Spring as It Once Was: Simple Traditions for Home and Hearth
The Feeling of Spring Before Modern Life There was a time when the arrival of spring was not something to be admired from a car window or noticed in passing between errands. It was felt deeply, inside the home and in the body, after months of winter’s weight. Before modern conveniences softened the seasons, winter was long and close. Windows stayed shut tight against the cold. Fires burned constantly. Heavy quilts, wool blankets, and thick clothing layered daily life. Food came from storage. Days were short and dim, and much of life centered around endurance and patience. So when spring finally began to stir — slowly, almost shyly — it brought with it a profound sense of relief and renewal. The light lingered longer in the evening. The air shifted. Birds returned. The earth softened. And inside homes, people began to prepare for life to open again. Spring was not simply a change in weather. It was a turning of the entire household rhythm. Though modern life has insulated us from many s...