fort & field: Spring

Showing posts with label Spring. Show all posts

LAST MINUTE EASTER IDEAS

As the snow melts, the ground begins to thaw, and Spring brings out its new buds and growth, we typically spend time reflecting in the days and weeks leading up to Easter. With a limited sense of what day it is recently, or even what month, unfortunately for most we have not been able to set aside this time and Easter has sort of crept up.

I'VE GATHERED A FEW IDEAS TO COMMEMORATE THE DAY WITH FAMILY THIS WEEKEND - MOST USING TOOLS, INGREDIENTS, AND SUPPLIES ALREADY AROUND THE HOUSE.

Even with churches closed, there are options to listen online. So, embrace the opportunity to include some sort of pastor led celebration in your day. I so miss my home church in Atlanta, Trinity Anglican Church. Even prior to the stay at home instructions, I have carved out some time on Sunday morning to have some quiet time listening to the prior weeks sermon while I enjoy some coffee and quietly get my day started. The main church website normally has links to all prior sermons, however, currently sermons and podcasts alike are housed on apple through the link provided.

Start a new Easter tradition (or many!) this year. Our family has an original one passed down from my moms family - using our coats as Easter baskets! Read more about our special tradition here.

Switch up Easter dinner by doing a pancake breakfast instead...no one gets out of their pajamas these days anyway!

This pink rocky road with homemade blackberry marshmallows and raspberry jubes looks time consuming, but so worth it! The dried edible rose petals really make it feel Spring. And, how cute are these lemon curd egg sandwich cookies! They look a little easier as long as the conversion to English isn't too difficult.

Craft projects are a great way to spend family time. This pom pom Easter egg tree is so stinking cute I would leave up it up all Spring! I've been seeing paper origami bunnies all over the place and have been wanting to fold some - good tutorials here and here. These egg garlands are great for even younger kids and use craft supplies from around the house.

And, with grocery trips and options limited, now is the time to try your hand at dyeing eggs naturally. So much fun and the array of colors achieved is the most exciting surprise!

RAIN BOOTS

This week, the weather has been alternating between a soft drizzle and chunky almost frozen drops as Spring tries to pull itself away from Winter.

I WAS REMINDED AT HOW CLOSE WE ARE TO THE BEAUTIFUL RAINS THAT COME IN LATE SPRING AND SUMMER - NAP INDUCING RAINS.

I have been on the lookout for the perfect rain boot, but I'm undecided on what features exactly I am looking for. So much of the year in Minnesota requires a boot to handle standard rains, but additionally the thick slush that is left to trudge through as the mounds of snow melt at the beginning and end of Winter. So, I know that I want a knee length boot vs ankle. However, in any other shoe or boot I would look for something that sticks out from the pack. Do I want that in a rain boot?? Or, just something utilitarian that will go with everything and handle any kind of terrain and weather?

The Macadames rubber boot from Aigle is kind of the best of both worlds. The double wrap ankle strap can be removed taking it from rocker/biker to garden in no time.

Out of any brand, Dav probably has the most unique styles. And, the prices are extremely reasonable as well.

The Austin snake is so unique and folds up easily for travel. The description states it has a very high shaft so it is best for tall people, which is perfect for me since rain boots typically hit my leg in a weird place.

The Parma 2 has an interesting mix of fabrics with its faux wood heel, shiny lower, and neoprene upper.

And, for a slightly more subtle version of the above, I like the Lisbon.

The offerings from Hunter are pretty traditional, but the Limpit Grey/Blue has me a little smitten.

And lastly, one of my sisters got the cutest rain boots from you'll never guess where!...an equestrian supply shop/tack store. They have a slimmer calf and slightly pointed toe so they might be a little challenging for my wider feet. But, such a great option! Find similar ones here.

Now, there's only the hard choice of picking just one. After that, there's nothing holding me back from sloshing in puddles and getting some gardening started!

MAY DAY BASKETS

Did anyone else handcraft May baskets (maybe a woven paper heart), fill it with wildflowers picked from the field, and hang it on friends and relatives front door knobs on May 1st?? This was a tradition every year I looked forward to growing up. And, miss it greatly! It was sort of a welcoming into Spring. And, the way it was supposed to go was that after you hung the basket on the door, you would knock really hard, and the person inside would open the door and chase after you, and if they caught you they gave you a kiss. I remember one year running and running and running as fast as I could to escape the son of our family friend who was the same age as me - so embarrassed to have a little boy kiss me at that age.

IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE I HAVE HEARD OR SEEN OF ANYONE MAKING AND GIVING MAY BASKETS, AND I'D LOVE TO SEE IT HAVE A COMEBACK!

If you would like to help me make it happen, here are some wonderful ideas for handmade baskets...