Sunday, March 5, 2017

Early spring blahs...

I have the early spring blahs. We have had a few warm days and I can actually see grass in our yard.   It is too early to rake.  This is the worst time of the year.  Our biggest blizzards are usually from March to early May.  It is hard because you want to start gardening, but it is way to early.  I started my spring cleaning in January.  Just a little at a time.  First the closet.  Then the freezer and refrigerator.  This weekend I cleared out under the sink, the cupboards, and reorganized. 
  
I am pretty excited about one of my revelations.  I moved my picnic baskets so they were right next to the dishwasher.  It has been the best idea ever.  Why you ask?  My clean jars and bottles are stored downstairs.  Every night I start the dishwasher and every morning I empty it.  I'm not an early riser, so my mornings are perfectly timed events.  I don't have time to run my jars and such downstairs.  (My dad used to say if I broke a shoelace I would miss the bus.) Clean jars would build up on the counter, because I don't have a lot of room in my cupboards.  I don't like clutter and I either had to get up earlier or come up with a new plan.  Then I had an epiphany.  I put the picnic basket right next to the dishwasher.  When I unload in the mornings any cleaned jars or bottles go into the picnic basket. Volia, the items are inconspicuously stowed and it is easy to carry them downstairs.  I wait until the basket is full and then make one trip instead of 10.  Lazy maybe, but it is a good use of an otherwise item that would only get used a few times a year otherwise.  I also get that extra five minutes of sleep.  
Besides cleaning, I bottled some raspberry wine and made an apple pie and cherry pie.  Ella and I had to move to town for our walks, because the snow us pretty rotten and isn't good for snowshoeing or walking.   I also lit a candle, snuggled under a blanket, made a cup of hot cocoa, and read my new book on hygge.  If your are a follower of my blog, you know I am a big fan of the Danish tradition of coziness.  It was a good read.  It gave me a few more ideas to make our cabin cozier for guests.  One of these was to get a few more board games.  These will be useful when the weather isn't cooperating and we have guests.  Speaking of games, my husband and I also played a few hands of cribbage.  We haven't played since college and it has been a fun way to pass the evening.  The weather has been pretty nice, so I was able to enjoy mornings with coffee and Ella on the porch.  I also did a little garden planning.  

That is pretty much it.  Nothing overly exciting.  Just passing time until the weather permits me to work outside.  How do you pass the days when it isn't nice enough to get out and do things?  




10 comments:

  1. Not lazy - just good time management

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  2. There are, ahem, two clean jars on my window sill as I type this. Mine also have to go downstairs, but I thought I'd wait until I collected more. -Jenn

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  3. I used to play board games every week, but my group fizzled away. What a great way to enjoy ones company.I saw my first snake, a huge rat snake come out from a crack along a door and sidewalk.

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  4. I think that is a great idea for jars! I think I have two right now on my counter.
    It would be hard for me to have to wait until May. Its too early here too. We did get our berry vines all trimmed and ready to go this weekend when on Saturday it was in the sixties. That felt good.
    I hope you have a lovely week.

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  5. Sooo...those jars... Ugh. I covered the top of our portable dishwasher with empty jars until there wasn't room for another. Last week, finally, I put them in their boxes and stacked them in the pantry. Today, I brought two cases back out and put them in the dishwasher. I'm getting around to making cranberry jelly today. Finally. The blahs have hit me. It's been -40°F with the windchill for a few days. It feels like mid-winter blahs but your title reminded me that our spring can't be far away.

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  6. Good idea stowing those jars in the picnic basket. It's such a pretty basket too. Sounds like our little warm up is going away and now it's wind and cold and maybe some snow yet again. I'm fiddling with some embroidery.

    When our kids were home, we played lots of cribbage. Now and then Hubby and I get the board out and play a few hands. It's fun.

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  7. Bonnie,
    No matter the weather we have to go outside. But, we limit the outside activities when the weather is bad. Seems like I always have some type of household task that need attention.

    Monday and Tuesday we had horrible wind. Today snow.

    Happy cleaning, baking and garden planning. Thank You for the calving well wishes!

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  8. I have the same problem with clean, empty jars! They line my counter...or sit on the floor beside the basement door until I have time to run them downstairs. I like your idea!!
    This winter we haven't had very many days when we couldn't be outside...it's been a super mild winter here...but I've been spending a lot of time de-cluttering and doing a "40 bags in 40 days" challenge.

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  9. I guess these days before Spring is pretty tough on the prairie. Your wine sounds wonderful and I'm always amazed how much you get done. Sending you warm hugs, XOXO

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  10. i too would like to get outside and get going in the yard, but it's just too early. we had snow today and are expecting a big storm early next week. i like your picnic baskets, i would like to get one, we always just use disposable items!!

    the pies look so good. i have seen that book on other blogs, i need to get it!!!

    my favorite board game is scattorgies, so fun and everyone loves it!!! puzzles are fun to have around too!!!!

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