Oh Spring....time for planning

(Photo courtesy of imnopoodle.wordpress.com/.../)

The LRH has a Lilac bush in her front yard. Now that it is nice enough weather to have your windows open some, I love the fragrant smell of this wonderful flower. It reminds me of both of my Grandmother's homes.

With the coming of spring, comes the need to recommit ourselves to planning and preparation for the coming summer and fall when our food supply begins to come again. What do I mean by this? Consider the following:

(Photo courtesy of nikas-culinaria.com/.../strawberry-jam-delight/)

• Canning: "What, you are suggesting that I can food? " Yes.....you. "But I work, I have soccer, baseball, dance lessons, piano, the yard...etc!" Again, yes....I mean you. "But I don't have a clue what to do!" Again, yes...I really mean you...and the last statement is really telling. Trying anything that you don't know how to do is intimidating. Last year at this time, canning jars were difficult to locate and were even in short supply. Since the economy has become even more unstable, I expect that purchasing or finding jars will be more difficult in 2009. Look and stock up on jars and lids beginning now. The LRH will be teaching classes on canning different items at her home during the summer. I just canned Strawberry Jam this weekend...and it was so easy and really yummy.

• Gardening: Yes, I mean this too. "But I've seen your yard LRH...." Yes, it's true... our family struggles with growing things, but I think we have finally found plantings that are compatible with us....for the most part. However, I have been taking my own advice. I have planted from seed and started most of my garden plants indoors. (Please see previous posts for more information on this). Most of the plants survived and I am currently "hardening" them, by letting them be outside for increasing time over the past few days. This prepares them to be planted outside. I am trying to grow not only fresh vegetables to eat during the summer months, but also enough to store in the fall. President Spencer W Kimball stated the following: "Where you have a plot of land, however small, plant a garden. Staying close to the soil is good for the soul." In addition, BYU Broadcasting has a series of programs called "Homegrown". Although not all parts of the series currently have air dates, they do have links and wonderful written information from each episode that you can access at the following link: http://www.byub.org/homegrown/episodes.asp

Make a plan to gather needed items together and follow the direction our Church leaders. As Bishop Richard C Edgley so explicitly taught us at our past General Conference last month...."This is our/(your) Phone call. May the Lord bless us all with the same sense of urgency to answer the call today to bring in our people from these economic challenges as He did in the case of the handcart companies is my prayer"

Take the call folks....start "gathering" as any smart chick would do!