Spring Planting & Painting – I mean cleaning! ;)

Sweet Spectacular Spring is here in the Blue Ridge Mountains and it renews my soul right along with and in tune with nature.

Of course, spring is a time for planting seeds here on the mini homestead and enjoying the blooms on the many fruit trees we’ve planted over the past 6 years.  And, though I really don’t love cleaning, I am aware of the spring cleaning ritual. This year, I’m throwing open the windows and actually participating! 😉

Which, means a HUGE effort at “UNhoarding” for this old “prepper.”  Yes, I’m finally going through our stash of books, food, clothing, etc… baby steps at a time (because I want to be outside this time of year!)… with gratitude for all that we’ve been blessed with and the ability to donate so much… and with deep, deep cleansing in the process… both of home and heart & soul… letting go of some sentimental bits and pieces and feeling the weight of the past lighten… making space to BREATHE (which I wish I could do clearly right now – it’s a dusty effort!), to explore and dance, give and receive, create and grow.

With all this time spent cleaning bookshelves, cabinets, and closets, as the first official days of spring arrived, I wanted a more fun way to celebrate!  Though I very much appreciate the relief that comes with this de-cluttering process, I really don’t love cleaning! Did I mention that already?! 😉  I’d so rather be painting (or walking in the woods or petting the cat or reading a great book, especially while laying on the warming blanket of spring grass, or walking on the lake shore, etc!).  So, I found a way to do both, fit in my baby steps in this massive, overwhelming cleansing effort AND paint AND be outside! YAY!  I’m cleaning out my paint! 🙂  I had a bunch of old craft paints from before I discovered the huge difference in vibrancy with inks and golden brand acrylics.  So, I took a drawer full of old paint and went outside with the intention to use it up and play. 🙂 Oh, and plant a few ‘seeds’, too!  We’ve already planted the spring seeds in the garden (sweet beets and sugar snap peas).  So before adding paint to the blank canvas, I planted some seeds/intentions writing with oil pastels.  Then, I put lots of paint and let my hands get dirty. 🙂  It happened to be the time of the full moon so I added that to one of the canvases, too.  I did this with 2 canvases before deciding to share a third.  There is a different kind of pure play possible when not attempting to document the process (especially when hands are covered in paint and I have to somehow take the pictures, too!).  Maybe I’ll fill every blank canvas I can find with these old paints to clean them out and plant some lovely beginning seeds/layers. 🙂

I think so often that we collect things we intend to use ‘someday’ (at least I have!) so I’m learning a new approach… instead of ‘saving’ the paint (or trying to stretch it by not using ‘too much’ at a time) or saving the nice tablecloth for ‘someday’ or the dream vacation for retirement, it’s time to use it/do it and enjoy it and move on (do you have anything that might bring you joy in this way?)… this is part of my own transforming from a somewhat fear based ‘survivalist’ to a ‘living now’ based ‘thrivivalist’.

My morning blessing and prayer of gratitude has evolved to the following and is my hope/wish for all of us:

May we thrive, true, open, and free, happy and healthy,
with grace and generosity, reverence and delight,
celebrating life, nature, and love,
in harmony with joy and ease.

<3 Amen <3

In light of recent world events, yes, I will continue dreaming of and praying for a time that we all thrive in peace and harmony with ourselves, each other, and this amazing planet and find a way to practice the art of happiness together. <3

(library book in photo is Zen and the Art of Happiness by Chris Prentiss)

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could soak in a peaceful art of happiness through osmosis while resting in the arms of Mother Earth and the warmth of the sunshine?