The Country Register Northern Rockies Great Plains | March/April 2023 Issue

What’s Inside?

• Spring Time, Green Time - Page 4

• Cowbgirl Poet - Page 4

• Springtime in the Soul - Page 5

• A Cup of Tea with Lydia - Page 6

• RubberStampMadness Magazine Feature - Page 7

• Scrapbooking Arts Feature - Page 8/9

• Robin’s Nest DIY - Page 10

• A Letter to My Mother Five Years Later- Page 11

• Countryberries - Page 11

• Wyoming Cowboy Yarn Crawl - Page 12

• What the Succulent - Page 13

• Become Inspired - Page 13

• Giveaway - Page 14

• Kids Craft Corner - Page 15

• Easter Egg Hunt - Page 15

Editor’s Notes

Why We Love Spring

When we think of spring we think of new beginnings, fresh starts, deep breaths of fresh air. Springtime is often a favorite season among many. Though winter has its quiet beauty, here in the Midwest we are often quite over the winter season by the time spring comes along. Winter tends to linger in the north and can get mentally heavy. We are always ready for the changing of the guards by the time March 1st rolls around. Though, here in the Midwest we may not see regular sunshine and less white stuff until May. We do get glimpses and moments of spring.

But, why do we love spring? Why is it important to transition into this season? There are some real scientific reasons we love spring.

The temperature begins to rise and the daylight lengthens. The daylight alone is a strong enough reason to love the season. We are all in need of natural Vitamin D by March. More moderate temperatures are easier on the joints and nerves. Though, moderate is a loose term in the Midwest. Haha.

Birds return, baby animals can be found, flowers bloom and trees sprout leaves. But, the main reason we all love this season is that more time can be spent outside. More time outside is good for your health, mobility, creativity and overall mental state.

We can get our hands into the dirt and spend time with plants. A great way to dip into the season and dust out the mind. Not to mention eating healthier is easier with more access to fresh fruits and veggies.

Fresh air. You can open windows and let the stale winter air out and the spring crisp air in.

I for one am very ready to welcome more sunshine, dig out the patio furniture and welcome the change and freshness of spring. Wishing you all a sunny spring season!

Kelsey Ruzicka Publisher of The Country Register of ND, SD, WY, MT & N. ID

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains including North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, & Northern Idaho Kelsey (Snyder) Ruzicka, Publisher

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The Fiber Art Issue!

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains

March/April • Volume 13 Issue 2

The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains is published every two months. Copyright 2023.

Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited by law. The Country Register is a registered business trade name. Moxie Marketing of the Midwest, LLC produces The Country Register of the Northern Rockies & Great Plains.

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Index: See page 14 for advertiser’s index by name and by community as well as upcoming events.

Next Deadline: Ads and articles for the May/June 2023 issue are due April 7, 2023.

Spring Time, Green Time!

By Elle Hoover

Who doesn’t love fresh garden varieties? Whether it be fresh-cut flowers or enjoying the literal fruits (and veggies) of your labor, one thing is for sure gardens are a labor of love. This type of love can be prickly and time-consuming but very rewarding. Here are a few tips from a non-pro gardener (if I can do it so can you).

1) Research your area’s spring and summer forecasts- learning a little more about the weather conditions heading your way can help you to choose the seeds/plants most likely to survive.

2) Understand yourself - taking care of a plant can sometimes require more attention than we give ourselves, so if you have a brown thumb like me look into varieties that require the amount of work you’re willing to put in.

3) It’s all about your foundation- preparing your base can be the key to your veggie delight. By pruning, cutting back overgrowth, and making sure you are using optimal soil you are one step closer to the garden of your dreams.

4) To water or not to water? That is the question! Keeping an eye and finger on how much you are watering can be the main factor in your success. Get on a schedule to avoid over or under-watering.

Vitamin D is something humans and plants alike need. Invest in your own health the way you do your garden. Take some time to photosynthesize and enjoy your hard work.

Elle Hoover is a freelance writer who lives in sunny San Dieg, CA, but has ties to the Midwest. She loves the sun and sand, and is always looking for a new hobby to try. You can

Cowgirl Poet, Quilter, Entertainer Yvonne Hollenbeck

Nothing To Do

What do you do when there’s nothing to do? How do you know when you’re done?

