Nourish your Soul
The Temperatures are rising, we are seeing more days with the sun shining and warming the soul. The daffodils are in full bloom, flowers on the trees opening with each sunny day, birds are back and singing in the quiet of the morning and wildlife awakening as the cold winter days say good bye.
In the Pacific Northwest and the Gorge, the world comes alive with Spring! It is my favorite season. Color and life come back and the days grow longer, reminding us life continues. For all the gardeners, we flock to our yards cleaning up the dead of winter to help those flowers pop through and bring brilliant color and life to our yard, my home nourishes my soul.
A few tips out in the Spring garden, as the flower awaken so do the pests! Ticks are waking, they don't die from the cold, they just burrow down in the leaf debris, sleep and stay warm awaiting a warm blooded host. Peppermint oil a little rubbed to wrist, back of ears and ankle are a helpful avoidance, but not a complete repel. Be sure to check yourself, shower them off and drop those clothes straight to laundry when you come in. They don't drown in the shower, but wash away. Be sure to protect your pets and even if you use a frontline or other agent, a tick can still ride around lost in the thick fur and come inside to find its meal.
I try to help the deer avoid my yard, not just for ticks but they love the fresh spring growth that I have awaited for too. So in the yard I use Irish Spring soap, cut a bar into thirds and hang it on the plants in an old nylon stocking. Your yard will smell fresh and they do not like the odor. I also mix bone meal and blood meal then sprinkle it at the ground around my plants and flowers, yes it does stink but feeds the plants and detours the deer ( which helps close the door to ticks).
As we run outside to soak in the Spring sunshine, the new life shining in brilliant colors in the yard and garden- don't just work and sweat your time away, let it in to nourish your souls garden. Pay attention, what does the soul of your garden look like? Be sure to nurture, feed it and rid of the pests in it so your soul can bloom and flourish.
