the quiet renewal of spring

there’s a moment every year when i feel it—spring creeping in, subtle at first. it’s not just the calendar telling me winter is on its way out. it’s the way the air shifts, how the birds start their morning songs a little earlier, how the trees stretch toward the sun like they’re waking from a long nap.

this is my favorite kind of renewal. the quiet kind. the kind that doesn’t need an announcement but makes itself known in the way the earth stirs beneath our feet.

this time of year, i have my own little rituals, things that help me shake off the stillness of winter and lean into the season ahead. my family and i go through our seed packets, sorting through them, deciding what will make it into the garden this year. we have some reliable favorites—tomatoes, peppers, okra, melons, peas, beans, swiss chard, spinach, kale, and sunflowers. we also always experiment with new plants as well. and of course we always have lots of herbs planted for the season.

there’s something grounding about pressing seeds into dirt, even if it’s just in tiny trays inside the house. it’s a promise to the future, a belief that with time, warmth, and care, something will grow.

i spend more time outside, even when it’s still a little too chilly to be comfortable. i listen to the world waking up—the rustling of small creatures, the return of birds that left for the winter, the wind carrying hints of something green. even the light feels different, softer, more golden.

and then there’s the stillness. the moments when i just sit, breathe, and let myself be in this in-between space of seasons. i think about what i want to cultivate, not just in my garden, but in my life. spring isn’t just about plants waking up—it’s about us waking up, too. shaking off old habits, making room for new ones, and stepping into the season with fresh energy.

so here’s to the quiet renewal of spring. to seeds and sunrises, to birdsong and beginnings. to growing—both in the garden and within ourselves.

what’s something you do to welcome the season?