Surely March is crueler?
March 9, 2013 3:25 PM Subscribe
I hate Spring, at least this first part. It is so wet right now. There's rain, sometimes freezing rain, and melting snow. It will be very muddy any day now. Soon, I won't be able to ski until next Winter. I always get the blues in March and early April. How can I learn to love this ugly season? Has anyone else managed to cultivate an appreciation for a season they hate? Is there something I could do this time of year that would make it seem special and fun?
Start gardening: this is the time of year when you start to sow seeds, see them germinate and then pot them up. Little green things are always nice during the cold wet months.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:32 PM on March 9, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by sciencegeek at 3:32 PM on March 9, 2013 [6 favorites]
Best answer: We call it Mud Season here, yes. One thing I am doing is planning on sorting out junk, starting to eat more greens (salads, wrap sandwiches). A lot of people start planning their gardens, start seedlings, force bulbs. And cleaning. It's hard keeping floors clean in the winter so mopping. They usually have a big garden show in March in many cities, so just going to look at flowers can be uplifting.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 3:38 PM on March 9, 2013
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 3:38 PM on March 9, 2013
Well, without it being extra muddy and rainy this year.... agriculture will struggle, and your gas and food prices will skyrocket. So, there's some appreciation in that. Probably not what you're looking for, but it's very true, especially after last year's drought.
posted by MMALR at 3:56 PM on March 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by MMALR at 3:56 PM on March 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Get really good shoes if you don't have them already. There's something so great about never having wet feet. I swear by my full gortex hiking boots.
posted by Grandysaur at 4:02 PM on March 9, 2013
posted by Grandysaur at 4:02 PM on March 9, 2013
Anticipation. That's what gets me through March -- it's not quite warm enough to really do "outside" spring things (living in Michigan), but it's finally warm enough to go outside (without spending every minute of it thinking "Fuck it's cold why did I do this"), and that lets me remember how great summer is.
posted by Etrigan at 4:15 PM on March 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Etrigan at 4:15 PM on March 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
March in Maryland is just a shit month.
However, one year ago yesterday we traveled to Minneapolis for my oldest son's wedding. Incredibly and atypically we left 70 degrees and sunny here, and it was 65 degrees and sunny there. We came back to Maryland and it approached 80 degree dry temperatures for the rest of the month.
This was not normal.
I hate March because there's a general expectation that you might get some decent weather, but that hardly ever happens.
March in Maryland will always be a shit month.
I just try to get through it, and have resigned myself that March in Maryland is just a shit month.
posted by imjustsaying at 4:16 PM on March 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
However, one year ago yesterday we traveled to Minneapolis for my oldest son's wedding. Incredibly and atypically we left 70 degrees and sunny here, and it was 65 degrees and sunny there. We came back to Maryland and it approached 80 degree dry temperatures for the rest of the month.
This was not normal.
I hate March because there's a general expectation that you might get some decent weather, but that hardly ever happens.
March in Maryland will always be a shit month.
I just try to get through it, and have resigned myself that March in Maryland is just a shit month.
posted by imjustsaying at 4:16 PM on March 9, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Use it to explore paved places - are there neighbourhoods you've never spent much time in where you can walk around and get a little something to eat and poke around some shops? Most small, local businesses have a very slow February, especially with tax season; people being broke after Christmas; bad weather etc. It's a good time to drop some money in them, if you have any to spare.
We've been doing this as the weather breaks here in Toronto - last night we drove across town to meet someone, parked, walked a few blocks each way and bought a hot chocolate and four little truffles in an adorable shop we'd never otherwise go to. Meeting friendly new business owners who were grateful for business and are anxious to succeed and having a good experience really cheered us up. Today, for a matinee, we went to a friend's Bingo game at a bar in the West end, where beer was cheap, bingo cards were $5 a pack, and there was chicken and waffles and country music records spinning. I'd say look through your local entertainment listings, and find something you've never done before and get yourself out to it.
Also, stores are selling forced bulbs here, and there's nothing like some hyacinths to perk up a room and smell like Spring. When they're done blooming, I often throw them in my garden and now I have tufts of things blooming that are memories of waiting for Spring in previous years.
posted by peagood at 4:25 PM on March 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
We've been doing this as the weather breaks here in Toronto - last night we drove across town to meet someone, parked, walked a few blocks each way and bought a hot chocolate and four little truffles in an adorable shop we'd never otherwise go to. Meeting friendly new business owners who were grateful for business and are anxious to succeed and having a good experience really cheered us up. Today, for a matinee, we went to a friend's Bingo game at a bar in the West end, where beer was cheap, bingo cards were $5 a pack, and there was chicken and waffles and country music records spinning. I'd say look through your local entertainment listings, and find something you've never done before and get yourself out to it.
Also, stores are selling forced bulbs here, and there's nothing like some hyacinths to perk up a room and smell like Spring. When they're done blooming, I often throw them in my garden and now I have tufts of things blooming that are memories of waiting for Spring in previous years.
posted by peagood at 4:25 PM on March 9, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: This is also my leastest favorite season. I can't tell you how to enjoy it, just abide:
I'm sure Minneapolis has a plant conservatory or indoor garden somewhere... just a few hours with good old plant-generated 02 is quite uplifting to me.
