Basketball isn’t the only exciting and unpredictable thing that happens in March. Sometimes the weather can be just as uncertain as your NCAA tourney picks. March is maddness, but we can enjoy it by throwing a basketball watch party during the tournament. We have all the essentials you need to alt least make hosting predictable. Typically, when March arrives in the Carolinas, it means that spring is just around the corner. In the beginning of the month, lenten roses were in full bloom and highlighted the flowerbeds throughout the area. It’s always the first perennial to bloom and a symbol that warmer weather is headed our way. In the middle of the month, the daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths are another promising sign that winter is drawing to a close. We anxiously await the return of the greenery. While other parts of the country are still dealing with winter weather, the Carolinas are looking good in the garden (and on the court). The leaves on the trees start to emerge and many other plants like forsythia, hostas, irises, azaleas and hydrangeas also begin to percolate. Gardeners in our zone (hardiness growing zone 7) watch the night time weather forecasts closely because temperatures can fluctuate greatly. It is not uncommon to have huge swings where the overnight temperatures fall below twenty five degrees causing heavy damage to most tender plants. The weather in March is fickle. Our temperatures are about as reliable as our NCAA bracket picks were this year. It’s not unusual to have daytime temps in the high seventies and then a cold snap where the temperature results in a hard freeze . When this happens, we interrupt the basketball watching frenzy, aka March Madness and head outside. We recruit our families to help us cover the tender plants with blankets and sheets to protect them from the frost. So whether you are an avid gardener, Chapel Hill or Duke fan, March in the Carolinas is madness!
Projects
S’more Fun…
Holiday gift giving doesn’t have to be complicated or overly expensive. When considering presents for friends, teachers, neighbors or co-workers; I always strive to give heartfelt gifts. Consider S’more fun. This year we put together DIY S’mores Kits for people that we are thankful for. Our hope is that these simple holiday treats provide an opportunity for some stress-free family time. In the past, we have created several DIY gifts, movie night bowls, made ceramic trees to remind us of the simple things in life, or shared a homemade bottle of limoncello. Adding a pretty bow, a keepsake ornament, a customized tag, and a personalized note make the gift more special. We have made this super easy for you. We have everything you need to beautifully package your DIY gifts in our wrapping section. We regard community gifts as a small token of our appreciation. It’s a thoughtful and beautiful way to say, “Thank you! Thank you for being a part of our story. Thank you for all that you do.” This small gesture is meant to recognize the kind deeds, shared talent, or support people bestow on us throughout the year. Our best tip is to always prepare more gifts than you need and keep a few extra on hand for someone you may have overlooked. This tends to occur more frequently as we get older and busier! This year, after all of the packages were assembled, we had a fair amount of extra ingredients remaining, so we made a gift for our own guests. With the leftover ingredients, we packaged up individual servings. These extras will make s’more fun a little easier for us to serve fun treats on our back porch throughout the season.