Spring in the South
The one thing I love about living in the south is that spring will begin to make its debut in March and fully come into bloom by May. This means the flowers linger a little longer, the vegetable gardens rotate throughout the seasons, and the outside activities are abundant. With the shifting of the seasons I gravitate to spending more time outdoors while intentionally preparing my home for spring.
The place that calls me home most days of the year is being on a trail in the woods somewhere. I understand that not everyone has access to the forest like I do in Asheville but taking the time to recenter around chirping birds and the changing landscape always allows my brain to reset and find a slower normal. Studies show that spending time in nature helps to enhance cognitive function, increase happiness and help us to feel connected to something much bigger than ourselves. We love to pack a bottle of water and apply a fresh layer of sunscreen before heading out so we can just enjoy and be present.
Another area of focus for me in the spring is preparing for a new season of gardening. Over the years I have fallen deeply in love with growing as many fruits and veggies each year while not letting the garden management take over my life and all of my free time. I purchase seeds from Sow True Seeds and begin my seed starts according to the package with the goal of having the plants in the ground right after the last frost. Because each plant has a different germination period I recommend making a list of what you want to plant in order from most to least time needed to sprout before the end of the last frost and checking them off as you move closer to May. Not sure where to start, check out one of these books for inspiration.
While I definitely enjoy being cozy and tucked in during the winter, there is nothing better than gathering outdoors with loved ones when the evenings begin to warm up. This can be in the form of meeting up at one of our many local breweries to sharing a meal outside in the yard while the kiddos play. As the seasons shift so do my recipes. I love to move from hearty, filling meals to a lighter fare with fresh bread and veggies. Need a good recipe or two, check out our friends at the NY Times for new motivation in the kitchen.
As you might expect, one of our favorite ways to begin the transition from winter to spring is by taking a peek at our routines and making shifts to prep our skin for spring. Now sure where to start? Take a peek at our blog for a step-by-step approach to ensure skin is ready and happy.
Lastly, spring would not be complete without a weekend of spring cleaning and home organizing. During the winter months I like to begin the process of separating things I use daily from things I do not. By doing this bit by bit it allows me to feel confident in making the decision to let something go. Many of us including, myself, are fortunate to have all that we need and more so taking the time to plan out where you donate gently used items is something that can have a larger impact on your local community.
We like to donate children's clothing to a local organization that focuses on having resources available for families and their babies in our community. As a brand we will be setting up quarterly donation events at our shop because organizing and intentional giving make a larger impact on our local community and those in need. Feeling inspired to make a difference in your community, check to see if your local DSS or GAL Program has an organization they work with like HARK, which connects resources with the need.
https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/outdoors.htm
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature