Things to do as spring arrives

I don’t care what anyone says, I am blazing ahead with my visualizing of spring.

I know it’s still a bit nippy out there, what with grey skies and occasional snow flurries. Nevertheless, spring is on its way.

Maybe you’re not feeling the warmth of spring in your heart yet. This week thought of a few different themes to help us embrace the many aspects of spring.

Are you an animal lover? Many pets get spring fever, wanting to get outside when the weather starts to warm. This makes for a great excuse to get some fresh air and exercise for ourselves. Even if you’ve given up on the gym membership, you can still get in those ten thousand steps alongside your pooch. (As a side note, kids and grandkids work well for this pastime, too.)

Perhaps you are not taken with the idea of spending time with boisterous pets (or little people). How about chickens? What creature symbolizes spring better than a chick? I was fascinated to discover that baby chicks can be shipped (safely) by post. You can lawfully have backyard chickens if you have a lot that is at least half an acre. (If you live in a condo, please keep reading. I do present other ideas that take up less space.)

In case you like the idea but want to test it out first, there is Rent The Chicken. You might think I’m kidding, but these guys will deliver your rental birds for a 6 month term, all equipment included. You can expect to have eight to 14 freshly laid eggs every week. Or, if you just want to spend time with some cute little chicks, check out their Hatch the Chicken option.

Maybe you are more of a gardener than a farmer. Do you plant according to the moon? It really is a thing, you know.

The Farmer’s Almanac has long included best planting dates with the lunar schedule as part of its old school wisdom. The basic principle is that flowers and vegetables bearing crops above ground should be planted in the days leading up to the full moon, and those bearing crops below ground are planted after the full moon. Farmers who follow this method swear that it produces bigger and tastier crops.

Even if you don’t want to plant anything yet (or you want nothing to do with the moon), you can start thinking about your garden at the Seedy Sunday event on March 12 at the Parkinson Recreation Centre. You can swap or donate seeds as well as buy them, and they will have workshops too.

By now, some of you may be afraid I’ve gone off my rocker. What is she thinking – being cooped up with chickens, dancing and planting under the moon… ? Never fear, dear reader. Next I have an option for those who want a more sedate approach to ushering in the spring season.

Spring cleaning can be a big task, but it can also be a bit of redecorating or freshening things up. In that spirit I suggest a welcoming touch.

Wreaths are a pleasant decoration any time of year, and heralding a season is often their purpose. Their circular form gives us that sense of continuity, and being made of greenery they symbolize life. Just as a wreath on the door is the first sign of welcome at Christmas, a spring wreath can be a welcome reminder that new things are on the way.

I found this article and loved the wide variety of ideas for do-it-yourself spring wreaths. There are even some that kids could help create.

Whatever your style, your taste of spring can be part of the evolving year. Embrace fresh colours in your wardrobe, on your plate, in your home and garden; all that vitality will flow to your soul and warm you from the inside. It might even help to melt the frost.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.