Welcome, Spring!

On the last day of winter, after a trip to the beach, we had ourselves a little Welcome Spring painting party. Celebrating the winter that was. Welcoming the spring that is to be. A lovely evening - with the lingering sun - full of music, dreaming, wishing and feasting. Spring has come. (The calendar says so.)

"Listen! The air is alive with flight. Robins descend and descend and descend. Wasps scrape away wood to build new hives. The wind stirs new leaves and transparent light shines through the green energy. Sap flows fast. Hearts pound. Colors explode in yellows, pinks, purples and reds. Petals open wide to all you bring. Everyone participates in the pollination. Honeybees welcome each pea blossom and every day there is a new birth to celebrate. Feel the pulsing life in every tree, in every heart. Release the stirring energy. Sing your own songs to wake up the birds."

-- Nikki McClure, from the beautiful Collect Raindrops: The Seasons Gathered

Wishing you a wonderful Equinox!

Comments

[n8cherluver]

Thanks, Amanda, for the beautiful pictures. I love looking at your post while drinking my hot tea in the morning. Spring has sprung here in Calif. The bird feeders are full amidst the budding of new leaves in my birch tree and my wisteria is sporting the tiniest of buds just waiting to swell with a few more days of sun. This time of year is a time for new beginnings. Wishing everyone happy new beginnings.

[kristin]

here's to singing our own songs. happy spring - embrace the day! :)

[Heather, whatchabuildin]

Happy Spring! What a beautiful way to start the season!

[Amy]

I LOVE that you celebrate the changing seasons. And that you celebrate life with your family all the time. Thank you for posting, Amanda.

P.S. I can't get over how fast Adelaide's hair is growing these days!

[Sandy]

Wishing you the same. Thank you for the constant reminders to be thankful for what is. To enjoy the beauty that surrounds us, and to find that beauty when it is hard to see.

[maya]

Back atcha!

[Kindra]

Enjoy your blog! Love all the ideas you have to enjoy with your kids. I am looking forward to your book!

My 4 year old son was so excited for the 1st day of spring today! It's going to be in the 60's today so we'll have to go outside to celebrate!

[shari]

so lovely amanda. so so lovely.

[Carrie]

Happy Spring to all of you lovely Soules!

[Samantha]

We are headed off on our first camping trip of the season. Spring is so special! Thanks for sharing your party!

[Christy/ MommaOnTheMountain]

You are such a cool, fun mom! That looks like it was tons of fun for everyone! Today, we are doing play dough, as littlest on and I are sequestered due contagiousness...LOL, love the excuse to hunker in and be alone with my kids....the silver lining to being sick!
I love all of your ideas, and crafting thanks for sharing!

[andrea cohen]

Thank you for sharing your sweet days with us. I check in here everyday to recieve my daily dose of inspiration. You have such a lovely family and are always so uplifting!

[margaret]

i love the sunlight in these photos. ah, the sunlight. i live in austin and spring has sprung in the last week - a few wildflowers popping up, the leaves are filling in on the last bare tree, a red-headed woodpecker pecking at it's branches. and my 4 yo sitting in the sunlit floor building a stagecoach out of legos (and defending it from little brother and sister). adventures abound!

thanks again for sharing.

[Meredith]

Those busy artists warm my heart!! Happy Spring!! (I'll swap you some snow for sunshine...we never get good winter weather here!)

[elliebelle]

Happy Spring to you too! Looking at all those watercolors brings me back to when I was little and was constantly drawing and painting - and of course I wanted to be an artist! ;) What fun - it makes me want to pull out some old art supplies.

[tryshia]

love the pictures. you are so crafty and your house looks so warm and cozy and homy, i love it.

Also, love the new bags!

enjoy the first day of SPRING : )

[jean]

who's fiddlin'?

[lissilulu]

Hi Amanda, looks like Spring at your house. :o)
the hand cut snowflakes are coming down from the living room window from our December Snowflake party today and we are making something springy to put there instead...not sure what yet...maybe the kids will do watercolor flowers and cut them out and tape em on there. who knows yet, it's still 8a.m. but I am sure it will be bright and springy.
We have been enjoying the robins for about a month now here in the pacific northwest and the Oregon junco's have joined them recently in full force. Of course, the seagulls have never left..just put a teensy tiny crumb out there and you will see hordes of them. LOL!
Lori

[asti]

Yep, there is definitely that 'feel' in the air, of all the fun to come. I can't wait to not have to wear socks! Happy Spring to you and yours too :)

[Rubyellen]

I love your family! Absolutely adorable.

[Clare]

Just got in from food shopping, the kids finished school today and are already bored, its raining hard, our heating is on, the dogs are pacing the room wanting to be walked...life is hectic, I switch on the pc to read your blog and I instantly feel calm, we plan to make the evening meal together, the kids are planing to do a show for me, and we talk about spring. Thank you guys for being there, my new friends. Clare (London)

[Ellen]

So sweet. A Welcome, Spring Party. Love the idea. The bird paintings and such are lovely.

[michele]

I love spring! Great idea, we are going on a spring walk with our packs on our back. I hope there is some squelching mud to walk through and hopefully some good bird watching too.
peace

[melissa s.]

spring and fiddles...what more do you need? (maybe a little paint to capture the scene). happy season to you, too!

