Everything Spring
I should not be writing my blog today, but I need a little brain break and I would rather be thinking about all these things than work and bills. Spring is such a wonderful time of year! Living in California, it is the short time of the year where everything growing under the trees is actually green without a sprinkler, and it does not last long. The trees start to blossom and the sun gets warmer, yet the mornings are still crisp and clean.
We just moved into a new place with lots of garden beds. Last Friday, my kids (and the neighbors, Thank you, by the way), dug up some poorly placed garden boxes right outside our front door and moved them to the side of the house where all the rest of the garden boxes live. It has been a few years since I have actually had a vegetable garden, so we will see how it goes, but I have high hopes and have actually started my veggies by seed. I know I must be crazy. I have followed this website where you put in your zipcode and it tells you what you can start planting. I started the seedlings with my kids in cleaned out milk jugs and 2.5 gallon water containers that I almost cut completely in half so that it would fold back neatly. Then fold it back and even in the frost is acts like a little greenhouse an wah la! little sprouts. I am a pinterest fiend and found many posts about recycling containers in this fashion. Here are my carrots:
The one I actually repinned was from Better Homes and Gardens. Don't forget to put holes in the bottom for drainage, else you will have a muddy mess on your hands. This was the perfect way to start my seedlings before moving and have them ready for planting when I got here. I am still starting my seeds this way. And, the kids love it. Now the trick will be to remember to water and decide when to harvest. So far we have chard, green onions, onions, carrots, broccoli and I threw in some garlic that I didn't use in time and it started sprouting. You can also do this with potatoes.
This is also the time of year to prune your beautiful fruit trees before they bud and bloom. We did this too, by hiring an expert. We supposedley won't have that big of a crop for a couple years, but whew! I am looking forward to it. I also fed our huge rose population yesterday. I think it might have been the only (or possibly the second time) I have ever fed roses. And, with the quantity I have, I almost went through a whole bottle of the feed. I hope it pays off!
My husband was on a job with a beautiful yard a few weeks ago and he told the home owner how much his wife (me) would love her yard. Her advice was every year pick up the packages of bulbs they sell at Costco. My husband was quick to point out that you want to identify where you are planting the bulbs so that you don't weedwack that area. I think beautiful gardens have lots of hand weeding, which my idea of weeding usually involves a hoe. So that will have to be something I learn as I go.
Another popular spring activity is Cleaning! Boy, have I learned a few things. Probably my most favorite new discovery is the magic eraser! Woohoo that thing gets permanent pen and paint off my finished table without harming the finish, and the scuff marks on the walls and base boards! I recently did all the doors and windows. Boy what a difference it makes. I recently spent some time with a professional cleaner and she said that Johnson's baby shampoo will also do wonders on your walls. She also suggested putting some of your dishwasher rinse aid in the water when doing the windows to prevent spotting! Don't use paper towels on your windows, newspapers work better, just don't let them get too moist, else they will start streaking. I have heard the shark steam cleaner is also a great one for tile and wood floors. If you are going for a shine, get a wax cleaner that seals and shines and can be used on tile or wood. I recently picked up a swiffer type of mop and found that the cleaning pads that came with it didn't stay in the teeth of the mop, so I got out my rags and fed it through the teeth and wah la! Then I can use whatever cleaning agent I want in the rag and don't have to worry about what is not safe "for kids and pets" in the premoistened cloths you can buy for it. And, what about dusting! I guess I didn't notice all that dust build up in my poorly lit house, but getting everything out moving, let their be light and get out that rag (or I should say something with microfibers to hold onto it so you aren't spreading it around). I have also heard that dryer sheets are great at preventing dust build up, rub your base boards etc. If you use vaccum cleaners check the filters and replace them, better air quality for your home, same thing with your furnace! I use vinegar and Dawn ultra to clean by tile in my bathroom, it's literally just spray on let sit and rinse off (I will take the lazy way out when it comes to cleaning always) Okay, I think those are my tips. If you are getting rid of stuff, Grey Bears takes everything as well as recycling, whereas, Goodwill has a list of items they won't accept.
