My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule. - Unfortunately I have a work-related meeting today, but I will surround it with easy, peaceful vibes.
Agenda:
1. Brainstorm for Spring
2. Practice a Reverent Way of Being
3. Plant spinach
1. Brainstorm for Spring:
The Spring Equinox is coming in seven days and I have a few practical and contemplative preparations to make: I want to prepare projects to share with my grandson, plan my next gardening projects, and set some intentions for this new phase of the year.
Today I will take a moment to write down some wild and fun projects, goals, and themes for the next season of my life, and I will make a plan for how to celebrate this week building up to spring:
- Saturday: Plant spinach
- Sunday: Go to outdoor Meeting and and Native Plant Potting Party
- Monday: Paint butterflies and Spring cleaning
- Tuesday: St. Patrick's Day - plant peas and make bird nests with my grandsons
- Wednesday: Dye eggs for Nowruz
- Thursday: Make a rangoli for Navratri
- Friday: Plant flowers in planter
2. Practice a Reverent Way of Being:
Today I will again adopt a Reverent Way of Being for the days before this turning point of the year - which is to say, I try to be respectful and humble, and use a discipline of speech and thought that I find difficult to maintain for long periods of time.
Specifically, I try to be respectful and listen to what people are trying to tell me. Also, I am impeccably honest, and tell no little fibs to save face. These are my worst habits, and it's useful to practice being virtuous for a few days at regular intervals throughout the year!
To remind myself, I wear this ribbon bracelet with the words: Reverence, Respect, Honesty.
3. Plant spinach:
It's about 6 weeks before our last spring frost, and I'm experimenting with planting out my spinach today. Every year lately, my spring spinach just begins to grow and then it bolts, so I'm putting it out early. I bought plants to give them a good head-start.
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) is in the Amaranthaceae family, related to the beet and Swiss chard. This plant is thought to have originated from central and southwest Asia and first cultivated over 2,000 years ago in Persia (Iran).
Spinach is a cool weather annual, grown as both a spring and an autumn crop. When planting, temperatures should be above 50°F, but below 60°F for optimal production; usually about 4 weeks prior to the last frost of the spring and 6 weeks before the first frost of autumn. Spinach prefers well-drained, nitrogen rich soil to encourage the growth of tender leaves. Seeds can be sown directly into the soil, about 1-inch apart in an area of full sun (although spinach is tolerant of partial shade) and thinned later to 3-inches apart. Water frequently as growth begins and then on a regular basis as the plants develop. Beans and peas are terrific companion plants for spinach. Not only do legumes affix nitrogen into the soil, but these taller companions help shade the spinach and keep it from bolting. Other spinach companion crops include cabbage, cauliflower, chard, onion, and strawberries.
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