Themes & Plans for March

March brings breezes loud and shrill, stirs the dancing daffodil ...

So tell me friends, how does March greet you today? As a LION or a LAMB? Or perhaps somewhere in between?

Here in my little corner of the world March is most definitely a LION! It is snowing and blowing as I type away all snug by the fire. It has been a rather long and old-fashioned winter (just as I like it) but I am definitely feeling ready for spring. And though he is a fickle friend, March does bring with him spring's first tender tidings - a mild breeze, a few bits of green, and the stirring of hope in our hearts.

And so, with faith in spring's return, I offer you some ...

~ Themes and Plans for March ~

Nature

• a quiet gray landscape, awaiting its green garb
• the old March wind arrives to blow winter away
• blackbirds returning (that squeaky gate sound)
• drip, drip, drip - melting underway
• pussywillows along the riverbank
• mud, mud and more mud!
• potholes that will eat your car in one gulp
• forsythia blushing yellow
• little pots of shamrocks at the grocer's
• The Full Sap (or Worm) Moon (21)
• migrating salamanders on mild, wet nights
• robins re-appear
• maple sugaring in the woods
• the first tiny crocus appears
• the sun gains warmth; the days lengthen
• skunk cabbage in wetland areas
• fox sparrows passing through
• lambing time at the farm
• a surprise snowstorm is not out of the question ...

Folklore

• March gem: aquamarine
• March flower: jonquil
• March comes in like a lion, goes out like a lamb.

Food

• potatoes
• carrots
• turnip
• radishes
• spring onions
• early rhubarb
• leeks
• fish on Fridays
• egg custards
• maple syrup
• shamrock shakes
• Girl Scout cookies
• corned beef and cabbage
• Irish soda bread
• Irish coffee
• oatmeal scones
• sloppy joes
• donuts for St. Joseph
• fig tarts on Palm Sunday
• Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday
• cheesecake
• ricotta pie
• lamb cake
• baked ham
• waffles for Lady Day

Faith

• Month of St. Joseph
• Liturgical seasons:
  • Lent
  • Eastertide
• St. David (1)
• Laetare Sunday (2)
• St. Patrick (17)
• St. Joseph (19) (15 in 2008)*
• Annunciation (25) (31 in 2008)*
• Divine Mercy Sunday (30)
• Holy Week:
  • Palm Sunday (16)
  • Holy Monday (17)
  • Holy Tuesday (18)
  • Spy Wednesday (19)
  • Holy Thursday (20)
  • Good Friday (21)
  • Holy Saturday/Easter Vigil (22)
  • Easter Sunday (23)

*These dates have been moved this year due to the early Easter. St. Patrick's Day has not been rescheduled, so we plan to celebrate it early.

Household

• Rake winter debris from yard.
• Sweep porches, doorsteps, decks and driveways.
• Inspect yard and home exterior for winter damage.
• Clean birdfeeders thoroughly.
• Plan garden plots.
• Start seeds indoors.
• Arrange for mulch delivery.
• Purchase fresh sandbox sand.
• Put windowboxes up; fill with hardy pansies!
• Launder spring bedding.
• Plan Easter dinner.
• Order ham.
• Order basket goodies.
• Buy Easter lilies at the nursery.
• Organize Easter clothes.
• Shampoo rugs.
• Take down storms; hang screens.
• Polish woodwork with beeswax.
• Re-stock craft supplies for the spring.
• Organize rainy day play gear.
• Start planning summer vacation time.

Life

• National Craft Month
• National Hobby Month
• American Red Cross Month
• National Nutrition Month
• Irish-American Heritage Month
• National Umbrella Month
• March Madness
• Peanut Butter Lovers Day (1)
• Iditarod begins (1)
• Dr. Seuss's birthday (2)
• Alexander Graham Bell's birthday (3)
• Antonio Vivaldi's birthday (4)
• Elizabeth Barrett Browning's birthday (6)
• Daylight Savings Time begins (9)
• National Mario Day (10)
• Uranus discovered (13)
• National Pi Day (14)
• Albert Einstein's birthday (14)
• Horton Hears a Who released (14)
• The Ides of March (15)
• Return of the Swallows to San Juan Capistrano (19)
• National Agriculture Day (20)
• First Day of Spring (20)
• National Waffle Day (25)
• Make up Your Own Holiday Day (26)

Book Basket

• The Story of the Wind Children
• Feel the Wind
• Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka
• Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato
• Song of the Swallows
• The St. Patrick's Day Shillelagh
• Small Beauties: The Journey of Darcy Heart O'Hara
• Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland
• Jack and the Leprechaun
• Clever Tom and the Leprechaun
• A Child's Book of Celtic Prayers
• St. Patrick's Day
• St. Patrick's Day in the Morning
• St. Patrick's Day Alphabet
• M is for Maple Syrup: a Vermont Alphabet
• Sugaring
• Sugarbush Spring
• The Sugaring-Off Party
• The Maple Syrup Book
• My Spring Robin
• Spring is Here
• Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic
• That's What Happens When it's Spring
• Pelle's New Suit
• Charlie Needs a Cloak
• Weaving the Rainbow
• The Year at Maple Hill Farm
• Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm
• The Little Lamb
• Mary Had a Little Lamb
• Red Berry Wool
• The Very First Easter
• The Easter Story
• Petook: An Easter Story
• The Jesus Garden
• The Easter Swallows
• The Story of the Cross
• The Story of Easter
• A Tale for Easter
• Celebrate Easter with Colored Eggs, Flowers and Prayer