Perry Mama
We just moved into a new place with lots of garden beds. Last Friday, my kids (and the neighbors, Thank you, by the way), dug up some poorly placed garden boxes right outside our front door and moved them to the side of the house where all the rest of the garden boxes live. It has been a few years since I have actually had a vegetable garden, so we will see how it goes, but I have high hopes and have actually started my veggies by seed. I know I must be crazy. I have followed this website where you put in your zipcode and it tells you what you can start planting. I started the seedlings with my kids in cleaned out milk jugs and 2.5 gallon water containers that I almost cut completely in half so that it would fold back neatly. Then fold it back and even in the frost is acts like a little greenhouse an wah la! little sprouts. I am a pinterest fiend and found many posts about recycling containers in this fashion. Here are my carrots:
Here's their new home!
This is also the time of year to prune your beautiful fruit trees before they bud and bloom. We did this too, by hiring an expert. We supposedley won't have that big of a crop for a couple years, but whew! I am looking forward to it. I also fed our huge rose population yesterday. I think it might have been the only (or possibly the second time) I have ever fed roses. And, with the quantity I have, I almost went through a whole bottle of the feed. I hope it pays off!
Don't forget the pinwheel to keep the birds away from all your fresh little seeds!
My husband was on a job with a beautiful yard a few weeks ago and he told the home owner how much his wife (me) would love her yard. Her advice was every year pick up the packages of bulbs they sell at Costco. My husband was quick to point out that you want to identify where you are planting the bulbs so that you don't weedwack that area. I think beautiful gardens have lots of hand weeding, which my idea of weeding usually involves a hoe. So that will have to be something I learn as I go.
Another popular spring activity is Cleaning! Boy, have I learned a few things. Probably my most favorite new discovery is the magic eraser! Woohoo that thing gets permanent pen and paint off my finished table without harming the finish, and the scuff marks on the walls and base boards! I recently did all the doors and windows. Boy what a difference it makes. I recently spent some time with a professional cleaner and she said that Johnson's baby shampoo will also do wonders on your walls. She also suggested putting some of your dishwasher rinse aid in the water when doing the windows to prevent spotting! Don't use paper towels on your windows, newspapers work better, just don't let them get too moist, else they will start streaking. I have heard the shark steam cleaner is also a great one for tile and wood floors. If you are going for a shine, get a wax cleaner that seals and shines and can be used on tile or wood. I recently picked up a swiffer type of mop and found that the cleaning pads that came with it didn't stay in the teeth of the mop, so I got out my rags and fed it through the teeth and wah la! Then I can use whatever cleaning agent I want in the rag and don't have to worry about what is not safe "for kids and pets" in the premoistened cloths you can buy for it. And, what about dusting! I guess I didn't notice all that dust build up in my poorly lit house, but getting everything out moving, let their be light and get out that rag (or I should say something with microfibers to hold onto it so you aren't spreading it around). I have also heard that dryer sheets are great at preventing dust build up, rub your base boards etc. If you use vaccum cleaners check the filters and replace them, better air quality for your home, same thing with your furnace! I use vinegar and Dawn ultra to clean by tile in my bathroom, it's literally just spray on let sit and rinse off (I will take the lazy way out when it comes to cleaning always) Okay, I think those are my tips. If you are getting rid of stuff, Grey Bears takes everything as well as recycling, whereas, Goodwill has a list of items they won't accept.
Spring is another great time of year to dust off your bikes. Open Streets is a program in Santa Cruz that shuts down streets only to bike and foot traffic. It's a great opportunity to check out local groups in your community that come out to perform. They shut down West Cliff a few months back and I felt so much better about letting my daughter ride where there was no traffic. It was so entertaining with all the music and performances. I am sure there is a huge effort that has to be made to get the permits to shut down the streets to traffic plus the volunteer support. So, make an effort to enjoy one if you can. Here's my daughter enjoying a break from the bike, a snack and some music.
Another awesome activity since there is still some windy days is flying a kite! Another great one that kids will enjoy, but you will too, I don't doubt!
My mom and dad will actually take long all day drives through valleys filled with beautiful wildflowers. Sunset Magazine has some great suggestions on where to plan your drive. Such a treat of nature! Enjoy!
If the weather permits and you know it won't rain, you can enjoy a few popular campgrounds pre season if you have the time for a weekend getaway. We did this last year just for a night down at the local campground and it was awesome! Lots of campgrounds have huge waiting lists and can be cheaper off season, plus you can get your pick of spot.
Well, these are my ideas on how you and your family can be enjoying yourself if you need inspiration! Enjoy Spring!
Perry Mama
wow, you are on it! I haven't even begun to think springtime yet! Need to get my planter box ready. Make sure you wear gloves with the Magic Eraser. Especially the kids if they are helping. They can get chemical burns from it. Great post! Love all the pics!
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