Monthly Musings: Spring Traditions And Activities

I'm so glad I discovered Holly, and thus Patty, last year because today is one of my favourite link ups of the month, Monthly Musings. Holly and Patty host this every month on the last Thursday. This month is all about spring and you know that I am so here for it!!!

 

1) Do you celebrate Easter or Passover? If so, what are your traditions?

As you may know, we are an interfaith (Jewish and Christian) family so this means we celebrate both Easter and Passover. Normally, we have the first seder with Dave's family. This year we are going to get together on Saturday afternoon (technically a few hours before Passover starts) and have a small Passover celebration. For the past few years, the kids have contributed their own unique pieces to the telling of the Passover story which I love. Other than getting together with family, we don't really have a Passover tradition we've done every year though.

For Easter, the main thing we do is go to church on Sunday morning (but again, that won't happen this year). The Easter hymns are some of my favourite of the year but it's just not the same over Zoom. Our church is attempting a small, in person, sunrise service this year so we might try to go to that. It starts at 6:30 which is really early :) We don't always do Easter baskets with our kids, but when we do, we try to get them something practical that they can use in the spring -- their own rakes one year, kites, sidewalk chalk and bubbles, etc.

The year the kids got their own rakes for Easter.

2) Favourite spring tradition?

We have a tradition of celebrating the extra light of the time change day by going for ice cream. Normally, we go after supper, but this year we had other plans so we went in the afternoon. It doesn't matter how cold it is, we still go!

And it's not a tradition, per se, but I LOVE the day that we set up our yard for spring. Dave sets up the rain barrel and we put the trampoline back up. This past Sunday was the day we did that and it was sooooo fun!

3) What spring activities are you and your family involved in?

Normally, there would be spring soccer at the school and we'd be looking forward to Rachel's dance performance with all that entails -- photos, dress rehearsals, and of course, the show itself. Sadly, none of that is happening this year :(

4) What are you most looking forward to in spring?

 I most look forward to hanging the first load of laundry on the line and reading a book in the sun with a drink in hand. Thanks to our gorgeous weather, both of these things were able to happen this past weekend! Whooo hooo!!!

5) Do you plant a garden/flowers?

Yes, I always plant my window boxes in the spring and then annuals in pots (and some beds) around the end of May. I already bought my pansies for the window boxes and this year I decided to try some ranunculus too. We'll see how it goes...

6) Do you decorate your house for spring?

No. I change out our wreath to the spring wreath but other than that I don't decorate.

7) Do you have a favourite spring meal?

 We don't really cook all that differently as we head into spring but my favourite meal of the spring is our St Patrick's Day Beef & Guinness Stew. I really should make it more often.

8) Does it feel like spring yet where you live?

Yes! I can't believe how many nice days we've had already. The past five days have been gorgeous although we're supposed to get colder with maybe even some snow next week. But we've had a few meals outside and I've read outside enough to get a slight sunburn already. Ooops. And the kids have pulled out their bikes!

9) Will your spring look different this year due to Covid?

Yes, Rachel and Sam won't have neighbourhood soccer this year and Rachel's dance studio isn't having their big show.

10) Have you dined outside yet this spring?

Yes! We ate outside with friends on Saturday night and then we moved our supper outside on Sunday too.

 

I can't wait for more meals outside!!!