Field Trips & Outings

• Nature Club: maple sugaring
• Visit new lambs at farm
• Children's Passion Play at church
• Museum of Science: Planetarium

Crafts & Activities

• Fly kites at the park.
• Make a toad home.
• Make pinwheels.
• Hang a windsock.
• Make a palm weaving.
• Watch Darby O'Gill and the Little People.
• Listen to Irish music.
• Listen to Irish stories.
• Make shamrock prayer bouquets.
• Work with sheep's wool.
• Make egg candles.
• Paint an umbrella.
• Blow bubbles on a windy day.
• Make a wind guage or rain gauge.
• Learn weather folkore.
• Organize a Palm Sunday procession for the kids.
• Make homemade chocolates for Easter treats.
• Make Easter cards for family and friends.
• Dye and decorate eggs.
• Put out nesting material for birds.
• Go on an early spring nature walk:
  • Search for signs of spring.
  • How many shades of green can you find?
  • Bring home spring branches to force.
• Make lion and lamb cupcakes.

Now, I am compelled to mention (as I always do) that in no way do I mean to suggest that my family will be observing each and every one of these March ideas! I am keeping all these themes and plans in a notebook, however, and my hope is to refer back to them each year as I plan out the seasons for my family. I hope that you find them helpful, too. :)

And I hope your March is just lovely ~ whether wild or mild!

Comments

[Beth]

National MARIO day? Ok, we may have to add that to our calendar, too. The boys will love that one! :)

[Dawn]

Yep ~ Mario Day is MAR10 ~ get it? ;)

The boy quicky decided it was a day to honor their favorite Mario, of Nintendo fame. )

[Shannon Miller]

I don't know how to thank you for putting these lists together! I love them!

[Jenifer Samaha]

Dawn, thank for sharing all of your ideas! I've just found you about a week ago and have soaking up your blog.

I love your idea of using separate notebooks for your organizing different aspects of your life and homeschooling. If I were to choose one type of notebook to get started in my new organized life, which one would you recommend?
Thanks!

[Christi]

I love your plans for March - especially the crafts section. Lots of inspiration here!

[christie]

I get so much from your planning. Thank-you for sharing it. I am thrilled to offer you something finally in return. We read this really cute book loosely referencing the return of the swallows, Nacho and Lolita. Perhaps ya'll would enjoy it as well.

[KC]

Thank you for sharing all your work! I've printed a copy for deeper reading tonight.

[Stacy]

Very impressive list, Dawn! Regarding the weather, I'll have to say March greeted me like a lamb. It was a breezier day than the past few, but still sunny, nice, and rather springlike already. Come visit my blog to see our lamblike California weather, which I posted photos and talked about just the other day. All the best!
Stacy :-)

[bex]

You're an organizational nut! Thank goodness...;) Xxx

[DeAnn]

Hi Dawn,

Speaking of plans, are you guys still doing a unit study on the states? I was in Richmond, VA this past weekend and picked up a few postcards. I'd be happy to send them along with some info. about our hometown of Fredericksburg--lots if history here. Feel free to e-mail me. I think my e-mail address is posted with this comment, but if not, it's deann_malcolm@yahoo.com

[bia]

Dawn, I have to confess that I do not homeschool; instead, my boys attend a Catholic School. But I love visiting your blog because you have such wonderful ideas that I can incorporate into our family life. For example, I love the idea of Mario Day (I'm glad you explained it in the above comment), and I can't wait to teach my boys about the swallows at San Juan Capistrano. And the toad home? I know that will be a hit. Thanks again for sharing. God bless.

[Dorothy]

Hi, Dawn,

I've recently found your blog through Andrea at The Flourishing Mother. I am enjoying your posts so much. Thank you for sharing your rich planning in such detail. You have given me some great ideas and are helping me organize my planning better, too!

Be blessed!

[Mary McCarthy]

Hi Dawn,

Just so you know, I have enjoyed your posts so very much over the past year. Your blog is usually the first one I will visit! Don't have a lot of time so I have to make sure I get the best stuff in first :).

Thanks for the planning posts, they are just so informational! I do have a question, though. Do you actually own all of those books in your book list?

[Dawn]

Thank you so much, everyone! :)

Jenifer, I will do a post about the noteooks I use for organizing one day this week. I will say, whatever feels most comfortable to you will work best for you.

Thank you, Christie for the book recommendation - my library has a copy!

DeAnn, thank you for your email address; I will be in touch soon. :)

Mary, we own all but 10 of these books - those I can get at the library.

Blessings, all!

[Dani]

I've been waiting for this!!! Thank you so much for sharing...it's so very much appreciated. Take care. Dani

[lisa]

Oh, Dawn, these lists are about my favorite thing on the blogosphere! You are awesome for putting them togethr!

[Mary Ellen Barrett]

What a wonderful list. Its just all so beautiful. You are so inspiring!! Thanks for sharing.

[Jeanne]

I came across your journal from my dear friend Dani
How beautiful and lovely is all that you share.
Love Jeanne ^j^

[Annie]

I am truly enjoying my visits to your blog. I love the format of your blog and the things you post very inspiring.

[Heather]

What a treasure trove I just found! Thank you so very much for sharing this. It's truly inspirational - I want my desk to look like yours!! :)And I love the notebook idea- I would just love to start piecing this altogether and start planning. Thanks again!