Monthly Simplify - Noticing the Seasonal Change
Each month I pick one easy thing we can do to simplify our homes, diets and lives. This month, it's looking out for signs of spring.
March is a funny month, with one foot in winter and the other in spring. It starts with chilly winds and heavy rains and ends with daffodils and the possibility of going out without a coat. It's a month where a lot changes in the blink of an eye, and before you know it it's Easter. My mum always told me to appreciate the blossom when it's here, as it isn't around for long. So this month I intend to.For this month's simplify, we're going to mindfully appreciate this changing of the guard, to watch as winter hands the baton over to spring. We're going to make more of an effort to step outside in these lighter evenings, to feel how the weather changes, to look out for the blossom, to count the daffodils and spot the first baby lamb.For our ancestors, I imagine this month was always a sigh of relief. I can see them smiling as each evening grew lighter, as they used one less log on the fire and saw the world coming back to life. It was a month to signal that they'd survived another winter, that good times were to come, and they could begin to start afresh. Let's do that too.
Here are some ideas of ways to appreciate the first signs of spring:
- Seek out spring flowers in parks or your local National Trust property - watch how snowdrops and crocuses give way to daffodils and bluebells
- Find a blossoming tree near home or work and every time you walk past make a point of standing under it few a few moments. Smile at the dainty blossoms, breathe in the aroma and note how it changes every day
- Feel the way the wind blows on your face, and how that changes through the month
- Look out for nest building birds - encourage them into your garden with a box or a pile of bread to build up their strength
- Smell the garlic - if you're wandering somewhere damp and shady keep your nose open for the wild garlic that will come out this month (and forage some for a yummy pesto!)
Do you have any rituals moving into spring? What signs of spring do you like to look out for?