Do you wake every day with no plans ahead and just wait for the setting of sun?

What do you do when you’ve no bills to pay and you’ve got enough money to burn?

When having a job and going to work as for you, is not a concern.

It must be real lonely with nothing to do, ‘cause not many folks fit that mold.

I’d think that a friendship with someone like you would wither and soon would grow cold.

So, don’t hope for riches or fortune or fame, and no work that’s destined for you. Be thankful for having a job everyday or you’ll end up with nothing to do.

Order Yvonne’s new book, “A Stitch in Rhyme” at www.yvonnehollenbeck.com — just $15 + $3.50 postage.

©

Yvonne

Hollenbeck; 2022

Yvonne Hollenbeck, from Clearfield, SD, performs her original poetry throughout the United States, captivating audiences in her wake. She is one of the most published cowgirl poets in the West and is not only a popular banquet and civic entertainer, but also co-writes songs with many western entertainers. Yvonne also pens a weekly column in the “Farmer-Rancher Exchange” and writes articles about life in rural America in various publications throughout the West. For more information, visit https://www.yvonnehollenbeck.com

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Springtime in the Soul: An Easter Meditation

One mild, spring-like day a few years ago, as I was walking across the university campus where I work, I heard melodious voices singing with fervor, longing, and awe. I recognized the faces of African and African-American students who belonged to a Christian group on campus. They had a reputation for devout faith and unconditional love. As the music poured forth, the atmosphere felt fresh and young and tender. It was as if a cluster of invisible songbirds hovered over the sidewalk, bidding us listen for sounds of an eternal spring.

But isn’t spring fleeting? What is an eternal spring? One day when I was a child, I accompanied my father to visit a man from a neighboring town. This merry-hearted gentleman dug some violets from his lawn and gave them to me. I planted them (at the house where I now live), and each year am surprised by how these fragile flowers have spread across the lawn to the distant pasture. To me, they represent the paradox of the season: both its unobtrusive mildness and its open triumph over the seeming lifelessness of winter. The elderly man has long since departed from this earth, but not before giving a child a trace of spring to grace her days. More importantly, his generosity and kindness spoke to me of the possibility of a different form of springtime, one that germinates and blossoms in the human spirit.

In her book Plowed Under, Amy Carmichael tells us: “Write what you can of the coming of the unseen Spring.” Amy was a missionary to India who, at great personal risk, rescued children from temple prostitution. A single woman thousands of miles from a home to which she never returned, Amy brought sacrificial love to bear on the lives of children destined for destruction. She opened the door for springtime to enter their souls.

To highlight the necessity of spiritual transformation, Amy Carmichael quotes the revered anchoress of the Middle Ages, Julian of Norwich:

Yet again the soul breaks away to its own, with the natural flight of a bird from its Autumn nest at the call of an unseen Spring to the far-off land that is nearer still than its nest, because it is in its heart.

Julian speaks of the instinct of various birds in the Northern hemisphere to migrate in fall to parts of the world where spring is just beginning. But mystic that she is, she likens such behavior to humans answering a spiritual call. We may hear a whisper to start a new journey. We then drink from invisible waters, soar into the unknown, coast on unseen winds. The way is both adventure and fulfillment. Old

By Nancy Nash

burdens of ignorance and iniquity are loosened, the spirit is re-born, and a new season is attained. And as Amy Carmichael’s life attests, into the venture slips a spirit of sacrifice that releases the winds of spring into the lives of others.

At Easter, Christ’s sacrifice brings forth the fruit of liberation. Jesus proclaimed that no one took his life from him. He gave it freely, so that all who wish to exchange the crushing weight of their fallen place in a broken world for the gentle weight of true freedom might do so. The singing students, the elderly gentleman, the anchoress Julian, and the courageous Amy Carmichael remind us that the winter of our past will drift away and fresh winds will blow. The eternal spring is within our reach.

As the days grow warmer, listen for birdsong - and more importantly, step into the trustworthy current of an eternal spring.

