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Sunny Spring Days

March 13th, 2010

The first warm sunny days bring out the best in all of us here in NE Ohio. Everyone seems to be in a better mood, they’re is excited that the long cold gray days of winter will soon be only a memory. People are out and about smiling, working in their gardens, walking their dogs and they seem to be having a good time. I waved to many neighbors while out on the front porch getting some seed flats ready.

It won’t last long, winter isn’t even close to being over her in Ohio. We’ll still get a few more snowstorms and some crisp cold weather. I still have at least 2 months to be patient until I can plant anything slightly tender in the garden. Even cold tolerant plants can easily get nipped by the usual winter relapses we have. So one must be careful to remember that spring isn’t yet here when we have a few warm days.


While the warmth is here we take full advantage. We’ve been going on nice long walks in the afternoons, soaking up the sun and getting some exercise (and preparing for our spring hiking vacation). On Thursday I even hung out the first load of laundry this year. Mr Chiots checked on one of our beehives that sounded a little weak, and as of right now both hives survived the winter.

I checked the soil in the raised beds, and it’s still frozen solid about 1/2 inch below the surface. I covered one bed with the cold frame yesterday and seeded some lettuce. I’m hoping to cover the remaining cold frames with plastic to warm the soil more quickly and protect the plants inside from the worst of the remaining winter weather.

What do you do you take advantage of the first beautiful days in the spring?

19 Comments to “Sunny Spring Days”
  1. Sense of Home on March 13, 2010 at 9:09 am

    We have had nothing but clouds and rain. I am seriously looking forward to some sunshine.

    When the snow melts enough (and it is slowly getting there), the first thing I will do is hang clothes on the clothesline.
    .-= Sense of Home´s last blog ..The Button Box =-.

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    • Susy on March 13, 2010 at 9:18 am

      It’s rainy & cold here today – glad I took advantage of the nice weather when I could.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  2. Beegirl on March 13, 2010 at 9:19 am

    I love the shot of the hives behind your clothes line! It is so soggy here we haven’t gotten much done outside. Chomping at the bit like you. Did bring in a few of the hives that didn’t make it and cleaned them up. Put some bee candy on for them too.. Managed to get my sheets out on the line too! Think SPRING… : ))
    .-= Beegirl´s last blog ..Bits =-.

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  3. Diane on March 13, 2010 at 9:39 am

    We started seeing warmer days this past week. I am hanging out laundry to dry (when it isn’t raining- happening alot this week), and today starting some seeds of a variety of lettuces.
    Blessings
    Diane
    .-= Diane´s last blog ..School and Medical Update =-.

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    • Susy on March 13, 2010 at 11:10 pm

      I can hardly wait for a fresh salad from the garden. I should have started some lettuces a few weeks ago so I’d be eating salads now. But it’s good to eat up the winter squashes.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  4. Jennifer on March 13, 2010 at 10:54 am

    Glad to hear your bees survived. We were hoping to catch a wild hive we had in a tree close to the house but our winter was too hard on them. I hope you have a good honey flow this year!
    .-= Jennifer´s last blog ..It has arrived. =-.

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  5. stefaneener on March 13, 2010 at 11:20 am

    Bees and running.
    .-= stefaneener´s last blog ..Schooling the bees =-.

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  6. MAYBELLINE on March 13, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    I cradle my face in my hands and weep knowing that summer is approaching.
    .-= MAYBELLINE´s last blog ..Mystery Plant =-.

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  7. Momzoo on March 13, 2010 at 3:57 pm

    I hung laundry to dry. I always look forward to the fist load in the spring. I smells so good!
    .-= Momzoo´s last blog ..Keeping It Real… I am so Embarrassed! =-.

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  8. Brittany Noel on March 13, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    I desperately need to find a way to hang my laundry this summer! My backyard is so small, there’s no room for a permanent line… It’s been gloriously warm here, too. The other day, I almost got ice cream!

    Kudos to you for getting your seed starting materials organized. I just ordered my seeds last night and must dig all of that out of the garage. Can’t wait!
    .-= Brittany Noel´s last blog ...ladies. =-.

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  9. Amy on March 13, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    I walk around like an anxious mother checking to see if everything made it and get crazy giddy when I see that it did.
    Walk, walk, walk in our woods.
    And~check the bees!
    “Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn.” ~Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

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  10. melissa on March 13, 2010 at 7:15 pm

    I mowed my lawn. Then again it’s 70 degrees here today (supposed to be near 80 tomorrow so I thought today was the better mowing day). I also set my seedlings out to get some more direct sun than they were getting through the window, and planted some basil. Tomorrow I have pepper plants to set out, and then more weeding.
    .-= melissa´s last blog ..TGIF =-.

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    • Susy on March 13, 2010 at 11:13 pm

      WOW, mowing already. My lawn won’t be ready to mow for a long time.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  11. Debbie on March 14, 2010 at 12:21 am

    Won’t be long and spring will be in full swing there and the gardens will be thawed out and growing nicely :0)
    Don’t you just love washing hung out in the fresh and sunshine.

    Reply to Debbie's comment

  12. Pampered Mom on March 14, 2010 at 12:59 am

    Usually we take the opportunity to get outside. This year I had to chuckle a little bit because when my two year old went out the other day she ended up carrying around a selection of outside toys with her for awhile It was almost like she couldn’t quite decide which one to choose so she picked them all up instead.

    I also took the opportunity to put away my snowman – he’s made out of branches that were bent into shape. I figured it would be a good idea to make my intention clear to the weather powers that be. No more snow! (even though I know more is likely to come)
    .-= Pampered Mom´s last blog ..A couple of interesting posts from The Talking Points Memo =-.

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    • Susy on March 14, 2010 at 9:39 am

      Good idea, put away the snowman. I didn’t even build a real snowman this year.

      Reply to Susy's comment

  13. warren on March 15, 2010 at 10:05 am

    I head to the bees the first chance I get when it’s spring…that and I go find a rushing stream and just take in the sounds and smells…bring it on!
    .-= warren´s last blog ..Hydroponic Gardening =-.

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  14. Kelly on March 15, 2010 at 11:05 am

    I rake gravel out of the lawn from our driveway and winter snow removal. I poke around at the soil, clearing debris from the daffodils and crocus. I clear any remaining snow from the garden beds and start fluffing the soil as early as I can. There’s a small waterfall just off our property that, with the winter thaw and spring rains, gushes quite loudly this time of year. I refer to early spring as “Waterfall season”. We open the windows as early/much as we can because of it. Such lovely music!
    .-= Kelly´s last blog ..White Day and Other Things =-.

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This is a daily journal of my efforts to cultivate a more simple life, through local eating, gardening and so many other things. We used to live in a small suburban neighborhood Ohio but moved to 153 acres in Liberty, Maine in 2012.

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