April, it is my birth month so I have a deep fondness for her. She is the month of conception, birth and emergence. April is from the Latin name Aprilis (derivation unknown) and the verb aperture, “to open.” This is the month of Spring when the miracle of life is prolific. Plants sprout and flowers bud, delicate, fragile leaves and petals are almost luminescent in colour and translucence. Cocoons hang on hair-thin strings, dangling precariously from branches swaying in the warming breezes as the chrysalis morphs from caterpillar to butterfly. Dens that have been home and shelter throughout the winter months have also doubled as birthing rooms and are quickly abandoned as Mom and babies head out to find sustenance, ravenous and ready to partake in the offerings! Newly constructed nests house and protect freshly laid eggs that are incubated and hatched while exhausted parents keep vigil over their young. Spring, it is the advent of life as it holds promise for those who have been around the block a few times and those who have just arrived.
I grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, a city smack dab in the middle of the Canadian Prairies. I wasn’t quite living the little house on the prairie life as I came from the city but, the weather, be it rural, suburban or a metropolis was inevitably the first topic of conversation. To me, living through Canadian winters was an exercise in survival. Spring was such a balm after the seemingly endless months of bitterly cold winds blowing down from the Arctic, having to risk life and limb on treacherous road conditions, finding much of our exercise consisted of shovelling drives and walks and most important, trying to keep all the body parts safe from frostbite. You could almost hear the collective sighs of relief as the dazzling winter-white vistas transformed into a new landscape replete with a subdued palette of muddy browns, greenie greys and washed out shades of yellow and beige. It wasn’t exactly the prettiest season in the early weeks, however, I would imagine it was the most welcome. Those bone chilling, blustery north winds slowly shifted direction throughout April, our moods lifted as we would spend more time in the prairie sunshine soaking up much needed Vitamin D and by May, they shifted to the south ushering in gentler breezes that carried with it a touch of warmth and the assurance that summer was soon to follow.
As Canadians we are almost obsessed by the weather with good reason, as it really is a major factor in how your day is going to go and we all know Spring weather has it’s own challenges to navigate. Do I wear layers in case the rain becomes snow or hail? Are the winds going to blow me off my feet? Should I put those patio cushions out or not? Where the heck is my umbrella? I guess I shouldn’t have put away my toque? If I have to shovel one more time… On the west coast we can plant the earliest annuals in April…or can we?
We live an unpredictable existence when it comes to our weather but, April isn’t just about rain, snow, sleet and hail. April is about Easter and Ramadan and Passover, three major faith observances, holidays and celebrations. Essentially, and I am simplifying, fasting and feasting are basically the crux of the those observances. Followers give up and sacrifice to honour and acknowledge the sacrifices made for us.
Spring is also about spring cleaning. It is the season of Maria Kondo-ing your stuff. It seems almost instinctual to want to tuck into the ceremony of scrubbing, scouring, polishing and purging our homesteads. Humans can’t actually hibernate but we do adjust our behaviours that are something akin to hibernation in the winter season. We curl up in front of warm fires, read good books, eat heartier meals and some of us even lay on the fat while warding off “old man winter” to protect the vital organs. (That’s my story ya’ll.) Then Spring arrives and we find ourselves “waking up” with a new found energy and need to revitalize our surroundings and ourselves. I just finished a major re-do of my main closet and it felt fabulous! The clothes that have hung in there for 5 years unworn, gone! Anything that was poorly folded or not in its appropriate basket or on the right shelf has found its new home, nicely, neatly tucked away in its place. Scarves, belts, ribbons, totes, purses, hats….nothing has been overlooked. Then there’s the pantry shelves and the kitchen cupboards and the office paraphernalia and oh boy, let’s not even talk about the inside of our vehicles or the garage.
As I watch Spring unfold around me, I understand that this is the natural evolution of life and every year the need to observe and involve myself in its miraculous machinations becomes more important. Konnecting with and understanding this feeling or urge for and of renewal is not a choice but an instinctual occurrence, it is such a revelation. I don’t just want to clean up and clean out my little piece of the planet, I MUST! Much like the many animals that clean up their environments, we are no different. Bees remove corpses from their hives, male fish pick debris from their eggs, birds will clean up their mating space, where they dance to attract a mate. I’m pretty sure my hubby wouldn’t be into dancing for me but, I do know that when he cleans up the man cave I tend to want to make him muffins….just sayin’ !
