Season 12
Is there anything that reminds you more of spring than the vivid spring green that happens in the garden? We were happy recipients of this beautiful bunch of tender asparagus from my dad’s garden this past weekend.
Spring is a time for a refresh around the home, and I’m sharing creative ideas for the garden, inspiration for spring gift giving, and how kindness can be just the renewal we need in our communities.
*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
We’re slipping into spring (maybe even summer?) mode and brunch sounded like just the right indulgence for a Saturday morning. We made a smoked salmon and asparagus frittata with the asparagus we picked from my dad’s garden. I modified this recipe by swapping out a few ingredients for salmon, asparagus, pickled red onions, Italian cheese, and dill.
Spring meals seem lighter, more colorful, and a good excuse to add a little spring mood to the table like new dishes, flowers, or linens. How beautiful would this pitcher and set of glasses look on a spring or summer table? I’m definitely adding them to my wish list.
March through May are big gift giving months for my family. We have lots of spring birthdays and celebrations coming up.
I didn't love shopping in stores other than small boutique-sized stores or farmers' markets before the pandemic and that has continued over the last year. I'd much rather spend my time at home browsing on Etsy and not feeling overwhelmed in a large store with so many choices. I love supporting smaller home-based businesses and buying directly from local shops or artisans.
I’ve compiled a list of some fun new spring items I have my eye on that would make great gifts.
Ceramic Rainbow Watering Can ($) - How could this not put a smile on your face while giving your plants a drink?
Kinetic Rainbow Earrings - These earrings are the easy breezy definition of the movement inspired by spring breezes.
I was lucky enough to receive a few samples of Hummingcup’s newest teas in the mail last week. I especially love the peach-apricot tea. The Hummingcup Tea Sampler would make a beautiful gift for Easter, Mother’s Day or a friend’s birthday.
Kids Gardening Set - Let’s get our kids outside with their hands in the dirt growing something to eat or to bring butterflies to our yard!
Colorful Pottery ($) - I am just in love with this colorful pottery :)
Pacifica Beauty and Haircare Products - I love the coconut milk dangler. The coconut scent makes you like you’re at the beach.
Library Tote Bag - Some serious tote bag wisdom!
When the weather gets warmer I start to crave chips and salsa even more than normal. We already eat tacos several nights a week, so we keep a pretty good supply of salsa around our house. I can’t think of a better gift than a ready to go taco night or a migas brunch kit. Casa de Verde Salsa (available on Farmhouse or in their website), Happy Tomatoes Salsa , and Mateo's Salsa are our personal favorites.
My Architectural Digest arrived in the mail this week. Most of the homes in the magazine are usually way too expensive for my taste and the way we live, but this cover caught my eye. I watched the *AD Home Tour with Emmy Raver-Lampman and Daveed Diggs (you might recognize him from Hamilton) and was so charmed by their home and style. I’m reminded how important it is to focus on your personal style rather than feeling like you need to follow trends. I love this couple’s personal style. Plus, how cute are they together on the their house tour?
My son and I decided we need some cupcakes over the weekend, so we emptied the bag of frozen cherries leftover in the freezer and used them to make these cherry cupcakes. He used the juice from our maraschino cherry jar and some natural food dye to color the icing. We subbed the flour for gluten free flour and used the maraschino cherry juice instead of cherry concentrate. If you use frozen cherries, just make sure you dry them out first so that you don’t add extra liquid to the recipe.
GARDEN
Our garden has been my happy place for many years, but especially this year. I’m never happier than when I’m wearing this sweet gardening half apron I received from my friend. The apron is from Leo’s Dry Goods, and they have some beautiful tea towels and napkins as well.
I’m entering the next phase of my no-dig garden which means moving my seedlings into seed cells to grow slightly larger before putting them into the garden. To see the method in action, check out the *The Elliot Homestead as they try out the no-dig garden
Our Earliglow bareroot strawberries arrived, and I’ve put them in the ground and covered them with willow cloches to deter strawberry-stealing squirrels.
To add even more whimsy in the garden, we added a maypole for our cucamelons. Our son is really excited to grow cucamelons. I mean a cucumber that looks like a tiny watermelon? What could be better?
Our first anemone is blooming in our garden. Anemones close up at night so that they resemble a tulip and open during the day.
WELLNESS
This photo, taken by my husband, shows a branch that fell after the winter storm that took Texas by surprise in February. The branch is partly submerged in the water and is probably budding for the very last time. A tree’s last celebration of life to encourage growth for the next generation is a lesson for all of us.
My husband and I talked about the resiliency of nature. The exuberance of one last budding in hope against all odds. Nature does that with brilliance. We see it in human nature as well when we help our neighbors or when we do work that ensures a better world for the next generation.
