Mary's Spring Checklist

 

Had enough pollen yet? This is the most beautiful Spring that I can remember in a long time. Everything here is already green and blooming. Late last week the dogwoods and redbuds were at their peak complimenting their lush green background. Usually they are in bloom way before the leaves are on the trees. It's gorgeous...but the tree pollen is killing us all.

 Redbud Tree

I have to clean my indoor cat before she can come back in. Her white belly gets covered in the yellow dust that has clung to the picknic table she lays on. As much as I love to have the windows open I have vacuumed and dusted every surface and closed up the house until this mess is gone.

Doesn't look like somewhere I'd like to have my lunch today!

I posted a similar article last year on the other version of this blog with my spring cleaning list. It comes from my hero, Mary Emmerling, and her book, Mary Emmerling's American Country Collages. 

Mary is my icon you know. She's my Julia as Julia Child is to Julie Powell, from the recent book and movie Julie and Julia. But, who doesn't love Mary's timeless and innovative style. I've loved her work for two decades and can still find inspiration in even the oldest of her books. Our house is very cottage-y by default from my husband's love of the beach and fly fishing in the mountains....and from my love of hand-me-down furniture and western art and accessories. I used to laugh with joy when someone would tell me they felt like they were in a vacation home here. I knew then I had been a good student of Mary.

Okay...here we go....

Mary's Spring Checklist
Pick a sunny day to throw open windows.(this will have to be in a week or two here) Take down curtains and strip the bed linens, then wash them and hang them outside to dry in the fresh air. When they're damp but not wet, bring them inside to iron...(.I remember my mom and grandmother doing bed linens like this weekly when I was very young.)

Wash down the cottage (wood paneled) walls with a liquid cleanser, such as Murphy Oil Soap.

Sweep out the house from one end to the other. Rent a commercial waxer to polish the wooden floors. (Thank goodness for polyurethane and we don't have to wax our floors!)...I will use my artistic license and change this part to...Vacuum out the house from one end to the other, wet mop and touch up any scuffs on your wooden floor with a new coat of poly.

Clean out closets, installing cedar liners to store your woolens.

Clean out kitchen cupboards and shelves and reline them with fresh paper.

Take down all your books from their shelves and dust them. Replace them systematically. (I have books everywhere in the house, studio and barn so I a do well to vacuum the tops.

Hose down your porch and garden furniture, baskets, window boxes, and bikes.

Strighten out the garden shed, cleaning and reorganizing tools and equipment, and make up a shopping list for the garden center.

Plan your early plantings in the garden for your window boxes and other containers.

Make up a list of the fix-its and the chores that have accumulated over the winter...paint touch ups, screen and window repairs, mending loose steps and wobbly chairs etc.

...to be continued....in June with the summer checklist.

I'm hosing off the porches today...what are you doing?