It’s the last day of February. The end to another month of this seemingly endless harsh winter. And, according to my weather app–there is more to come…12 inches of snow in a couple of days.

Sick. Of. This

March is entering like a cold, heartless lion.

But I’ve had a taste of spring. Two of the past 4 weeks I have spent in the warm southwest. Temps were in the high 70’s and my toes were finally set free into sandals. It felt more exquisite than it will in a couple of months when I will only wear sandals.

It felt…naughty. And I LOVED it!

As I sit here this morning, this last day of February, it is 10 degrees outside and I am longing for spring in a way that I haven’t in a long, long time.  While I have absolutely no power whatsoever to make the seasons change faster…I have decided to move my mind on up and do what all control freaks do:  make plans for happier (warmer) times.

Which, of course, always starts with a list…so here are the things I am doing to get through to the end of this wretched winter.

 5 Ways to Not Go Crazy Before the End of Winter 

1.  Go ahead and get your spring cleaning done.  Now I know this really dates me, cause not many people actually do room by room deep cleaning in the spring any more, but I do. I usually try to wait till we are completely finished with fires in the kitchen stove and in the family room, cause that is a mess and a half. I will save those rooms for last as well as the window washing till after the pollen is gone.  I’ll admit it’s not ideal…but desperate times, desperate measures and all that jazz.  Besides, if we go from warm to hot temps quickly (which is the Maryland norm) the sooner I can get out to play in the gardens. Which brings me to # 2.

 2.  Plan out the plants you want to put in the ground and in your flower pots. Get books or magazines that show pretty color combinations and WRITE THEM DOWN, so you have them when you get to the nursery.  What? You don’t plant anything? What’s wrong with you…this is that year to discover your green thumb. You can tell your people that you are “going green” and they will think you are hip.  Well, maybe.

3.  Start a board on Pinterest called Summer Foods, and just go crazy pinning everything you can that uses fresh tomatoes and blueberries. When it’s time to fire up the grill and eat local produce-you will be good to go. Leaving much more time to do whatever you like in the summer….lay by the pool, go for a walk or nap in the air conditioned house.

 4.  Purge your closet ruthlessly. Do you really need all those clothes, shoes, and bags? Did you know that one of the most requested items of a homeless person (other than a warm coat in winter) is a bag? Imagine if you had to carry everything important with you all the time. Medical papers, prescriptions, applications for assistance, etc…EVERYTHING with you. At. All. Times.  If you have a bag that zips, even better. Don’t take this stuff to a consignment shop, take it to an inner city mission so it has less hands to travel through. You get a streamlined closet and feeling of goodwill at the same time. Win-win.

 5.  Take a good look at your feet. Everyone else will soon. Go get a pedicure or do the work yourself so that your feet are summer ready. Trim, exfoliate, hydrate..whatever it takes. Pick out a great summer color (my friend, Laurie, picked mine (Opi Red) several years ago and when I put it on it screams “Summer is Here!!”). Go a little crazy and pick a weird color too (like the young gals do) just to shock your friends or show your daughter how hip you are.

So that’s my 2 cents worth on how I plan to get through the 31 days of March.  I’m starting tomorrow.

Please God, let there be spring on the other side.

Blessings,

Stephanie