Does spring make you smile? With the change of weather in spring there comes a whole lot of changes in everyday life. Big changes such as the amount of light, some more subliminal. So I thought I would take the time, to look at a couple of those every day changes things that bring a smile to my face that you could perhaps focus on during these troubling times. From seeing billowing sheets on the rotary clothesline to new blooms in the garden, here are some things in spring that make me smile.
Windows
The beautiful spring came, and when nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. – Harriet Ann Jacobs
It’s such a small thing, but now the sun is shining its time to take a look at our windows both inside and out and see if they need a little love and care. Try to do it whilst the sun isn’t shining, as this can be a recipe for disaster in terms of streaks and smudges. I love cleaning the windows early in the morning or leaving it until later afternoon using ordinary soap and water to clean any dust and grime from the window and the surround and then a soft cloth to buff it afterwards. You’ll notice the sunshine beaming through in your home.
Washing
It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade. – Charles Dickens
First up, this may be the first time you have used your rotary clothesline this year, so take the opportunity to give it a little wipe down including the plastic-covered line that you peg your clothing to. I like to give it a couple of quick turns too, to check that it’s still secure in the ground.
There is nothing more rewarding than airdrying your clothes on a rotary clothesline. Even that look of the different coloured material waving at you from the line makes me smile. In my opinion, they smell fresher, you aren’t using as many chemicals ( particularly important for those sensitive to perfumes and dyes used in detergents and dryer products) and you aren’t using as much energy. Line drying is also more gentle on fabric. With less stress on the clothing from the heat of driers and buttons and zippers. Do you have a rotary clothesline? What’s your favourite thing to see on the line? We’ve even been known to use it for drying artwork sometimes.
Colour
Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night. – Rainer Maria Rilke
Oh, how I love to see new life in the garden when spring comes around. Sometimes you only need to have a bit of a general tidy up, removing leaves and other debris from flower beds and borders before you can see all that new growth. All of the blossoms on the trees are also so inspiring. You even start to see more wildlife in the garden too in spring, that definitely makes us happier. I love to wake up to the sounds of the birds in the garden.
Each year in the autumn I try and remember to plant just a few spring bulbs, and by the time spring comes, I always forget what and where they were planted. So its a very welcome surprise to see some colour in the garden. Spring is when the garden starts to wake up and the first signs of the colour come into the garden.
So that’s three things in spring that makes me smile, how about you?
Leave a Reply