Searching for Signs of Spring

 


Every winter I get to the point where I start to wonder if spring will ever arrive or if it will be winter forever. There's a degree of desperation that ensues on the cusp of winter and spring that forces me out the door and into the chilled bleak air to search for signs of life.
I started to look for signs of spring in ernest three weeks ago, taking rambling walks in Central Park and peering into tree pits, searching for any changes in the caked and dusty winter ground. Despite the cold and snowy weather I noticed crocuses in bloom, daffodil bulbs peaking up out of the soil, and willowy tree branches looking a bit more yellow around the edges (or was this just my imagination?).



Then last week the park staff was out in force, clearing and pruning and raking. The mulch wafted through the air, almost warming it. The daffodils popped up, and suddenly spring had sprung!
Now we are entering my favorite part of spring, when things begin to change so quickly that once June arrives it is hard to remember what the trees even looked like without their leaves.
This is all a long-winded way of saying that getting out for a daily walk to look for signs of spring is a great way to enjoy the ephemeral spring season! Sometimes I go by myself, sometime I go with a friend. It is a treasure hunt-like activity: identifying new growth and taking photos. Last week I even found myself meeting a friend in the park for an evening stroll to find daffodils instead of our usual happy hour joint and draft beer.

A thimble full of spring

Another egg to add to your Easter-addled brain! I cracked a large hole in this one, filled it with pebbles on the bottom, dirt on top, and planted a tiny flower inside. The trick was to get it to stand up straight and not roll off the table. I put a glob of Blu Tack underneath to hold the shell in place.

The Greatest Egg

Please accept my apologies for the lack of posts over the last few months. I suppose I have been hibernating this winter. But now in preparation for spring I give you: The Easter Egg!

Here's a survey of my favorite egg decorating ideas this year. There are so many creative ways to decorate an egg aside from the ubiquitous PAAS dyes. This year I've focused on ideas that utilize household items. So get out your dyes, ties, paints and pens and get crafty. 

Personally, I'll be rhinestoning an egg (in honor of my work in the world of bedazzling, i.e. costume design).

Image via A Daily Something

A great idea for showcasing those early signs of spring. Plus you can use edible hard boiled eggs, or blow them out and reuse them the next year.

Image via No. 2 Pencil

Give your eggs some hipster cache with mustaches!

Image via Aunt Peaches

Aunt Peaches has a great tutorial for making these unusual tissue paper and parsley beauties.

Image via ObviouslySweet

"Scandi"fy your Easter eggs with a sharpie.

Image via Design*Sponge

Use images from a flower catalogue to make a floral collage.

Image via BooBahBlue on Etsy

Did you know you can use patterned silk ties to dye eggs? BooBahBlue offers silk dyeing egg kits on Etsy.