New Yorkers Had a Glimpse of Spring Today

With temperatures reaching sixty-five, we New Yorkers had a glimpse of spring today. It was sunny, warm, and beautiful outside. I put away my hat and gloves (that I wore just last week), which pretty much guarantees we’re in for a snowstorm soon! Hopefully, not.

Spring officially begins this year on Sunday, March 20. It is only twelve days away! Did you know that Meteorologists consider March 1 the first day of spring? I found an interesting article that describes the difference between Astronomical and Meteorological spring commencement. https://www.weatherbug.com/news/When-Does-Spring-Begin

What comes to mind when you think of spring? My mind drifts to baseball and college basketball. Spring training usually starts in February; however, there is a work stoppage this year. I will spare you my ranting on that situation. Let’s just say it has me frustrated.

Luckily, March Madness starts next weekend, so that I can put my attention there. Additionally, next Sunday, March 13, kicks off daylight savings time. I love when it stays light out later in the evenings, do you?

Glimpse of Spring

Do you have tulips or daffodils poking up in your garden yet? Isn’t that the best? I love that about spring. It signifies new life! The bare branches suddenly are filled with lush green leaves, and everyone’s garden is bursting with colorful flowers. What’s not to like?

Let’s not forget about the birds. Have you seen a robin yet? I have, and seeing them confirms for me that spring is close. This morning I woke up to birds chirping for the first time in a very long while. It made me smile.

Are you a spring cleaner? I swear every year, I will do things that I never seem to accomplish. Do you belong to the Good Intentions, Execution Lacking club? I am the self-proclaimed President! I believe I will do these things; however, I don’t. Why? My intentions are pure!

Perhaps if I publicly state it here, I will feel more pressure to get my spring projects done.

Spring Projects for 2022

• Paint the trim on the pool deck.
• Change the hot tub enclosure color and fix the access door
• Organize the garage!
• Hang lights above the fire pit
• Attach the wrought iron art piece on shed

Backyard Sanctuary

Now, after seeing this list, you are probably thinking, wow, pool, hot tub, fire pit – pretty bougy. Not really. The pool and deck, plus the hot tub, came with the house purchase. It is an above-ground pool that is relatively old but functional—ditto on the hot tub.

Our fire pit is a different story. We added lovely landscaping and the fire pit after purchasing the home. We focused on making the backyard our oasis when we first moved in, especially since I was not fond of the house. I love our backyard. It is my sanctuary.

Do you have a place you can call your sanctuary? Where? I do a lot of thinking, reading, and floating in my backyard!

General Spring Cleaning

The list above references spring projects. It is different than general spring cleaning. We still need to do a deep clean of our houses. I am a great big fan of cleaning “hacks.” Why reinvent the wheel?

One of the best “hacks” I ever read was in a magazine about three years ago. Sorry, I don’t remember what magazine it was, but the article featured cleaning hacks. My favorite was the way to clean a tub/shower with no bending over or scrubbing. Right up my alley!

Tub Cleaning Hack

• Buy a dedicated broom (I got mine from Dollar Tree) and blue Dove dish cleaning liquid
• Run your shower and wet the tub surface
• Squeeze Dove cleaner back and forth up and down tub (sometimes I write my name with it!)
• Let sit for ten minutes
• Take your broom and swirl it all over the tub as if it is a scrub brush
• Rinse tub down with shower head
• Enjoy your clean tub.

My son works in construction. The bathroom he uses has a tub with a showerhead. Do you have any idea the kind of dirt he brings home? The above hack makes me almost enjoy cleaning my son’s bathroom. Notice I said “almost.” Try it, then let me know if you like it.

More Cleaning Hacks

You can google “cleaning hacks” and find many articles. Here’s one I thought was pretty good https://www.nbcnews.com/better/pop-culture/21-quick-safe-diy-cleaning-hacks-ncna884546. I never thought of putting hairbrushes in the dishwasher to sanitize them. Do you do that?

Spring is almost here, and I am thrilled to welcome it. I enjoy winter too, but I am ready for some warmer weather. As I stated above, spring means new growth. This morning, I listened to a podcast and heard something I’d like to pass along.

Would Your Life be a Blockbuster?

If your life story was made into a movie, would it be interesting enough for you to watch it through the end? If it was a book, would you read it? If not, what needs to be added to your life to become compelling enough that people would want to see/read about it?

This change of season is the perfect time to adjust your own life. What could you change to make your life more exciting? Feel free to let me know in the comments below.

Happy Spring!

P.S. I forgot to mention that spring also means that marshmallow peeps are available again. Anybody have a sweet tooth?