Spring activities to try during quarantine

The weather is getting nicer, despite the quarantine blues. Here are some activities to embrace the emergence of spring.

Plant a garden

Cooped up and sick of binging “Tiger King”? Now is the perfect time to plant your garden. Home Depot is still open, and a bag of seeds is dirt cheap. You can also get seeds online from Johnny’s, Seed Savers or Baker’s Creek.  

Other materials you may need are accessible and reasonably inexpensive, but all you really need are seeds and soil. Gardening is the perfect pastime during this pandemic, and your meals will be much tastier with herbs fresh from your garden.

Mint, rosemary, dill, cilantro, parsley and thyme are some of the easiest herbs to grow. If you have pots, fill them with soil and plant your seeds. If you don’t, poke holes in the bottoms of paper cups, yogurt containers or even folded up newspapers to use as a pot. The holes will provide drainage so the roots don’t rot. You should see sprouts in a couple weeks, and you can transfer them to the ground or keep them as an indoor garden. 

Do an outdoor workout

If you have a backyard, garage, patio, or driveway,  get outside and burn some calories. 

You can YouTube an exercise tutorial of any duration and intensity. If you have dumbbells at home, use them. If you have objects that weigh a few pounds, perfect. Grab a yoga mat and get sweaty.

If cabin fever is setting in, take a walk. Recruit your family and take a spin around your neighborhood, go to a park or go hiking. If you’re craving some noise, put in some headphones and go by yourself. Listen to your favorite podcast or some music that makes you happy and get walking. 

Hill sprints are a great option especially with fewer cars on the road. Go for a warm up run and find a hill. Sprint up and jog or walk back down, repeating as many times as you can. You will get a killer cardio workout and some fresh air.

Go fishing

If you have a pond, lake or stream around, grab a fishing rod and get your line wet (first, make sure it is allowed in your area). If you have a lure, great — if not, you can dig up earthworms and use them as bait. 

Find a quiet spot. If you are a beginner, look up a tutorial and practice casting and reeling. Pack some food, get a blanket, and enjoy a peaceful evening (or early morning) outside.

Do some yard work

As spring continues, our yards may need some work from the winter months, and “spring cleaning” shouldn’t just apply to clutter in your house. 

Mow your lawn. Clean up around your plants. Rake out fallen leaves and dead foliage and pull out weeds. You can lay mulch or soil around flower beds and sweep escaped dirt or gravel back into walkways and patios. 

Work on your outdoor wood furniture. Clean wood structures by mixing two gallons of water, two quarts of bleach and one cup of liquid soap — scrub surfaces and let dry. Scrape off old paint if needed, and sand wood surfaces and repaint them. 

One thing is certain — yard work never ends. You might as well get a jump start now.