Saturday, February 22, 2014

Need a Spring Break?

Last week we had the mother of all crazy snow and ice storms. This week, the temp was in the 70s. Welcome to North Carolina. Ever since I moved here, there has always been a week in the middle of winter that looks like spring, feels like spring and provides a welcome break from winter. Back in my college days, the girls (including moi) would put on our bathing suits and go down to "Tucker Beach", a green square in the midst of the guys' dorms. We'd work on our tans, attract wolf whistles from the guys looking out their windows, and play volleyball. Yes, ManO was one of those looking. No, you aren't getting pictures.

The problem is that warm weather is just a tease. Trees blossom, daffodils appear and then comes the wicked winter again. This year, I decided if my Spring Break outside wasn't going to last, I would at least make Spring come a little early inside the house and, more importantly, inside my soul.

Before with "iced" branches and a snowman. After with my garden baskets and hydrangeas.
Someone on Facebook mentioned people need to stop singing "Let It Go" from the movie Frozen, that every time they do so, the weather turns winter stormy again. That is what got me thinking I needed to put away my winter decor. No snow men, no snow paintings (Man O and I are big aficionados of any painting with snow), no winter quilts.  Let go of winter and bring on all things floral!
The frozen barnyard was put away and I am looking for a painting like this award winner from the State Fair. Lots of flowers AND wonderful characters!

My spring watercolors are out. Some vases are filled with forsythia and pussy willows, giving a nod to the earliest of Spring's pretties. (My mother was a floral arranger of the highest order but I think she would approve of my high quality silk flowers to brighten things.) Pinks, blues, yellows, lavenders are coming out of closets.     

I visit Springtime, thanks to my trip to Monet's garden in Giverney in April years back. If you don't have your own pics, Google and visit, especially Butchart Gardens in Canada.

It looks like Monet's painting because it is Monet's garden. One of the best trips I've had...Paris and Giverney in April!    
That gives me a boost to plan my own garden. Got to be inspired to think green with gray out there.




Notice I haven't led with food suggestions. When it comes to meals, this is the worst time of year for me. I am tired of winter stews. The farmers' market hasn't really started producing, still a few weeks to go. So I do what I refuse do the rest of the year. I buy "out of season," i.e. I get spring veggies from far away where the growing season is topsy turvy or there are no seasons, just growing season. I ignore the cost. I pretend it's already Easter. Asparagus, strawberries, new potatoes, and spinach salad appear on the table. I make deviled eggs. One meal and leftovers and I'm over the hump. I know I can survive til REAL Spring comes along.

Note: if you find these teeny tiny Simply potatoes in your grocer, get them. They're divine.
So what about you? Do you have a meal that reminds you of spring or signifies it's finally arrived? Do you rearrange or change your decor ahead of seasons? What says Spring to you? Is it daffodils, the arrival of certain birds or the temperature finally being above freezing?

28 comments:

  1. Julie, my daughter and I savored some fresh asparagus this week. I think it was as you say - the signs of spring (even if not real). I know I was craving strawberries a week ago.

    This is really just all a tease though because I still have to get through my least favorite of all the months - March - the month of endless wind. I'd have been a terrible (read insane) prairie wife.

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    1. ha! I'm with you on the insane prairie wife. I'm not even really sane as modern day wife.

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    2. Mary Curry, The Insane Prairie Wife, coming to a bookstore near you.

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    3. And I'm thinking of that woman that paid Laura Ingalls to stay with her while she homesteaded.

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    4. Oh, that's right!! Laura was such a smart cookie.

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  2. Oh, I HAVE seen those little potatoes but wasn't really sure about them. I'll pick some up and try them out!
    And I've been to Butchart Gardens many times. Beautiful place and has some really wonderful seasonal displays.

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    1. I roast those little potatoes. They melt in your mouth!

      And I am so jealous of your trips. Guess you ARE closer, huh?

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    2. Salt potatoes!!!!! I roast them, too (dredged in seasoned butter, but you probably didn't want to know that part) but we use them like they do in clambakes, too. Boil them until just cooked in heavily salted water.... (4 lbs potatoes and 1 lb. salt) and then drain, and dip in melted butter. (there's that butter thing again, I really should just DRINK the butter!!!!) Clambakes with salt potatoes have always been big things here in the Northeast, May-September... Now I want clams. Dipped in (what else?????????)

      BUTTER!!!!

      Hey, Julie, have you ever looked at Jo Grundy's work on Facebook?