Also a good time to start seedlings. And looking ahead, get yourself an amaryllis or other bulbed plant that you can keep overwinter. In February of next year, start rebooting it and by March you should be overjoyed to see your old friend in flower. I did that this year and it made me very happy... although I started it too soon... alas.
And oh, man I hear you on the loss of skiing/skating and gain of truly shitacular biking conditions. This is also the time of year that I grudgingly resort to the indoor exercise machines available to me... because apart from climbing stairs it's the only exercise that's not mostly getting soaked in cold cold rain.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:55 PM on March 9, 2013
I'm sure Minneapolis has a plant conservatory or indoor garden somewhere... just a few hours with good old plant-generated 02 is quite uplifting to me.
Also a good time to start seedlings. And looking ahead, get yourself an amaryllis or other bulbed plant that you can keep overwinter. In February of next year, start rebooting it and by March you should be overjoyed to see your old friend in flower. I did that this year and it made me very happy... although I started it too soon... alas.
And oh, man I hear you on the loss of skiing/skating and gain of truly shitacular biking conditions. This is also the time of year that I grudgingly resort to the indoor exercise machines available to me... because apart from climbing stairs it's the only exercise that's not mostly getting soaked in cold cold rain.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 4:55 PM on March 9, 2013
From your profile I see that you're in Minneapolis. Have you considered going for a nice bike ride on the Greenway?
posted by playertobenamedlater at 5:05 PM on March 9, 2013
posted by playertobenamedlater at 5:05 PM on March 9, 2013
If March is good for nothing else, at least it brings the maple syrup. Can you find a way to get involved in that? With tapping trees and hauling sap buckets and feeding the fire and watching the sap evaporate it keeps you busy and plus it's yummy and a reason to look forward to March.
Make this the month you visit the city's art museums?
Or go to New Orleans. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining and there is music in the streets.
posted by evilmomlady at 7:46 PM on March 9, 2013
Make this the month you visit the city's art museums?
Or go to New Orleans. The flowers are blooming and the sun is shining and there is music in the streets.
posted by evilmomlady at 7:46 PM on March 9, 2013
Make yourself a coldframe and jump start some seedlings. The most enjoyable March I ever had was spent working for a huge greenhouse. Maybe take a trip to the mountains where the ski season is extended. Hey, Juneau lifts are open until mid-April!
posted by Foam Pants at 9:01 PM on March 9, 2013
posted by Foam Pants at 9:01 PM on March 9, 2013
Force yourself to go outside! Even though it is quite ugly in my city I think March has fantastic weather for exercising outdoors. Not too hot, not too cold. Go for a run, or a walk, or a bike ride daily.
Also, I find that if I go to a more rural area this season really can be beautiful in it's own way.
posted by pintapicasso at 9:21 PM on March 9, 2013
Also, I find that if I go to a more rural area this season really can be beautiful in it's own way.
posted by pintapicasso at 9:21 PM on March 9, 2013
Whaaaat????
Get some rainboots and stomp in puddles!!
Open your windows (when it's not raining) and air out the house!
Spring clean!
Yes, yes, start your seeds!
Take a picture of a tree outside your house every day, and at the end of April you'll have a cool flip-show of it bursting in to bloom.
Go mud sledding. You were gonna dry-clean that coat anyway, right?
posted by mibo at 7:16 AM on March 10, 2013
Get some rainboots and stomp in puddles!!
Open your windows (when it's not raining) and air out the house!
Spring clean!
Yes, yes, start your seeds!
Take a picture of a tree outside your house every day, and at the end of April you'll have a cool flip-show of it bursting in to bloom.
Go mud sledding. You were gonna dry-clean that coat anyway, right?
posted by mibo at 7:16 AM on March 10, 2013
How about birding? I see you're in a similar latitude to mine. A lot of different birds are beginning their courtship rituals and starting to nest around here starting around the 1st week of March. Last weekend I was lucky enough to see a nesting Great Horned Owl (at least her tail!) at a local wildlife refuge. The common goldeneye were doing their little dance as well.
I suspect things might be similar in your area; I'm on the coast so things probably start warming up a little earlier than they do where you are. So you might want to get in touch with your local Audubon chapters and see if there are any walks/hikes scheduled.
posted by Currer Belfry at 1:22 PM on March 10, 2013
I suspect things might be similar in your area; I'm on the coast so things probably start warming up a little earlier than they do where you are. So you might want to get in touch with your local Audubon chapters and see if there are any walks/hikes scheduled.
posted by Currer Belfry at 1:22 PM on March 10, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. My wife has been forcing bulbs and planning the garden, so I'll see about getting in on that action. In general, I'll stay active and get out of the house.
I also thought about pretending to be much more Irish than I actually am and making a big deal out of St. Patrick's Day, but I can't quite bring myself to do it. I've spent too much of the Winter playing up the Norwegian-American thing.
posted by Area Man at 4:45 PM on March 12, 2013
I also thought about pretending to be much more Irish than I actually am and making a big deal out of St. Patrick's Day, but I can't quite bring myself to do it. I've spent too much of the Winter playing up the Norwegian-American thing.
posted by Area Man at 4:45 PM on March 12, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
We also tend to clean and repair our winter gear during this time, and also to rotate in our summer stuff. It's also a great time to deep-clean the house, in the spirit of fresh starts.
posted by charmcityblues at 3:31 PM on March 9, 2013 [2 favorites]