It’s not entirely spring for us just yet, but that doesn’t stop the Dutch! If the sun is out, you can bet that everyone will be outside too! Except for Sander, he’s an exception. But for the “typical” Dutch, spring is a time for preparation and celebration. So here is how the Dutch celebrate spring!
Wandeling
The Dutch and wandeling go hand in hand. If the weather is nice, there’s no better way to soak up the sun than to take a long walk in it. The parks here are sprawling and have multiple ways to travel through. I love taking a certain pathway one day and a different one the next! There are also endless bike paths to ride. It would be so nice to be able to hop on our bikes again and explore the town. It’s been ages since we did that and I’m sure a lot has changed!
Gardening and Plants
Gardens are everything to the Dutch and one of the first things that gets attention… Is the garden. See the Dutch love the sun and spend most of their time outside if they can. So having a garden is important for outdoor enthusiasts. And there’s so much to do! Clear any of the extra growth on bushes and trees, trim the grass, throw away old and dead plants… The list goes on an on. But the end result is often amazing and servers as a beautiful space until the autumn comes around.
The Dutch seem to have a natural green thumb. Like, I swear, the Dutch are born with it! And so when spring comes around, the gardening stores are always packed! Our local stores are still closed but we’ve been able to buy things and pick them up. One of the new pots I bought came with a packet of seeds! I can’t wait to share them when they bloom! Spring and summer are also perfect times for people to use their gardens. I remember watching a neighbor clean up a huge space in their garden and I’m sure they’ll have some tasty vegetables soon enough!
Cleaning and Home Improvement
Spring is a popular time for all things home improvement. It’s balmy weather and not too hot just yet. Bigger projects are easy to tackle now since there’s usually no air conditioning in Dutch households. The Dutch are out cleaning windows, painting fences, and putting out bird feeders. Sander and I are going to do some painting in the bedroom this year but I want to do it in the summer when the paint will dry faster. I’m not sure if I’m making a mistake by not doing it now… Oh well, live and learn! We’ve also done a little bit of renovating in our own place, but that post will be coming soon!
Summer Preparation
I think most Dutch will agree that the summer is the most popular season. There are beaches to visit, local ponds to fish in, backyard BBQ’s to plan.. The list goes on an on. But summer is still a long ways from now and even so, a lot of preparation is needed. Spring is the best time to put away all the winter projects, clothes, seasonal goods and prepare for what’s to come. I can tell you now that all my hoodies and sweaters will be hibernating soon! It’s going to get hot and sunny almost over night! I can’t wait to wear shorts again too!
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