First quotation is from Plowed Under: A Young Girl’s Obedience. God’s Ever-Present Grace. by Amy Carmichael, CLC Publications, 2013 paperback edition. Used by permission of the Dohnavur Fellowship.

Second quotation is from Project Gutenberg eBook (released 9/2/2016) Revelations of Divine Love, Recorded by Julian, Anchoress of Norwich, ed. by Grace Warrack, Methuen & Co., London 1901, p. xxxv of Introduction.

© 2023 Nancy J. Nash

Nancy J. Nash has a B.A. in English composition from Mount Holyoke College and an M.F.A. in Writing for Children from Simmons College, with two books listed on Amazon.com (Mama’s Books: An Oregon Trail Story and Little Rooster’s Christmas Eve.

A Cup of Tea with Lydia: Easter Memories and Hope

Spring blooms with fresh hope and energy. We see new life all around us as tulips bloom, chicks hatch, and baby bunnies are born. Spring includes several holidays, the main one being Easter, which is one of my favorites.

I love Easter because of special traditions and memories, but mostly because we celebrate the triumph of Jesus’s resurrection. My childhood Easter memories include awaking on Easter morning to find a plate of candy and surprises under my bed. I also recall the joyful music and messages at the church where I grew up.

Now, decades later, I still enjoy church services and treats, but I also enjoy sharing flowers and tasty foods with others. When our children were young, we prepared and delivered the goodies together. Later, my grandkids helped me. Maybe you would like to try some of the ideas we used:

• Oatmeal cookies molded into Easter eggs and decorated with frosting.

• Sugar cookies cut into crosses and decorated with sprinkles.

• Chocolate no-bake cookies shaped into nests and filled with green coconut “grass” and jelly bird eggs.

For an inexpensive “basket,” we decorated empty plastic produce containers from berries or tomatoes, adding paper handles. We filled them with Easter grass and homemade goodies. Hot cross buns also make a wonderful treat to share with others. I’ve included an easy, tasty recipe from my cookbook. They go well with a few packets of tea, such as Earl Grey or mildflavored Darjeeling.

For gifts of flowers, I buy large bouquets and divide them into smaller ones, adding greens from our yard. For a recent Easter, I purchased a dozen roses, then went door to door and handed each neighbor a rose and said, “Christ a-rose!” This brought a smile and the simple reminder of the Easter message.

Each Easter I recall the greeting my father taught me as a child; the one he learned in Russia as a boy. “Christ is risen!” Dad exclaimed, and I joyfully replied, “Christ is risen indeed!” Why not proclaim this message of new life and hope in your home this Easter?

Lydia E. Harris is a tea enthusiast and the author of two books for grandparents: In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring Up Tasty Memories Together and Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting, both available at amazon.com.

From Lydia’s Recipe File: Hot Cross Buns

Start with frozen rolls, add fruit and spices, and create a yummy aroma in your kitchen. Add frosting crosses to celebrate Easter. Taken from Lydia’s cookbook In the Kitchen with Grandma: Stirring up Tasty Memories Together, page 35.

Prep time: 25 minutes

Rising time: 1 hour or longer

Baking time: 15 to 20 minutes

GATHER ROLLS

18 frozen yeast rolls

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cardamom

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg

1 T. water

FROSTING

½ cup powdered sugar

1 T. softened butter

1 tsp. milk

¼ tsp. vanilla

MAKE

By Lydia Harris

1. Thaw the rolls according to the package directions until you can cut through the dough, but the rolls are still cold.

2. While the dough thaws, mix together the raisins, brown sugar, and spices.

3. Grease or spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.

4. To make each hot cross bun, combine one and one-half rolls. On a lightly floured surface, press the rolls together and flatten the roll to a 3-inch circle. Add about 1 tablespoon of the filling mixture and press it into the flattened dough.

5. Roll up each bun like a jelly roll, and then shape it into a round ball by tucking the ends underneath. Place the rolls into the baking pan with the seam on the bottom and the rounded side up.