Are you at a loss as to where to start with your Spring Clean up? Here is a little list that might help and along the way, don’t forget to take some time to konnect with April and revel in the awesomeness unfolding around you.
1. Get some empty bins together and label them, KEEP, THROW, GIVE AWAY. Clothes that are too big, too small, too out of date….come on, you know, the double-padded shoulder blazer you wore to your first job in 1985… those clothes. Once you are done organizing those bins, put the Throw and Give Away bins in the back of your vehicle and take them to the dump or the donation centre, now, yes, right now! As for the Keep Bin, go back to that and put those items in the areas they belong. Dress section, coat closet, shoe room. I’m pretty sure shoes and purses are an entire blog of their own.
2. You do not need 12 bottles of window or bath or floor cleaner that are a quarter or half full. Amalgamate your products, take stock of what you have and what you need and put them in large plastic bins under the laundry room or kitchen sink or a designated cupboard. If you can, install pull outs for easier access. Try to finish using up anything you have before you restock and consider using clean, non-toxic products. You can even make your own: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24885/make-at-home-cleaners/
3. How many plastic food containers do you have? How many are missing lids? I thought so. Dedicate one drawer or cupboard to your food storage items, they are always needed and deserve their own space. Get rid of the old, stained and wonky shaped ones, those that have no lids and the lids that have no bottoms and consider using glass containers. I wash and save jars that I know will work well in the pantry and my container cupboard. I also have the glass sets with locking lids, they are very versatile, wash up so well and are better for the environment. Organize the containers and lids into shallow bins and baskets to keep them from playing hide n’ seek on you. Sneaky little buggers!
4. Socks and underwear drawers…I know, they are a real pain but, if you organize them you will thank yourself over and over again. It’s pretty simple to find drawer boxes that are very inexpensive, hello Dollar Store, and you can use stiff cardboard or plastic to section them off into cubbies. If you want to spend a little more you can shop the main home stores that have them all ready sectioned off and you just place into your drawers. Roll the underwear and fold the socks together and pop into each cubby. When you open that drawer, it almost sings back at you…Hallelujah! Do the same for bras, slips, undershirts, tanks etc. It’s also a great idea for ties, belts, scarves, anything that tends to be awkward for storing. When the Dryer Gremlins eat your socks, don’t put them back in the drawer, I mean one sock?...unless you like to wear mismatched. Use the singles for cleaning or making sock toys for kids and pets, warming covers for hummingbird feeders or just toss them.
5. The Linen Closet, the place where old towels and pillow cases go to die. I just cleaned mine out along with my main closet. I keep all the zippered plastic bags that new linen and pillows come in and I use those to store any of the bedding I use seasonally or the extra pillows, linens and blankets I have. It keeps the bugs and dust out, the items won’t yellow or smell and the sets stay together as sets. It’s also a nice thing to add some fresh, non-toxic scented spray to all of your closets and drawers. Those plastic linen bags are also great for storing evening bags or packing when travelling. I still can’t fold a fitted sheet to save my life…thank goodness for refresh and wrinkle-rid mode on the dryer.
I could go on but, it’s time for you to get to work. When we open up and konnect with our surroundings, when we take part in the excitement and energy of the season, we experience renewal, rebirth and a bit of a revival if you will. Whether we fast for our faith, feast with our families, clean out our cupboards or cleanse our souls, we are an integral part of the natural order of things, every Spring, every April. She is lovely indeed!
Have a beautiful weekend and may April shower you with all her goodness.
Love Kiki
xoxo
” Our spring has come at last with the soft laughter of April suns and shadow of April Showers.” —- Byron Caldwell Smith
This is a page from my Children’s book ‘EVERYBODY HAS A MASK”. You can view this and all my books right here: https://www.konnectwithkiki.com
This is the first I have ever heard of the Buso in Hungary and so have learned about them from you is really great. You always have some tidbit to find that no one knows about and I really appreciate that as I am a very interested in anything and everything, as you know.. Keep it up. 😍