Spring is Just a Week Away!

It is probably no surprise to anyone that I eagerly await spring; starting at about the first snowfall we get during the fall or winter seasons.  As much as I love snow, I absolutely loathe having to shovel my driveway, can’t stand driving in it and I am not a fan of the cold temperatures.  In all actuality, springtime still brings snow and cooler temps, but the anticipation of warmer days makes it a much better season and the diminutive snowstorms we do get don’t last long, nor do they bring much snow.  I love spring for many reasons; warmer weather, sunnier days, stays lighter later, leaves begin to form on trees, flowers start to pop through the ground, and the barbeque comes out of hibernation.  Some of the littlest things in life are the biggest to me, such as opening up all your windows in your house on a warm spring afternoon.  Nothing beats the smell of a fresh air circulating through a house that has been closed up for the last 4-5 months.  This last weekend we had 60 degree temps and tons of sun so my husband and I (as in mostly my husband because I am sporting around an 8 month pregnant belly) put the swings back on the swing set, brought out the kids toys from the garage, got the bicycles down from overhead storage (to discover every tire needs to be fixed), made an appointment for someone to come aerate our lawns, washed off patio furniture and put the tiki torches back up along the fence among many other things.  To some, this might sound like “work” on a day off, but to me, this is a break.  Preparing for something I love like summer is never considered work in my book.

This time of year I also start to plan the layout of my vegetable garden.  Besides the many things mentioned above, I just love having a garden.  There is just something about having fresh produce all summer long and being able to share my bounty with my neighbors!  In the past I have tried starting my veggie plants from seeds but with no feat.  I am very successful in getting the seeds to sprout and growing the plants indoors but then when I go to plant them outside in the warm soil something goes awry.  It has been suggested to me that they weren’t acclimated to the outdoor temperatures or the plants were still too feeble.  Not to mention my little plants are nothing compared to the size of the plants you buy from your local nursery or garden center.  So after taking all that time growing my own seedlings, I end up buying much larger, healthier looking plants and go from there.  Well, this year I am determined to change that habit.  I have educated myself, and by educated I mean I have Google-d “planting seeds” and “starting your garden from scratch”.  I have found dozens upon dozens of great ideas, advice, tips, hints and suggestions for beginner gardeners. So this last weekend I ventured out to my local nursery and bought greenhouse trays and seeds.  After returning home my youngest son and I got busy right away planting those seeds. 



Seeds and Greenhouse Trays

My son loved helping me put the seeds in the soil pellets!

Now we wait and see...

Needless to say, my spring fever is almost unbearable this year. I guess I will sit back and try to enjoy the last week and a half of winter. *Sigh* 

What is your household doing to prepare for spring?