The following is post by Haley Green. Haley is a mother of two and an avid outdoorswoman. When she’s not writing about being a parent, she’s thinking of new activities to entertain her rambunctious and adorable children.
Take it away, Haley!
The sound of birdsongs are starting to gently chime through the trees, snowdrops are peeping their drowsy little petals from the flower beds and suddenly, it feels as if spring might have finally sprung, well in some parts of the country anyway. 🙂 One of my goals for this year is to get the kids more involved in the household chores, and although I’m sure there will be a little grumbling at first, I know tackling the garden will be rewarding for all of us. Here are some of the main projects I have on my agenda for the nice spring weather.
Plant a Vegetable Patch
Okay, so I’m probably not going to be living off the land any time soon. But we are fortunate enough to have some space for a small plot of vegetables, and we’re going to make good use of it this year. Since we’re beginners, we’re sticking to the easiest and most versatile vegetable options: potatoes, spring onions, beetroot, and a little herb garden with rosemary, mint, and thyme. These will aid us in saving money on our weekly grocery bill and we’ll have lots of fresh herbs to season our food with too. We also plan to can and preserve some of the vegetables and dry the herbs so we can use everything and have very little waste.
An Outdoor Dining Room
I have always loved eating outdoors, there’s something so magical about dining under the stars. Plus it’s a great way of spending quality, family time together talking over dinner. There are so many options for outdoor dining: open plan decking, a Parisian wrought iron table, or a simple gazebo. But what I’ve always had my heart on is a Japanese-style pagoda. This year, I’m going to make it happen, complete with bistro dining seats, a few pretty bonsai trees and my own little bamboo fountain. It’s perfect for bringing some serenity back to dinner time!
A Space for the Kids
At the moment, the back yard is just a free-for-all of scattered toys: hula-hoops, plastic rockers, and brightly colored balls of every shape, texture, and size. I’m always tripping over some poor, forsaken toy. Well, not anymore! This year, I’m making a space just for the kids, designed like a mini-suburbia. A mini white picket fence will delimit their territory and keep them out of places they shouldn’t play, like the vegetable garden. I’m giving them a new play house, and their own “flowerbeds” to tend to which will hopefully cultivate a little domestic pride. There will also be a climbing frame for when they need to get their energy out and behave like little monkeys!
What outdoor projects are you planning on doing this spring?
Photo courtesy of: Su Yin Khoo
I always loooved gardening with my mom when I was a kid. It was most probably just the being outdoors and with my mom, because I certainly never acquired her green thumb! I’m sure your kids will love it, too!