This resilience is really the stringing together of many kindnesses from others or to ourselves to move forward into the unknown. It encourages us to be kind when the world feels like it is falling apart at the seams. Kindness does not mean accepting the situation when there are injustices, but instead offering our hand to understand, listen, and help. We are often most reluctant to be kind to our own souls. Kindness means that we give ourselves a voice to ask for what we need and also to lend support to other voices that are struggling to be heard.
The recent heartbreak of events in Boulder and Atlanta makes me question how the push for us all to be more resilient in the wake of so much violence should be focused more on the question of where we can be more kind to each other. Having a growth mindset, to have grit, to be able to adapt, to pivot, and to be resourceful are all valued in our society. While important, I wonder at the root of these if there begs the question of why we have to keep gritting our teeth and pushing through?
When our communities are asked to shoulder perpetual hardships such as illness, job loss, food insecurity, anxiety, depression, racial injustice, questions of safety in schools and in public places, and profound loss and grief, there is a point at which resiliency is worn away to the point that nothing seems to remain intact to move forward. It is kindness that emerges to help us put one foot in front of the other. It is kindness that helps us find joy.
If we learned more about each other, and were kinder to each other, would we have so many difficulties to push through? If we took care of our children, families, the homeless, and our most vulnerable community members, embraced other cultures, listened more than we talked, made space for everyone at the table, would we still need this stockpiling of resilience? Or would we instead have support through the natural difficulties of life such as grief, heartache, or illness. Would our energy and resources have to be split in so many different directions?
Showing each other our humanity, even if vulnerable, will offer more opportunities to connect with one another rather than pushing through to prove our strength and resilience.
Kindness is a poem by the poet Naomi Shihab Nye. She wrote the poem shortly after a traumatic experience while traveling, and her writing speaks to the importance of truly seeing one another in kindness and compassion.
Poetry heals by giving human emotion a form we can weave into our own experience and find truth. I listened to a re-posting this week of On Being’s interview with Texas poet Naomi Shihab Nye and was reminded of why kindness is what blossoms when we can no longer rely on resilience as our strength or our armor.
CREATIVITY
I’m sharing a few of my Pinterest boards and links this week to get your creative juices flowing for spring.
Living Garden Decorations & Structures to DIY from A Piece of Rainbow
Tea and Dessert Pinterest Board
Spring Cookbook Pinterest Board
BOOKSHELF
My son has been enamored with snails from the time he could walk and because of this fascination he’s had several snail habitats in the backyard over the years. When I came across the book The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating it caught my eye. The book follows the progression of the author’s illness alongside her snail companion’s journey first in a pot of violets and then in a terrarium created by her caregiver. The author’s experience in the book mirrors that of the snail’s experience as she learns and shares the inner workings of a snail’s life and her own growth and loss through her illness.
I laughed when I read about the author’s snail nibbling on pages of books and art paper. Last spring I found a little snail doing the very same thing to one of my books.
I added this book to my TBR after reading about it through Bookshop. Such an important story.
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
This week I have several ways to help underserved communities in both Austin, Texas as well as in your own community.
Supporting underserved communities might look like advocating for voting access, increasing transportation options or helping single parents navigate child care or health care for the elderly.
Here are a few other ideas to add to your advocacy toolbox:
The Little Market’s Conversations with Changemakers
Why paid leave matters especially during COVID
Unapologetically Asian American
Speak Up Austin is asking for community input on the next Austin Police Chief.
I recently read about Austin's Black History Bike Ride as a way to explore history in Austin, Texas. The Black History Bike Ride is a route hosted by PeopleForBikes and Ride Spot.
(The following information is from the Shoal Creek Conservancy)
If 500 riders complete the OG route by March 31st, 2021 SRAM will donate $5000 to BHBR, which will fund more research and events in the future. If you complete this route by March 31st, you'll also be able to win some cool prizes from Juiceland and REI!
To enter the challenge:
1. Download the Ride Spot app and register for an account.
2. Open the app and tap on “Challenges, Events & Routes.” BHBR ride is at the top!
3. Tap “Join” on the Challenge and “Start” to begin tracking.
4. Tap “Save” when you’re finished riding
*The United States has a history of linking disease with race and ethnicity.
How the pandemic is reshaping education.
Finally, one of the best ways to keep our communities safe is to follow CDC guidelines. This sign from a business in Denton, Texas (where I spent a few years for college) has me smiling, but the pressure on businesses is real. The racist messages, violence and threats of violence towards business owners as they try to keep their employees and family safe so that they can all earn a living just breaks my heart. Kindness is much needed in the world right now.
"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." - Desmond Tutu
I’d love to hear from you in the comments below. What are you doing in your home or life to invite in spring? What actions are your taking in your community to ensure a better life for the next generation? How has kindness helped you in the past year?
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.
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