“Spring is the time for plans and projects.”
Springtime has finally come to the Midwest. Nature's growth and renewal brings with it a positive energy. I find I enjoy channeling this new energy into creative projects. If you have visited the site in the past, you may have noticed a new look and layout. I have been playing around with new themes to deliver my content in the cleanest and easiest way possible. This is still a work in progress, so bear with my tweaks. The remodel of the the site lead to an expansion in content. I have decided to re-frame my mission, moving beyond food, wine and home cooking to include travel and exploration. I am trying to become a better tweeter, so you will start to see more of me.
Now for a few odds and ends.
The snow has melted (for now) and we are inching our way into light sweater weather. It feels great to open up the house and tackle some spring cleaning. This morning I tackled my bedroom, washing all linens, dusting from top to bottom, and opening up the windows to let the morning breeze breathe life into the house. I have adapted many of the tips and tricks from Cheryl Mendelson's Home Comforts: The Art and Science of Keeping House. While this 1000+ page volume covers more than you will ever need to know about house keeping, the first few pages are essential to helping organize the daily work and running of the house. With my husband starting a new job, causing a shift in our routine, I'm looking forward to some time to get reorganized. To learn more about Mendelson's approach to keeping house, check out here book here: https://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862
While Spring has eluded us for the past few weeks, before we know it it's going to be the height of summer. The bulbs of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths have broken through the earth, giving pops of color to the dormant garden. I have enjoyed planting vegetables and herbs, and especially enjoyed tending to the roses, but this year I'm taking a step back from doing too much in the shared space. Due to this summer's travel schedule, I'll miss the peak of the growing season for most of my favorite veggies and I cannot guarantee my husband will be eager to spend time watering every day.
Last summer, we had all intentions of becoming campers (at least I did, I'm not really sure about my husband). For our birthdays, we were gifted a tent and every possible camping accessory on can think of (Thanks Mom and Dad!). Growing up, every summer weekend was another adventure across the Upper Peninsula. We packed up the RV for a weekend of swimming, biking, and campfires. This week, my parents surprised us when decided to get back into the camping tradition and bought a small camper. Getting into the whole camping thing after almost 15 years has been stressful. My husband has not been 100% on board, citing boredom as his main concern. Now that my parents have jumped on board, I hope we can really bring back our family camping tradition.
But what I am most excited for this summer is my big trip: France, again! This July I will be traveling to France, first with my sister, future brother-in-law and some friends for a week in Paris. After that I will be joining a tour group from DePaul University as we walk in the steps of St. Vincent DePaul on the Vincentian Heritage tour. On this tour we will be spending a week in Paris then traveling across France to Dax, Toulouse, Carcassonne, Avignon, Lyon, Beaune and back to Paris, learning about the life of the French Catholic reformer. While I'm not Catholic, or very religious, I am inspired by Vincent's mission and I look forward to learning more about his legacy throughout France. I don't think I could be more excited. While I've been to Paris twice in the past year, I am still looking for guides, tips and recommendations. I think I do this mostly to feel like I'm already there. I look forward to sharing my own tips and stories from the trip in July.