6. Shape all the rolls, and place them in the pan, leaving spaces between them for them to rise.

7. Cover the rolls and set them in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until they fill the pan.

8. Preheat the oven to 350°.

9. Before baking, beat the egg with a fork, add 1 tablespoon water, and brush the buns with the egg glaze.

10. Bake the buns according to the package directions, about 15 minutes or until the buns are brown. Remove the pan of rolls from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.

11. While the rolls cool, mix together the frosting ingredients. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too stiff, add a few more drops of milk.

12. When the rolls are completely cool, add the crosses. To make crosses on the buns, snip off a small corner of a plastic sandwich bag. Add frosting in the snipped corner and seal the bag. Squeeze the frosting through the hole to make a cross design on each roll.

Makes 12 buns.

Shortcut: Use ready-made frosting for the crosses.

An Excerpt from Rubber Stamp Madness

By the Rubber Stamp Maddness staffers

RubberStampMadness—The Magazine for Rubber Stamp Arts & Crafts—comes out every three months. Each issue includes how-to stories and plenty of examples of stamp art.

The Spring 2023 issue includes an article about 3D artwork that includes making wreaths with the help of stamps and punches. The article also describes how to add depth to stamp art with the help of a special perforating die cut.

Here’s an excerpt from that article, along with graphics of a stamped wreath and a forest scene.

“I wanted to create something yellow and blue, so a bouquet was a natural subject,” explains Linda Accuosti, the stamper who created the wreath. “My inventory held plenty of flower punches and dies, but not many of them had ‘matching’ stamps. That gave me the idea to see what could be created by using a few flower stamps with a wide variety of punches. The resulting assortment was amazing.”

The wreath was created with only one stamp and a variety of punches.

TIPS FOR MAKING WREATHS

• Stamp floral images on a variety of papers with different color inks.

• Large stamps work well with small punches because only a portion of the image will show up. “The impression you get is very different from the original design,” Linda explains.

• Don’t limit punches to one size or shape.

• Die-cut flowers can make a wreath or bouquet for a vase, although Linda finds punches allow for better coordination with stamped images.

STEP INTO THE FOREST

Another crafty stamper, Connie Mercer, took a stamped forest scene and added perforated lines that gave her artwork the look of vintage postage stamps.

Connie has been creating original artwork for about 14 years. She and her family live on a ranch in Texas and her art reflects her environment. Connie loves nature, animals, birds, sunsets, and riding around on the ranch. Inspiration is all around. “I love to create outside the box and come up with a unique take on a stamp set or supplies,” she says.

Connie started stamping after becoming a guest designer for Darkroom Door, a company from Australia. “I was hooked right off,” she says. “Practice makes perfect, my mom used to say, so I practiced. I still practice and I still love stamping.”

Connie and Linda are examples of how stamping works for so many projects, including cards, art journal pages, scrapbook pages, and more.

For more about the rubber stamping and RubberStampMadness, visit rsmadness.com.

THE FIRST 20 CALLERS

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mentioning Country Register will receive a FREE COPY OF THE SPRING ISSUE!

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Step Into Spring!

20 Things We Love To Do in Spring!

1. Plant flowers

2. Ride a bike

3. Go for a hike

4. Have a picnic in the park

5. Go horseback riding

6. Go for a walk

7. Visit the farmer’s market

8. Play a round of golf

9. Go kayaking in a lake or river

10. Go for a run

11. Play a pick-up sport game

12. Go for a drive with the family

13. Make or buy bird feeders for the yard

14. Find new movies

15. Walk downtown

16. Play new board games

17. Make ice cream

18. Read outside

19. Make and go on a scavenger hunt

20. Do a random act of kindness

Spring Parmesan Chicken

INGREDIENTS

• 1 egg white

• 5 tbsp finely grated parmesan

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 400g new potatoes, cut into small cubes

• 140g frozen peas

• Good handful baby spinach leaves

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 2 tsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS

• STEP 1

Creative Easter Basket Ideas

1. Paper bunny baskets

2. Easter Treat Boxes

3. Flower Pots

4. Felt Bags

5. Nests

6. Mason Jar Treat Containers

7. Chalkboard Pails

8. Edible Easter Baskets

9. Fabric Baskets

10. Easter bags – canvas or burlap

Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

1. Shaving Cream Easter Eggs

2. Natural color Decorations

3. Rice-dyed Easter eggs

4. Confetti eggs

5. Tissue paper eggs

6. Tie-dyed Easter eggs

7. Eggs for Fruit and Veggie Designs

8. Tattoo your Easter eggs (fake tattoo with instant tattoo)

9. String Designs with Dye

10. Layering Dyed Easter Egg for Ombre Effect

Heat grill to medium and line the grill pan with foil. Beat the egg white on a plate with a little salt and pepper. Put the parmesan onto another plate. Dip the chicken first in egg white, then in the cheese. Grill the coated chicken for 10-12 mins, turning once until browned and crisp.

• STEP 2

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 10 mins, adding the peas for the final 3 mins, then drain. Toss the vegetables with the spinach leaves, vinegar, oil and seasoning to taste. Divide between four warm plates, then serve with the chicken.

10 Inspiring Spring Crafts!

Looking for fun spring craft inspiration! We have you covered!

Sachets made with scrap fabric, embroidered material or an heirloom. Freshen up those drawers!

Egg Trees are a German tradition. Create one from branches or find them in the Easter decor section.

Bunny napkins for your place setting at the table. Fun ways to make your guests hoppy.

Candy & treat stands made from mixed repurposed glassware. Fun way to give an old dish a new life.

Fabric carrot garland. Who doesn’t love a great themed garland?

Watering can wreath. Have an old watering can? Want a fun vintage spring wreath? This one is for you.

Colander planters. These are fun to go hunting for at garage sales and repurposed stores. Paint may be required.

Sew fun wine stoppers! Where needlework meets wine.

A blooming monogram. Hot glue to a wood or cardboard letter your favorite blooms, buttons, or baubles to display this spring.

Seed packet wreath. Love the garden and want to greet your guests with a green thumb?

Pea and Broad Bean Shakshuka

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch asparagus spears

• 200g sprouting broccoli

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 spring onions, finely sliced

• 2 tsp cumin seeds

• Large pinch cayenne pepper, plus extra to serve

• 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped

• 1 small pack parsley, finely chopped

• 50g shelled peas

• 50g podded broad beans

• 4 large eggs

• 50g pea shoots

• Greek yogurt and flatbreads, to serve

DIRECTIONS

• STEP 1

Trim or snap the woody ends of the asparagus and finely slice the spears, leaving the tips and about 2cm at the top intact. Finely slice the broccoli in the same way, leaving the heads and about 2cm of stalk intact. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the spring onions, sliced asparagus and sliced broccoli, and fry gently until the veg softens a little, then add the cumin seeds, cayenne, tomatoes (with their juices), parsley and plenty of seasoning, and stir. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 mins. Then add the peas and broad beans, cover again and cook for 2 mins.

• STEP 2

Make 4 depressions in the mixture. Break an egg into each depression, arrange half the pea shoots around the eggs, season well, cover with a lid and cook until the egg whites are just set. Serve with the rest of the pea shoots, a spoonful of yogurt and some flatbreads, and sprinkle over another pinch of cayenne, if you like.

I am so thankful that spring is just around the corner! It has been a long winter with some very interesting weather. Spring brings several holidays and Easter is one of them. This is an easy craft item that is so fun to make (especially with a grandchild).

You will Need: Step One

Step Two

Step Four

You will need wooden clothes pins (I used twelve pins for four carrots), scissors, raffia, paint, paint brushes, twine and a hot glue gun and glue(not pictured).

Glue the flat sides of two pins together. Make three sets of these for one carrot. Take two sets and glue them together then glue the third set on top.

Step THREE

Tie the ribbon into bows and glue them on the “front’ side of the carrots. Now you have a cute bunch of carrots! Make as many as you like!!

Take the metal springs off the clothes pins and paint the pins colors of spring or carrots. I chose several shades of orange and a purple. My granddaughter wanted purple as she says she likes purple carrots. Let the pins dry completely.

Cut the raffia to the length that looks right (about four inches). Tie some twine around one end. I then wrapped more twine and glued it. Glue the carrot tops into the space in the middle of the carrot.

