Spring Cleaning vs. Spring Fever!

Stepping outside to greet the days in April, it’s easy to tell the seasons are changing. Here in the Midwest, mornings are still cool and damp. However by midday, brisk breezes and warmth from the sun will have dried up the puddles found in fields and empty gardens. Drifting in through open windows and screen doors is my favorite scent – lilac. The old tree by the garden is covered with blooms that are just beginning to open; today I’ll take time to gather some and bring their fragrance inside. Pausing to listen carefully, I can hear the happy songs of the small peeper frogs in the woods just beyond the fields…they are the chorus that ushers in Spring!

Long before we had phones or watches with weather apps at our fingertips, people paid much closer attention to what nature was telling them about the changing of seasons. Living in a house built in 1864, it’s always fun to do a little detective work…just what weather signs did farmers look for 160 years ago?  

I’ve read that if a rooster crowed before going to bed, it meant there would be rain overnight. Bandito, the bachelor rooster here on the farm, crows all the time: day, night, and in-between. I’m not so sure this is a dependable way of predicting rain! 

It was also said that when crows fly in pairs, the weather will be good; however, one flying alone means an approaching storm. This saying is one that just may ring true. Last week I spotted a pair of crows flying as if they had no particular place to go. As I watched them a bit longer, they seemed to simply be enjoying the sunrise…they flew up, then down, and then in continuous lazy circles. And true to the old adage, as time passed, the clouds took on an unbelievable color, the sky became blue, and we were treated to an incredible sunset.  

However, as tempting as it is to be outdoors, I am reminded there’s still much that needs doing indoors. Yes, Spring Cleaning is in full swing here on the farm and it’s been an ongoing adventure since February. Why start so early? Because I know if I don’t begin then, I’ll never finish. It’s undeniable – this old house has too many nooks and crannies that need attention. 

For a task such as this (when it’s obvious spring fever is winning out over spring cleaning), I’ve found it’s best to have a good friend to share the progress with. For me, that friend is Kay. 

When the kids were young, as soon as I dropped them off at school they would race to the playground. While I waited for school to begin, I chatted with Kay. Born and raised in a 4th generation dairy farming family, she and I soon discovered we enjoyed many of the same things. We’d catch-up on what was new at home or how we’d spent the weekend, then talk about plans for our summer gardens. She’d share pictures of the new calves born on the farm, and I’d laugh and ask her if she would sneak one out for me! After a nice long visit, we’d both feel ready to dive into our daily To-Do Lists. Years later, after our kids began college, we continued to catch up about this-and-that, and still cheer each other on as once again Spring Cleaning time arrives. 

And so, armed with an assortment of items guaranteed to make our homes sparkle and shine, the days are spent moving from room to room tackling everything from dust bunnies to endless stacks of paper that have become a vertical filing system.

Throughout the days my friend and I keep each other motivated:

“I’m getting rid of clutter and clearing out a bedroom today!” she excitedly shares with me. 

“That’s great! I’m tackling paperwork.” I tell her. “I think I can just about see the bottom of the desk.”

Later in the week I may hear: “Today I started going through the closets organizing and collecting things to donate.”

While I update her, “Yay! I’m sorting and packing up books to deliver to the library.”

Back and forth we go, encouraging one another while sharing our success as a job is crossed off our lists. What a blessing to have such a friend.

One of the joys of April is that it’s finally warm enough to replace cozy flannel sheets with cooler, cotton ones. At night there’s just nothing that compares to curling up under freshly-washed sheets and quilts that have been dried in the fresh air and sunshine.

Like so many of you, I’m trying to be more Green in my Spring Cleaning, and I’ve found that making my own laundry soap is not only simple, it makes me feel good knowing just what the ingredients are: here’s how I make mine:

Laundry Soap

65-oz. box Borax

2-lb. box baking soda

55-oz. box washing soda

10-12-oz. bar laundry soap, grated

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir well to blend. Store in a covered container. Use up to 1/4 cup depending on the size of your laundry load.

A note: if you use warm or hot water, Borax will become partially converted to hydrogen peroxide, so be sure to wash dark or colored clothes in cool or cold water. 

Many people customize this basic recipe by adding scented laundry beads, powdered stain remover, Epsom Salts, and some choose not to include Borax – change it up however you’d like so it works best for you and your family. I use bars of soap handmade by a friend who has some incredible fragrances…this week I made laundry soap using Cranberry & Fig! 

And because vinegar can kill bacteria, it’s always handy for cleaning. I have to admit though, as much as I love what vinegar can do, I’m definitely not crazy about the smell right after using it. Recently a friend shared her secret with me – add some citrus peel to a quart of vinegar and let it sit in the sun for about a week. Remove the peel (run vinegar through cheesecloth if some pesky pulp remains) mix one part vinegar to three parts water. Add some drops of essential oil (I used orange peel so I added orange marmalade oil), stir well, and pour into a spray bottle. Now when I clean, I have vinegar with a fresh orange scent! 

It’s easy to be tempted into trying the latest new-fangled cleaning gadgets, but I still think the best tried & true tips for Green cleaning haven’t really changed…they prove that Grandma knew best. An old-fashioned corn broom, metal dustpan, cotton dust mop, lamb’s wool duster, and wool sponge will last for years.

Handy, toss-in wool dryer balls reduce static, shorten drying time, and are made to last for 1,000 loads!

Vintage swirl and speckled enamelware buckets are hardworking, plus they have a fun pop of color. And when Spring Cleaning is all wrapped up, they look terrific year ‘round!

This pretty 1940’s robin’s-egg blue enamelware piece was found for a song at a barn sale, and it’s just right for storing homemade laundry soap. 

Baking soda is a pantry staple that’s also a great deodorizer, and sprinkling coarse salt on a breadboard then scrubbing with a lemon half fights bacteria and helps lighten stains. 

Sometimes on a beautiful Spring day I’ll slip outside and find a comfortable chair – you know, the springy 1950’s ones? Soon I’m listening to the birds singing and the bees buzzing, and if I’m not careful, I’ll become drowsy.

Not to worry, as always, breaking the silence is the loud crowing of Bandito which immediately snaps me to attention. Time to get back to work – as Kay reminds me, if we tackle a little each day, by the time the spring flowers are blooming, we can joyfully trade spring cleaning for spring fever! 

I couldn’t end April’s post without a heartfelt thank-you for all of your kind comments welcoming me as your Rural Farmgirl. I am beyond happy to be able to “meet” all of you…it’s as if we’re neighbors chatting over the backyard fence!