tell us about it in the comments.
Resources:
More about Stephanie Paasch
Teas the author recommends: PersnickeTea
Related posts:
Gardening Advice From a Thirty-year Greenhouse Veteran
Finding my Pace: Slowing Down to Enjoy Life
Posts from a year ago:
Uprooted, Seeing Green, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Inside: Uprooted and grounded, watching the grass grow, and when birds become optimists. Check out all the latest news fresh from the farm on A Rural Girl Writes.
Uprooted and Grounded
The wind brought us a present the other night. One of the Chinese elms out front toppled over, thankfully not hurting anything else aside from a smaller tree next to it, and that one might survive after all.
Under a wind advisory from the National Weather Service, I had a hard time sleeping as the gale force winds descended upon us right before midnight. Sometime around five thirty I opened the door to let Clarence outside and happened to notice one of the trees in the yard looked short. I squinted again and realized that was because it had been uprooted during the night. Strangely, though, I didn’t hear the tree fall. Mike said it sounded like a big thud, though he didn’t think at the time it was a tree falling over.
This isn’t the first time we’ve lost a tree. But this time around has got me thinking of the word uprooted. More often I’ve heard the term to describe a person who has moved away from home or lost a job, but I’ve never stopped to think much about it. When you see a tree lying flat, roots pushed up from the ground, it leaves a mental picture which conveys just how devastating that can actually be. A wide, gaping hole is left behind. Not something that can be easily filled.
Only something new can fill it. Which gave me a great idea. I was having trouble figuring out what to ask for my birthday, but now I know. A tree with beautiful fall leaves that will sink its roots deep into the soil.
Watching the Grass Grow
I’ve been seeing green lately, and not of the seven deadly sins variety. I’ve been watching the grass grow. Yes, literally. Day by day I’ve been watching fields of tan slowly turn sage in color. It’ll be a while before we get to kelly green, but we’re getting there.
Thank that yellow ball in the sky I’ve been spotting lately. We haven’t seen a lot of it this winter, but this past week has been sunshiny and bright. One of these days we might even be able to say sun-drenched. We’ve got a while before that, though.
And it’s not just the grass that has benefitted from the sun’s appearance. My disposition has improved immensely.
You might say it’s downright sunny.
When Birds Become Optimists
You have to admire the birds this time of year. It can’t be easy out there, in the cold, singing up a storm so that maybe spring will wake up and notice. Adverse conditions don’t keep them down. They don’t pay attention to the gloomy forecast the weather people have served up for the next ten days. It never stops them from their tasks. And here I am, complaining about the weather, often letting the temperature or wind chill determine my mood.
Large flocks of blackbirds stopped by yesterday on their way north. Despite the lingering winter, they’re actually a little early from when I normally see them. A good note to end February on.
Tomorrow March comes.
More green.
More bird songs.
Spring.
Related posts:
Cornfields, Stump Gardens, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Birdwatching Birthdays, Photography Lessons, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
Posts from a Year ago:
Trending Spring, Garden Talk, and Other News Fresh From the Farm
25 Ways to Be Good to Yourself
Inside: So often we focus only on the needs of others–and much to our detriment. Today it’s time for a little self-care with our 25 ways to be good to yourself.
*This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on any product links and purchase items, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps pay for my website.
Why Self-care?
If you’re like me, the idea of self-care isn’t something you learned about until later in life. I was introduced to the concept years ago after coming off a serious bout of depression, and I remember how foreign it seemed at first. Thoughts like “put others first before yourself” and “love your neighbor as you love yourself” ran through my mind. Wasn’t I being selfish, focusing on my needs?
I obviously wasn’t the only one with doubts. The author of a book I read on the subject said that when she presented her views on a popular talk show the audience of mostly women booed her. Their reaction re-enforced the message that focusing on your own needs was bad.
But what’s the first thing flight attendants tell you as they run through the safety procedures? Put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. The reason is simple: You’re not able to take care of anyone if you haven’t attended to your own basic needs. It’s hard to water others when your own well is dry.
Upon thinking of the second greatest commandment–“Love your neighbor as you love yourself”–I’ve come to realize something that had oftentimes been glossed over in my growing up years. If you’re doing a poor job loving yourself, then the “as” part of the commandment would mean that you should do just as poorly loving your neighbor. But here’s the point–the commandment assumes that you’re taking good care of yourself, therefore that should be your guide when dealing with your neighbor.
While it’s still difficult sometimes to change my mindset in this regard, I strive to make sure I am looking after myself. That way I can be there for the people I love as well as treating those I come in contact with kindness because I’m not coming from a place of scarcity.
Being Good to Yourself
With that in mind, here are 25 ways to be good to yourself. While not every point will be right for you, likely you’ll find a handful of ideas you can use as you develop the habit of self-care.
- Treat yourself like you would your best friend. Would you criticize your BFF if she gained twenty pounds? Most of us would never do such a thing! More than likely we would listen from a place of compassion and offer encouragement. Do likewise to yourself!
