Simple Ways to Romanticize Spring
Photo by Milan Popovic on Unsplash
I watch the spring rain continue to fall outside bringing new life and growth. Soon, it will give way to dreamy sunshine and lush green grass. The beautiful blossoms on our plum tree are already beginning to gently fade to a light green. How fleeting the beauty of this season is, and how we should relish it all the more! Spring is truly enchanted and I think if we intentionally look for ways to appreciate the beauty of ordinary life, we can choose to live with a certain reverie and awe. I think God wants us to live in such a way that we are constantly admiring his creation because to show indifference to beauty is an insult to the Creator. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “life is what you make it” so why not make it wonder-filled and squeeze every ounce of joy out of it? I’m going to share with you some simple ideas of how to romanticize this splendid season.
Take leisurely spring walks: One of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of spring is to get out into nature and experience it with all your senses. Breathe in the fresh warm air, smell the sweet new blossoms. Let the sun hit your face while you close your eyes. Listen to all the delightful birds singing. Head to a nature preserve or forest path and get lost for a while. Talk to Jesus and thank him for all the beauty he has created.
Have a picnic: Pack a delightful picnic and find your perfect spot under a tree and just lay there for a while and enjoy.
Cut or buy some flowers: We have lilac bushes and when they start blossoming, I cut some to bring inside and put them on my dining table. The smell fills the house and there’s something so decadent about knowing these flowers only come once a year. If you don’t have bushes near you, you can find some daffodils growing in a park or buy some flowers at the store that truly spark joy for you.
Spring clean: It is truly renewing to clean out all the dust and dirt from a long winter and have a fresh, clean home for Spring. Take one room at a time, and while you are at it, try to declutter and purge some items that no longer feel right keeping. A simple space is a peaceful space. Open the windows to let the stale air out.
Have a spring outing: Meet a close friend or go with your family to a Farmer’s Market and shop for fresh spring greens or local honey. Or, meet at a countryside vineyard and take time to just rest and chat while having a nice glass of wine. Another idea is to go berry picking in late spring at a local farm or wild forage and bring the berries home to make a galette.
Grow some food: Even if it’s as simple as planting some heirloom tomatoes and herbs in pots on your balcony. We have a few raised garden beds and my husband adores planning out our garden each spring. We started our seedlings and he gets giddy seeing the sprouts coming up on the windowsill. There is something so gratifying about harvesting food you grew with your own hands. This is a joy everyone should get to experience.
Cultivate your spring wardrobe: I keep simple seasonal wardrobes for Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter and keep the opposite season in a bin under my bed. At the change of seasons, I take my bin out and switch out my clothes with the ones hanging on my rack and carefully go through each item to check it’s condition, fit and if it still feels like me. If you feel you are lacking some pieces, try to shop mindfully- write down the specific items you need and perhaps check the thrift store or thrift websites like Poshmark or ThredUp or wait for a good sale at the store. Look for longevity and quality. Simplifying and minimizing your clothes is so relieving because not only does it save money, but it also gives us a feeling of responsibility that we are being mindful consumers and enough limitation to not become overwhelmed.
Encourage someone: Something about spring just feels happy and I think we should take that happiness and spread it around. Write an encouraging notecard or letter to someone or send a dear friend an unexpected gift card for coffee. Pay for the person behind you in the drive-through line. Write an old fashioned romantic letter to your love. Or, next time you think something positive in your mind about someone- speak it! We have a tendency sometimes to tell other people something positive we noticed about another person, but we should be saying it directly to that person!
Find your signature spring drink: Experiment adding different fruits and herbs to water, or perhaps iced coffee is always your warm weather favorite. Perfect the art of making a delicious iced tea. I have made “sun tea” before where you let tea bags steep in a large jar of water out in the sunshine for a few hours. It’s fun to make especially with kids. Lately, I have been loving iced matcha lattes. It’s very easy to make and gives me a boost. Whatever it may be, learn to make it delicious and healthy at home.
Immerse yourself in the arts: Listen to classical music in the morning while you are getting ready or drinking coffee. Switch out some of your art prints with beautiful spring art. You can actually find free ones online to print. I love Monet for all his floral landscapes! Watch some old movies: “Roman Holiday” with Audrey Hepburn is on my list to watch with the kids. Go see a local play. We are seeing “Roger’s and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” at a local high school. The tickets were inexpensive and its a new experience we are all looking forward to. Read or listen to some classic literature. Spring is a good time for lighter reads like the classic romance of Jane Austin or “The Secret Garden” or “Anne of Green Gables.”
Live slowly, intentionally, and joyfully: Create a morning ritual. Take a “golden hour” stroll in the evening. Dine or read by candlelight. Take time to think and journal your insights and thoughts. Prioritize sleep. Snuggle an animal or a loved one. Laugh- a lot. Live in balance with nature. Cook nourishing food and lighten your meals up a bit. Now is a good time to transition from the heavier soups and stews of winter to the lighter more refreshing fare of spring and summer. Eat dinner outside. Watch a movie outside with a projector or on a laptop while snuggled in a hammock or while laying on a blanket. Inhale the flowers as you pass them. Walk barefoot in the fresh green grass. Dip your bare toes in creek water.
My hope for you is that you will slow down and live with intention so that you may be able to enjoy the bounty of this joyful season and keep a deep gladness in your heart. There are little pleasures tucked into everyday if we make the time to see and experience them.
The earth laughs in flowers. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