FINISHED!

A Letter to My Mother Five Years Later Springtime Cocktails!

By Kerri Habben Bosman

Dear Mom,

I know that you don’t need this letter contemplating the fifth anniversary of your passing. It is more for me, the one who is compelled to recognize you and this benchmark in some concrete way. I struggled at first because the words were buried too deeply.

Yet here I am, because I couldn’t not write to you.

It is March again. You passed away on the 13th. You and I had 45 full years together, and I am thankful for every moment. We were given the time to be mother and daughter and best friends, and to share and grow together in every evolution of our lives.

I hope that you know how much fulfillment life has brought to me. As your illness progressed to its end, I know that you worried what the future would bring.

A year and a month after you passed away, I found the right someone to love, the man I’d been waiting for all of my adult life. My husband, Wayne, amazingly has many of the traits that I treasured in you. He is steadily, authentically, and unapologetically himself. He gives me the same true measure of honesty you always did. He also knows exactly what to say to me when my self-depreciative streak rises up. Most importantly, he loves me and our family with a complete and unrelenting dedication. And I love him and them the same way.

Looking back I know that I grieved quietly for you. That was because you were and are such a part of me. I know that in some ways I am very different than I was when you were alive. However, that is what time and healing ask of us, as you and I experienced together more than once.

I like living in the present. Every moment I am given will never occur exactly that way again. And in doing so, I readily treasure every day of my life and the people I share it with. But I can also look into the well of yesterday and no longer ache. I can dip a bucket into it and drink of the past with a fulfilled and thankful heart. I can feel the joy, sorrow, hope, renewal, and everything in between. The past and the present bubble together in a beautiful symmetry.

You remember how we used to stop at a memorial in Northeast, Pennsylvania every year on the way to our favorite spot in Ontario. The stone was for a lady named Josephine Miller. We never knew her, but the poem for her resonated with us. The line that I always return to is this: “So when all that is left of me is love, give me away as best you can.”

That is how I honor you. Your love is there when I pour coffee for Wayne and I in the morning. It is in every stitch of everything I knit or crochet. It is in every bit of food that I prepare. Your love is in the two letters a week I write to Wayne’s mother, who is 102 years old. She has a youthful spirit with an enduring faith and quiet wisdom. She, too, loves all of us with a complete and unrelenting dedication.

Your love is what makes strawberries jump into the grocery cart because the grandchildren enjoy them. It is why I bake them cookies just because the sun rose that day.

It is not for me to yet know what it all means in the great beyond. Yet, I always imagine you enfolded within an essence of the purest, the truest, and the most enduring love. Hug everyone for me. I’ll keep on giving your love away one moment at a time.

Love, Kerri

Kerri Habben Bosman is a writer in Chapel Hill, NC. Her email is 913jeeves@gmail.com.

The Honey Rose Margarita

Ingredients

• 1 oz Cointreau

• 2 oz blanco tequila

• 1 oz fresh lemon juice

• .5 oz honey water

• 2 dashes rose water

Directions

• Add all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with rose petals (fresh or dried).

Cherry BlossomIngredients

• 1.25 oz 1800 Silver Tequila

• 1 oz lime juice

• 1 oz grapefruit juice

• .25 oz grenadine

• Grapefruit slice or maraschino cherry for garnish

• Salt as needed

Directions

• Pour all ingredients into shaker and shake well. Strain into a salt rimmed martini glass or serve over ice. Garnish with a grapefruit slice or cherry.

Designed

Wyoming’s Cowboy Yarn Crawl

MEMORIAL DAY TO LABOR DAY

Seven Participating Shops:

Cowgirl Yarn - Laramie

Mountain Meadow Wool - Buffalo

Swanky Mountain - Gillette

The yarn and the tale - Rock Springs

Knit on Purl - Jackson

What the Succulent? Become Inspired

By Elle Hoover By Annice Rockwell

Finding a plant that suits your needs and lifestyle is one of the keys to being a successful plant parent. With many options to choose from this task may seem daunting, but don’t fear! Bring the tropics to your living room with a number of different Succulents. Here is a breakdown of the top 4 Succulents and why they’re a good fit for you:

1) Hen-and-Chicks - it’s not just a cute name. These Succulents grow similar plants off their current stem, similar to the phrase the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. If you want to expand your collection, planting one of the “chicks” can allow you to be a true horticulturist!

