I can’t believe it’s 1st of March already! Doesn’t time fly by? It seems only yesterday that it was Christmas! Yes, I know I’m starting to sound like my grandmother but time does appear to pass more quickly as you get older, there’s no doubt about that. Even DD2, who’s just 19, mentioned that fact a few days ago. She told me that a week’s holiday in our tent used to feel like forever when she was little whereas now a week away is gone before you’ve got there almost.
I always think March is a good month. Spring starts to show her face around this time of the year and although the daffodils, periwinkles and primulas have been blooming in my garden for a couple of weeks already, other plants will start springing into life throughout the month. Birds will start looking for nesting places and squabbling over the best ones, and hibernating creatures will start emerging after their long sleep. In the countryside the first lambs will be in the fields, kicking up their heels and bringing a smile to people's faces.
North Wales, on a misty March morning.
March 23rd will be Easter Sunday so a few days beforehand I’ll try to find some young birch twigs that I can take in and put in water. It’s a Norwegian Easter tradition to bring spring into the house this way, usually with colourful feathers attached to the twigs. It's a tradition I love. The bright green of the new leaves as they emerge always cheers me up and remind me that another winter is finally going to have to give way to bright early mornings and long, light evenings.
The first official day of spring is on March 21st which follows the Spring Equinox on the previous day. Traditionally we should plant seeds on that day so I’ll have to try to get hold of some wild flower seeds to throw around the garden. I know that’s not proper sowing but it’ll have to do.
Oh, I love this time of year. It’s so full of hope and anticipation.
Sharon J xx
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7 comments:
Funny, the daffs are only just getting going here yet the birch is starting to sprout.
I remember that picture. It's near Vivod, Llangollen. Do you remember the houseproud pig?
Yes, I do remember the pig. We sat for ages watching him tidy his pen. He really wasn't keen on the rubbish thrown into the field by passing motorists, was he? And how clever he was at sorting - taking the cardboard into the sty for extra bedding and getting rid of the rest. A 'green' pig, indeed :)
Blimey Sharon. I've just been reading back through your blog and this isnt something I could do because I like my luxurys too much. It all sounds a bit amish to me. Have you started going to church too? Haha.
I think it all depends on what you class as luxuries, Beanpole. Some would say driving a Mercedes Cabriolet is luxury, others would say that a Caribbean cruise is a luxury, yet others would say that being able to spend more time with family/friends and enjoying their hobbies is a luxury. Peace of mind from lack of debt, work pressures and being accepted as 'good enough' can also be a luxury.
As for being Amish, that's a preconception of the term 'simple living' that many seem to have. I don't live like that at all. I don't shun modern technology (I'm typing this on a laptop, after all) but I won't buy gadgets just for the sake of having them. I buy them if I need them. This isn't about self denial in any way, shape or form, it's about finding happiness in the small things in life and not believing it's something you can buy. It's also about giving consideration to how your actions might harm the environment and/or other people.
And no, I don't go to church anymore now than I did before. Now and then, when I feel for it :)
What a lovely idea. We have birch hedging in some parts of the garden so it'll be easy for me to bring some indoors! Can't wait to try the ritual.
I think you can probably do it with any type of tree or shrub but birch is traditional in Norway. I've tried pussy willow and that worked really well. I might try a variety of garden shrubs this year, just to see what works well and what doesn't.
Let me know how you get on with it, won't you?
I can remember getting pussy willow, catkins, sticky buds (or whatever they were called locally) and lambtails in as a child at this time of year too.
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