There is no time of the year that change is as obvious as springtime. This morning, even though snow still covered the ground, there were signs; a scent in the air, the call of the chickadees, the low angle of the sun creating a distinct colour in the sky, each a quiet reminder of the inevitable change that is coming.
This year, after two years of constant change, even these signs might seem a little foreboding. We don’t know what is ahead of us. This year, we need to treat ourselves with a little more care, just a little more gentleness.
Spring Cleaning
According to historians, spring cleaning may originate with the story of Passover, where the Israelites were told to clean their homes, make unleavened bread, and get ready for a journey into unknown lands. There was a sense of leaving all that we have known to embrace what lies ahead.
In Pagan tradition, homes are cleaned from top to bottom to rid the homes of any bad energy that lingers from past seasons. There is a celebration of Mother Earth coming into her time of abundance and fertility. This is the season of planting, a time to get muddy, because what we plant in the spring, we harvest in the late fall. What we do in the spring sets the tone for the rest of the year.
It’s time to pack away the heavy bedding. Wash your quilts and pack away until next fall. Replace your flannelettes and dark bedding for something much brighter. I collect colourful vintage top sheets and embroidered pillowcases. I pair them with white fitted sheets, to make for a beautifully inviting bedroom.
- Throw open the windows and air your whole house.
- Knit of crochet some lacy boot toppers for your rubber boots.
- Fill a crystal decanter with a spring floral dish detergent. I love a mixture of lavender and lemon or rose.
- Get some rose water to use as an astringent after washing your face. (I buy big bottles of rose water at Persian food stores, if there is one in your area.)
- Get rid of the dark nail polishes and lipstick and get yourself a beautiful pink for spring.
- Display some hand painted vintage china, to add a touch of colour to your hearth or table top.
- Bring home a pot of fresh forced bulbs for your table; tulips, paper whites, daffodils or crocuses.