      JO GRUNDY'S FACEBOOK PAGE

      She does fun stuff with 3-d effects in rustic/primitive art. I love it! Check it out.... scroll down a little the top things are prints.

      ♥♥♥♥♥

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    3. First, those potatoes sound divine!!!!!

      And I am a Jo Grundy fan!!!! Thanks for reminding me to check her recent stuff out.

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    4. Some day I'm going to give myself a present of a Jo Grundy painting... Maybe. I love them, but then I keep seeing the need in the world, so maybe a Wysocki $10 print will do!!!!

      Wait, Charles' prints are no longer $10. I'm going to finger paint for myself, LOL!

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    5. Oooh -- I never heard of Jo Grundy but I googled her and am in love. So vibrant, cheery, playful...and springy!!!!

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    6. I am still thinking about ONE POUND of SALT. ManO swears it's a typo. I know it's not.

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    7. Wow! Now that's the way to eat a potato! I love salty, buttery potatoes!!

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    8. OK, wait... Trying to imagine that recipe. Maybe Ruthy should do a salt potato post? And Charles Wysocki hurts my eyes.

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  3. Love the pretty decorations, even if your pics weren't among them....:)
    When it is spring, I like to make something with lemon or lime like lemon bars or key lime pie. These things could be made during the winter but I don't. I like the bright yellow or green of the food. I've been looking for a frosted key lime cake recipe for years. I'll find one someday...

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    1. It's funny. I was thinking lemon too but was thinking meringue pie. Frosted key lime cake? I am on the hunt.

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    2. Oh, I just saw the possibility on Facebook!!!! And I'm experimenting with recipes for that Christmas pie this weekend. #PSYCHED

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  4. Seriously, Julie -- If I dared to replace anything winter in my house (including outerwear) with spring stuff I'd curse us with another eon of winter. I'm a jinx that way. I took the hood off my down coat last week and we're going into cold warning temps again next week and I have to live with the fact that it's all my fault!!!!!! No more indoor recesses -- noooooooooooooo!!!!

    Mmmm...spring food???? Well, I do love the arrival of hot cross buns and Cadbury mini eggs. And I love having salads again with veggies that taste like veggies.

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    1. Yes! Hot cross buns and Cadbury eggs are already making appearances here. And I know that the next Polar Vortex is coming our way. So I don't ever pack away my scarves and polar fleece and snow boots until May!

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    2. Kav, off topic but I saw you mentioned the book "The Day the Crayons Quit" on another post. WE LOVE THAT BOOK. (And then he tore their wrappers off and they were naked...) I bought it off Amazon but wasn't really sure if my guys would like it or not. Hilarious!

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  5. Just stocked up on Easter colored M&M's. I've been craving them. Finished all the pretty ones from Valentine's day and now have the egg shaped pastels. :)

    Oh! You didn't mean candy did you?? Lol Yes, I've been buying strawberries and asparagus the last two weeks. Even got decent blueberries yesterday.

    Can't wait to find those potatoes. I've had some similar fingerlings. Very yummy roasted. May have to try boiling in Dead Sea water like Ruthy. :)

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    1. Love that Dead Sea water.

      Oh candy, as much as I miss Christmas candy, Easter candy is the best!

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  6. Also meant to say I love your hydrangeas! One of my favs that reminds me of my grandmothers's house.

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  7. Your hydrangeas are gorgeous! I totally understand your need to change the winter decor to spring--it's like you're trying to convince yourself that spring is already here. Ha!
    I was tickled to see your mention of Butchart Gardens of Canada. That was definitely one of the highlights of our cruise to Alaska. We were able to go there on a Saturday afternoon and then stay for the fireworks, which were spectacular.
    Jillian and I looked at (and she bought) some beautiful pots for plants that are going out on her deck. Yes, it got up in the 70's yesterday and today, but the high this coming Wednesday is the mid-40's. Such a tease.

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    1. Jealous of your trip and yes that polar vortex just wont give up!

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  8. What is this "spring" you speak of?

    I think you're all talking a foreign language! We're so far from spring, it's ridiculous. Yesterday afternoon we had a first class snowstorm...but wait...it only lasted a few hours. Maybe spring IS coming!

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  9. don't have seasons here - I've fixed chili in the middle of summer before - just cranked the a/c down a bit. :-) I DO love watermelon though and have to force myself to wait since they usually have it in stores here before it's good and ready. I like to buy the already sliced or cubed - that's my splurge - no rind to deal with and less mess!
    Susanna

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