Do you feel the ramp-up of activity this time of year? I do.

When we notice the weather warm slightly and the days lengthen, it’s hard not to push too hard for spring when we turn the calendar page to March. However, if we choose to greet each season with wonder, we may be able to notice what the current season gives rather than what the current season lacks. I’m thinking about spring green underneath all that brown in our yard right now.

It can be important to keep an eye on balance when spring begins amid the many opportunities vying for our attention, or we’ll find ourselves swept up in the spring tornado once again.

As we prepare to transition from winter to spring in the coming weeks, I think this video called *Remembrance of Winter Past from *Her86m2 gives a beautiful farewell to winter and why it is important to invite each season’s impermanence (season or life season) into our lives. It also ends with a delicious parsnip soup recipe, so it’s a win-win.

*If you see an asterisk next to a link, it links to a video with sound. Just a heads up in case you need to turn the volume down or pop on your headphones.

HOME

If the outdoors is looking a little bleak after all the cold weather, I encourage you to add a little life indoors. One of my favorite places to buy houseplants is Succulent Native here in Austin, Texas. Succulent Native ships their plants all over the United States as well as offering a monthly plant club for local delivery in Austin, Texas. Be sure to check out their gorgeous planter selection and gift ideas as well.

If you’re looking for ways to make room in your budget for the little things that bring you joy, this YNAB video on *A Simple Trick to Find Extra Money in Your Budget is a good place to begin, or watch *Create a Wish Farm for ideas on saving for the objects or experiences you love. If you’re looking for ways to bring a little joy to your life without breaking the bank, read 30 Affordable Ways to Treat Yourself.

GARDEN

If you live in Austin, Texas like I do, you most likely live in Zone 8b. Our last frost date occurs between March 21 and March 31. Our first frost date occurs between October 11 and October 20. Not in Austin, Texas? Go here to find out your zone.

One of the best resources I’ve found for gardening tips each month is on The Natural Gardener Website: Gardening Tips for March. Natural Gardener also included a few tips for restoring your garden after a hard freeze in their recent newsletter.

To prepare for spring in our garden, I spent this past weekend organizing my seeds so that I know which ones I’ll be starting in my seed start trays and which ones I will directly sow into the garden. About half of my seeds starts are still growing after the winter storm transition from indoor to outdoor, so I decided to re-plant any sprouts that were really leggy or seeds that didn’t germinate.

My seeds starts that are growing well are now outside in my mini greenhouse and the ones that I just planted are (hopefully) germinating in the laundry room right now. I’ll transfer them to the greenhouses once they sprout.

It’s important to note that the temperatures in Austin, Texas right now are between 40-60 in the mornings and 60-75 during the day. I always open the tops of the greenhouses during the day so that the temperature doesn’t get in the 90s inside the greenhouse and so that the sprouts start to toughen up with some movement from gentle breezes. I water the sprouts in the greenhouses only when they are starting to look dry. I’m helping prepare them for the real world!

This will be an experimental year of sorts in the garden for me. I’m starting my first potager garden (a garden with close proximity to the home with both veggies and flowers) that will include several cut flower varieties as well as some filler plants like ornamental grasses. I’ve ordered so many new varieties to try and I’m curious to see which ones do well in our garden.

I’m sure I’ll have some flops this year, but within every gardener is hope and curiosity. Otherwise we’d never see the possibilities of spring when nothing else is growing at the end of winter. Being a gardener takes an adventurous and creative spirit, the ability to have most things out of your control for all or part of the time, and lots of time with your hands in the dirt throughout the year when most people would rather be inside. Working in a garden also requires a sense of humor because in the back of every gardener’s mind is the universal truth that ultimately it is nature who will decide what grows.

WELLNESS

A while back I came across a term called tall poppy syndrome, which is the tendency to downplay another’s success due to envy or worry that someone might steal one’s work if the work is shared with peers.

I believe there are infinite possibilities for creativity and joy. The reason that many creatives are successful is because they are creating from their heart rather than following trends or trying to copy someone else. A mindset of openness and sharing in a community allows for everyone to make their mark in their own way and learn from each other.

Envy can breed resentment or even unfair judgement. I wonder what the world might look like if we were to celebrate what is unique in each person and why their personal journey has led to their success. What about being proud of our own unique contributions we are making in the world? What if we peel back the curtain to take a closer look at our own journey?

I find when I am most focused on the parts of life that bring me joy, I am able to see that joy through the lens of someone else’s experience rather than being in a place of comparison. It becomes crystal clear that their journey took hard work, practice, and most likely plenty of sacrifice and compromise along the way.

I hope that when I see a tall poppy grow suddenly, I can admire it with wonder and curiosity rather than envy and comparison. If we help each other grow with grace rather than look down on one another, get stuck in a loop of comparison or feel that growth is only for the tall poppies, we grow in heart as a society. We grow stronger as a community when we share our talents and celebrate our unique work together.

If you are looking for a nudge in the direction of joy, I highly recommend visiting Ingrid Fetell Lee’s Aesthetics of Joy Website.

Give Your Life a Joy Makeover - So many free resources here!

3 Things I’ve Learned about Joy From a Baby

Ingrid Fetell Lee is an expert in the field of color and how it can change the way you feel in your home.

Be sure to look for the book, Joyful, in paperback on May 4th. You can visit the link below to order the hardcover or pre-order the paperback.

CREATIVITY

Maybe it is too cold yet for flowers to be thriving in the garden, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play with a few pressed flowers.

*Making My Cottage Fit for a Fairy Paola makes paper mache lanterns with pressed flowers.

You can always buy pressed flowers ($) or buy a flower press ($) and make your own using flowers from a local florist or grocery store.

If you’re feeling artistic, creating a piece of collage art with scraps of paper is a great way to add a little spring to your home. Paint scraps of paper with acrylic paint or watercolor and glue them onto Bristol board or heavy cardstock with Mod Podge or craft glue. Cover your artwork with a piece of wax paper then run your fingers along the top (or use a large popsicle stick) to help smooth down the pieces. Remove the wax paper and carefully wipe up any extra glue. Once you have your masterpiece complete, learn how to make your own artwork hanger!

Share in the comments below anything you’re doing

around the house to welcome spring!

BOOKSHELF

My favorite book around this time of year is And Then It’s Spring. It is a book that reminds us to keep our eyes open, to stay hopeful, and to remember that spring is just around the corner if we are patient. I love the little sayings on signs in the garden in the book like “please do not stomp here there are seeds and they are trying”. The book is written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner Erin E. Stead.

In case you are looking for book recommendations for kids (or yourself!), gift ideas for all ages or want to peek into my TBR List for 2021, head over to the 52 Seasons Book Shop on Bookshop.org. ($)

COMMUNITY

*I am, because of you

"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Desmond Tutu

If we all make a difference in our communities, that change will begin to happen on a global level. Caring begins at home. Caring is what we teach our families and IT MATTERS.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to read 52 Seasons. I’d love to hear your feedback and ideas so that we can grow together.

Check out some of my favorite resources here.