[erin]

i laughed when i read your comment on meg's post. it's all relative!

[beautythatmoves]

spring, bring it on.

the photo of two windows seems like a new view... i think you may have found yet another corner! ;)

[Beth]

With the arrival of Spring comes the itch to re-feather the nest....might you comment/post on your eclectic style and how you make it work? I love vintage "pretty" and vintage "happy/fun", and some things cottage/country, but I don't feel like I can pull it off. For instance, may I mix a pretty vintage plate with a sponged serving bowl? (Soulemama, may I???? Ü)

As always, thank you for allowing me/us a peek into your lovely home and life!

Beth

[Mary- The Yellow Door Paperie]

Love the idea! We are going in our wellies to play at the park today-- only because it's spring. A matter of principle!

[Barbara]

happy spring to you too! painting parties are totally the rage right now. well, i don't know that for sure, but they should be!

[Virginia]

Yes, welcome spring!
I loved your shop update. Such lovely colours and designs.

[lissilulu]

Amanda,
I looked for a link to email you but have missed it somewhere so I am including this link in the comments.
my son and i just found this great kids craft website..this specific link it for painting with wool yarn. looks great!
http://www.mistermaker.com/MakeDetails.aspx?make=8&trail=1,5

lori

[K]

Beautiful pictures. I think we may need to pull the paints out here after naptime. Happy Spring!

[Liz]

Such great pieces of art by all the kids. What kind of paint is that?

[Berlinswhimsy]

Happy Equinox to you, too! What a beautiful way to welcome in the spring. I love all of the colors here...

We woke up to snow here, however. My kids said, "I think Mother Nature made some sort of mistake!?!"

[lucette]

Your spring party really warms my heart. What fun.

[Jessica]

Hi Amanda,

I've never responded before, though I have been so touched by your blog through the years (I'm a bit shy). I wanted to let you know that your quote for today really touched my heart and gave me hope for the coming spring. I'm a Montessori elementary teacher, and I wrote the quote on my white board for tomorrow morning. I've asked the children to reflect on how the passage makes them feel, or for them to simply copy it into their journals. We'll see how they respond!

Thank you for beautiful snippets of your life, and for inspiring me to look even deeper for the beauty of life.

With peace, Jessica

[grace]

thank you for uplifting and inspiring me on one cold, wet, windy dreary english evening, so needed thank you x

[Monika]

I like the last photo very much. The sun has made it through all that snow right into your room!

[Monika]

I like the last photo very much. The sun has made it through all that snow right into your room!

[Caroline]

Hurray! for Spring!!!
What a lovely idea to have an equinox party,
looks like a good time was had by all.
I'm not sure if anyone has informed the weather up here in north east Scotland, that spring has arrived. Today was dark and stormy with lashing rain and winds, so please blow some sprng our way!
Caroline
: )
http://carolineinckle.wordpress.com/

[Tere]

Hi Amanda,
I wanted you to know how much your posts cheer me up. I've recently moved to South Korea for a year (three weeks now) and I've been having a lot of difficulty adjusting. I miss my home and family so much, and I often feel so far away and separated from my "old" life. Your posts help me to stay grounded and remind me of the things I truly care about, and that I'm still the same person I was, just in a different continent.
Thanks

[Mina]

I really enjoy your photographs ; they tell so much about your energy, kindness and something warm and cozy... It´s like you´re inviting us inside your home every day. Thank you so much!

[tracey]

wow, everything inside looks so warm and inviting and then the last shot made me gasp! what a juxtapostion! one thing is for certain, your family will be ready when spring begins to show herself.
i just love the series of photos here! so wonderful. my girls and i also have been working on a "first of spring" project but we're in California so it's much easier I think.
happy spring to you! : )

[MC]

A violin and paint on the same table?! Eep, you're brave!

[Shannon Hodgins]

Hi Amanda,

I'd like to find out more info on what types of paint you use with your kids. Do you already have that posted somwhere?

I'm trying to go plastic lite, but it seems like every type of paint comes in a plastic bottle. Do you have any tips about ones that might be a bit more eco-friendly? Thanks! Shannon

[Harriett]

Is it just me or is sweet little sister looking more and more like her brothers? Love your spring pictures.

[Paula]

So exciting! We have a ways to go around here, I'm afraid (Adirondacks). Thanks for the Whoooo bread recipe. Even the baby loves it.

[n.b.]

Absolutely charming photos! I remember fondly whole family painting parties.. Alas my boys are now teen and pre-teen and so way too cool for such activity. But I remember their earlier joy in it....thanks for the photos!

[Kristen]

I love your sunshine hanging in the window.
Happy Spring!
Kristen

[Elise]

Hi Amanda
I have only just discovered your blog through Sarah Jane's blog. I am a stay at home mum to an 18 month old girl and we have our second baby due in June.

I love the pictures of your little ones painting and welcoming in Spring. You make painting with little ones look so serene and inspires me to be more creative with my little one.

I want my little girl to learn to think outside the box and I think a creative, hands on approach to all sorts of activities can help foster this.

Thank you for sharing. We're off to do some painting together.