2) Jade Plant- a fan favorite amongst the Succulent crowd. Since they require little water, it is perfect for an on-the-go cultivator.

3) Aloe Vera- RUN don’t walk to your local greenhouse to pick these up for the spring and summer months. With outdoor sports, spring break, and vacations around the corner, so is the sometimes inevitable sunburn. Having your own Aloe can be a real lifesaver regarding at-home remedies.

4) Snake Plant- Snowbirds, this one’s for you! Its ability to survive without light and water for weeks is the perfect option for those who like to escape the cold winter months of the midwest. Their unique look and colors can be a joy to return to when you flock back home.

Like many of us, Succulents constantly prove their resilience. Through blizzards or dust storms, they can stand the test of time and weather (if housed in the proper climate)!

Elle Hoover is a freelance writer who lives in sunny San Dieg, CA, but has ties to the Midwest. She loves the sun and sand, and is always looking for a new hobby to try. You can reach her at ohelle30@gmail.com.

Abundant Country Blessings

As the long months of winter draw to a close, we eagerly await the brighter days of spring. With each lengthening day, we feel a sense of wonder at all of the small miracles unfolding around us. The traditional return of some of our cheerful feathered friends reminds us of how connected to nature we can feel when we observe with patience. The sprouting-up of proud yellow daffodils revealing their bold beauty gives us joy even on the rainiest of days. And as we move forward alongside these abundant country blessings, we begin to feel more awakened to the remarkable season that awaits.

Celebrations of Renewal

One of the most soulful tasks of spring is being outside to notice a return to a brighter landscape slowly filling in with green. The pink-brown magnolia buds begin to reveal their secret too. And as we take time to carefully tend to our walkways, our garden paths, and our window boxes the memory of winter fades and is replaced by the magic of spring. Our country thoughts turn to creating areas of color in our yard. Whether it is planting vibrant flowers in well-loved antique crocks or deciding to paint our exterior doors a new colorful salmon for a fresh change, the season of spring is our chance to enliven our landscape and our homes as a personal celebration of renewal.

Powerful Promise of Spring

Country shops that weathered the storms of winter are now filled with the promise of spring. Antiques shows and shop events bring a welcomed end to our cabin fever as we gather with a group of friends to spend a day shopping for special touches of history and of spring. Early splint gathering baskets filled with fresh green herbs, cobalt-decorated stoneware crocks with floral brush designs overflowing with fresh tulips greet us in country storefront windows. And shop owners offer new spring candle scents like “Settler’s Wash Day,” and “Lemon Shortbread,” displayed beautifully among bright woven textiles and hand-selected antiques.

Our perfect shopping day brings us back in touch with each other as we happily peruse all of the treasures country shop owners worked so hard to gather for us just in time for the season of change. This spring spend time observing nature’s beautiful transition. Take time to reward yourself for coming through the cold days of winter by sharing an unexpectedly warm spring day with friends. And as you embrace all of the bright and lively blessings around you, let that same energy inspire you as you remember that nature always holds the powerful promise of spring.

Annice Bradley Rockwell is an educator and owner of Pomfret Antiques. She is currently working on her book, New England Girl. NewEnglandGirl2012@hotmail.com

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Kid Craft Corner | Yarn Looms

By Kelsey Ruzicka, Editor

In this section we explore crafts for kids and crafts to get kids excited about traditional craft mediums.

Kids, boys and girls alike, have been braiding string to make bracelets for their friends for decades. However, a new twist on this fun intro craft to fiber and textile creation is adding another level to this long-time favorite. This product makes a loom essentially and allows kids to loop thread and weave string into various patterns and techniques to make countless options for thread art.

What a great way to get kids interested and working with fiber and weaving. These can be found at craft stores and are very popular ages 8 and up.

Easter Egg Hunt!