Before we dive into seasonal musings, let's take care of some business. The giveaway runs through Easter, so you still have time to comment on any blog post and/or place an order to earn entries. We've had quite the lovely response to this giveaway; thank you to those of you who have commented/ordered. If you haven't yet, make sure you peruse the Tips & Resources page, then say a little something. I read every comment and appreciate all the feedback!
We are located in the Midwest, Northwest Indiana to be more specific, and freeze-thaw cycles can make one day feel like Alaska and the next California. Case in point, a couple of years ago in mid-January, we had a 24-hour period of subzero temperatures with high winds. The low that day was -40, and everything was closed. Immediately following, our high reached 60 degrees in the afternoon. That's right, we had a 100 degree temperature swing within 24 to 48 hours. Since we're Midwesterners, we dress in layers throughout fall, winter and spring, so we just took off our poofy coats and heavy sweatshirts to enjoy the sun on our skin. Then we thanked the good Lord we usually don't get 100 degree swings in summer!!
This week is spring break for most of the schools around us. I've noticed over the past 25 years or so we'll have a really nice day or two towards the end of February/beginning of March that will give us a taste for spring. Spring break is usually toward the end of March, and that's when we get hit with a dip in temperatures, freezing rain and all the other events that make us wish we'd gone somewhere else for the week.
(credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/minnesota/comments/f022rs/what_about_second_winter/?rdt=38213)
If you're in the same weather pattern as us-or one in which snow was dumped on you over the last few days-we do have some ideas on bringing spring to your kitchen. We have cheery cookie cutters like these:
(photo by Lee Bailey)
Being a gardener, spring makes me think of new life. I love putting seeds in the ground and never cease to be amazed when seedlings pop up, then develop into brightly-colored flowers or delicious home-grown vegetables. Farmers are planting on a much grander scale, and lots of livestock are born in spring. We have cutters to remind us of those hard-working friends, too.
(photos by Korey)
(photo by Sue)
We can decorate them all with cheery colors and sprinkles while we wait for our freeze-thaw cycles to be more thaw than freeze. Between now and then, we'll run outside whenever we see the sun shining and the thermometer at a decent temperature (which can depend on another nemesis of ours, wind; around here, it blows nine months out of the year, but when we're praying for a breeze in July-nothing. But I digress.). We'll enjoy the mild weather as long as we can and optimistically clean the mower blades in readiness for that first go-round. I can smell the fresh grass now.
Happy Spring!!