- Schedule time for yourself. Make yourself a priority as you would any appointment you make. Pencil in time for you and make sure you keep the appointment. You are worth it!
- Take care of your health. Eat right. Take supplements. Exercise. Get plenty of rest. Cultivate habits which help you feel your best.
- Reduce your stress load. Can you get rid of any of the activities that cause you stress? Whatever you can eliminate will make your life more manageable and give you less headaches.
- Give yourself permission to say no. While consciously purging the stress from your life, don’t turn around and add in more. Remember: What is good is not always appropriate. While volunteering in the children’s department at church is not a bad thing, if you’re spread thin already, then it’s not appropriate for you–unless you drop other items off your schedule. When you say yes to something new, you’re also saying no to something you’re currently doing.
- Spend quiet time with yourself. We live in a noisy world that doesn’t encourage introspection. Spending quiet time daily can be life-affirming. Slowing down to hear yourself think reduces stress, and in the absence of noise, mental clarity is often a benefit. Try it. You just might like it.
- Journal. If you’ve been reading my posts for a while, you know my love/hate relationship with journaling. The truth is, though, it’s often a good way to process your life, and thus deal with your emotional issues as they come.
- Soak in a tub. This is the only suggestion that comes with a doctor’s prescription–Dr. Teal, that is. A good mineral soak with a wonderful scent is the frugal woman’s spa treatment, and it does a body good. I highly recommend it!
- Take yourself out on a date. A leisurely day antiquing. Coffee and a good novel. Dinner and a movie. Who says you can’t have fun by yourself?
- Buy yourself a bouquet of fresh flowers. You don’t have to go for long stem roses. Many lovely (and affordable) floral arrangements can be found cheaply at the grocery store. The pop of color and fragrance is so welcome, particularly during the winter months.
- Watch your favorite movie. This used to be an occasional guilty pleasure of mine years ago when Mike was at work and Emily was in school and I was between morning and night chores around our dairyfarm. Something about watching a movie alone made me feel like I was getting away with something. Not sure what that was about, but it was quite fun!
- Meet a friend for lunch. And not the sort of friend who tends to be needy. Iron sharpens iron, so choose someone who is equally good at listening as she is sharing her heart.
- Steal a few minutes (or hours) with a good book. Whether you take something off your bookshelf or pop into a book store to buy the latest bestseller, give yourself permission to get lost in a good book.
- Give yourself the gift of convenience. There are times when shortcuts can save us time, stress, and energy. Takeout meals can regain minutes lost from other activities. A cleaning service can help you stay on top of things. Don’t feel guilty when you need a little convenience to make your schedule work.
- Indulge in something decadent. Now you probably don’t want to do this every day, but every so often it’s nice to have a treat. On a special diet? See if you can find dessert recipes within your dietary restrictions. On Pinterest, for example, you can find so many ideas for low carb and keto desserts. (On this blog, too!)
- Bake. (I’m imagining the British bake show and the hosts giving the command to bake to worthy contestants.) I don’t know about you, but sometimes I need a little TLC in the form of baked goods. Comfort food. Find a recipe and measure and mix to your heart’s content. Be sure to lick the spoon.
- Do handwork. There is something quite healing in making things with your hands. I’m not sure what the magic is, but I highly recommend handwork for so many different reasons, especially how therapeutic it is.
- Put on your favorite album. Yes, I said album. I know, I’m showing my age. Okay, playlist if you’re not old school. Dancing shoes optional.
- Give yourself a non-food treat. Whether a magazine off the newsstand or plants from the gardening center, a small gift can be a boost to your day.
- Go for a walk in nature. Studies suggest that spending time in the park can be healing as well as healthy. Stepping out of your normal environment to one surrounded by trees and plants, fresh air and sunshine can be invigorating.
- Enroll in a class. Whether continuing your education or taking a how-to class at the community college, learning something new or honing a skill can be rewarding.
- Shop. While I’m not a recreational shopper, I know quite a few people who are. If you like browsing or bargain hunting, make a day of it. As long as you stay in your budget, have fun.
- Be a hobbyist! What do you like to do but never get time to do it? For me, gardening is fun, but maybe you like fishing or rock climbing or working out at the gym. Do what brings you joy.
- Make a list of your achievements. This is a good exercise when you’ve taken a hit to your self-esteem. Make sure to keep your list handy and refer to it when you need a confidence boost.
- Celebrate! Celebrate spring or Mondays or cute little fuzzy kittens. Or simply that you’re breathing! It’s okay to actually enjoy life. After all, Someone came so we’d have it abundantly.
What do you do to take care of you? Tell us about it in the comments.
Related posts:
Finding my Pace: Slowing Down to Enjoy Life
How I’m Finding Time to Read and Other Worthy Pursuits
Get Started with Essential Oils: Advice from an EO Teacher
Posts From a Year Ago: