Spring in Germany by Thelma Alberts
At last Spring is here again. Winter time has passed but the cold weather is still coming on and off. The weather has changed a lot in the 3 decades that I live here in Germany. In the 80´s and 90´s, Winter time was always freezing cold and snow was almost everywhere but last winter was not the normal one that we had. One day it was freezing, the other day was like Spring.
Speaking about Spring season, do you love it? When the breeze of the air is mild and the chirping of the birds are all around you. Sometimes in the city park where I passed by going to work, I could see birds hopping on the still “naked” trees, from one branch to the other. Some plants have started showing their leaves. Some, just awaken from their winter sleep.
Spring time is cleaning time. Not only the so called Spring cleaning inside the house but outside the house as well. The patio, the garden or maybe just a small terrace nook with flower pots for those who have no garden. I only have a small terrace for my flower plants here in Germany that is why I miss my huge garden in my home in the Philippines. Well, we can´t have everything we want, can we? Anyway, even if I only have a terrace for my flower plants, I am still excited thinking what to plant for Spring.
How To Create An Instant Balcony Garden For Spring
Not all of us are lucky to have a garden but as a nature and plants lover, one can find a way to create a special place where one can sit and enjoy the beauty of the beautiful flowers in the flower pots and hanging planters. Here´s how I do it.
- Prepare the flower pots and hanging planters with garden soil.
2. Buy some Spring flowers from the nursery garden, flower shops or in an open market in your town or city.
3. Plant the Spring flowers like tulips, daffodils or crocus in your hanging terrace/balcony planters.
4. Besides using the rectangular hanging planters for your terrace, you can use hanging baskets, terracotta planters and flower pots in many colorful shapes and colors.
5. If you still have space in your balcony, put a small table with 2 or more chairs for you to sit. Enjoy reading, writing, eating or drinking tea or coffee at your cozy balcony. Eating breakfast or brunch in your balcony surrounded with your beautiful scented plants is one of the best things you can do for the day.
6. Create an atmosphere in your balcony garden where you can spend a wonderful time when you are in your creativity mood in painting, knitting or writing.
Preparing the Garden for Spring
Having a garden of your own where you can plant what you desire to have is awesome. Well, for me it is. As I don´t have a garden here, I just imagine that my beautiful garden in the Philippines is situated in Germany, a walking distance from where I live, where I can dig the soil and get my hands dirty. Yes, I love making my hands dirty and it is there in the garden where I get ideas what to write for my blogs. It is in my garden where I behave like a child, chasing the butterflies and birds quietly with my old camera (now I have a smartphone to do that). It´s also the place where some people might think that I am crazy because I talk to my plants but I don´t care as I would not even notice the people around me.
Here´s how I prepare my garden for Spring:
1. Tidying and clearing the garden beds, pots and borders from dead plants and weeds.
2. Raking the garden soil beds lightly.
3. Planning what flowers, herbs and vegetables to plant.
4. Buying the flower seeds, bulbs, herbs and ready to plant flowers and vegetables.
5. Sowing the seeds of a longer season plants for the garden.
6. Make a compost area where I can gather the leaves, weeds and grass.
7. Having a cupboard full of gardening tools.
8. A water hose or bucket for watering the plants.
Tools needed for gardening:
· Rake
· Garden scissors
· Pruners or garden knife
· Wheelbarrow
· Soil scooper
· Trowel
· Garden fork
· Garden gloves
· Spade
· Bucket or pail
Flowers to plant are: Crocus, Pansy, Daffodils, Tulips, Azalea, Rhododendron, Hyacinth, Primrose, Lilly of the Valley, Lilac, Peonies, Lilac, Iris, Snowflake, etc…
Herbs to plant are: Parsley, Cilantro, Chives, Thyme, Marjoram, Oregano, Basil and Peppermint.
Fruits to plant are: Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries
Vegetables to plant are: Lettuce, Tomatoes, Carrots, Cucumber, Cabbage, Potatoes, Bell peppers
Thelma Alberts is a stay-at-home Wellness Massage Therapist, a blogger and a writer.
Born Filipina, married for 39 years to Lothar Alberts, a Weseler artist whom she shares a child. She lives in two different countries, the Philippines and Germany.
She is passionate about writing, traveling, gardening and baking. She writes almost 10 years on Hubpages and has published 119 articles.
Pilya Blog Magazine celebrates International Women’s Day 2021 with PILYA BLOG COVER CHALLENGE 2021. Cover Girls Category: Travel and Leisure Photography by Ces Seidel
SUMMER NOSTALGIA: BAKAS NG LUMIPAS Summer Special August 2020 Cover Girl: Mrs. Bellie Kirschner from Kerpen
“I have a fighting spirit. I smile even when I ‘m sad, laugh & cry too but I’m stronger than you think I am because I’ve been through more than any one could ever imagine.” Mrs. Bellie Kirschner is a philanthropist and entrepreneur. She and her husband, Heinz Jürgen built Kirschner Reisen in 1981. Kirschner Reisen is a successful travel agency in Germany and famous for giving away free round-trip tickets to the Philippines. THAT’S REALLY PILYAMAZING! Now, a retired travel agent, Mrs. Bellie and Mr. Heinz Jürgen are actively participating the events of Filipino communities as Sponsors around Germany. Mrs. Bellie Kirschner’s mother is a kind and helpful Filipina and her father is a hardworking Chinese merchant, both from Sulop, Davao del Sur. There are 12 siblings (6 boys and 6 girls) in all and they all went to private Chinese school in Davao City. In 1978, she met her “Romeo”, Heinz Jürgen Kirschner and shared a beautiful life together with their daughter, Sandra.
ANIBERSARYO PABULOSO 4th Anniversary October 2019. Cover Girl: Mila Tarrobago from Bodensee
I am Mila Arcega Tarrobago, 37 years old, born and raised in Zambales, Philippines, recently residing on the amazing, charming area and surroundings of Lake Constance (Bodensee), South Germany, proud mother of a beautiful, five-year old daughter – Leona, happily married to a lucky German guy for almost 10 years, a degree holder of Business Administration, Major in Management, owner and manager of the Travel Agency and Event Services – D’1 Travel and Tours.
Impact on this World. 1. Education eradicates poverty. I’m a living proof of it…If you can’t pay the tuition fee, work for it. Grab the scholarship programs. You wont regret it! 2.Make your parents proud. Millennials, all children in this world. Not only education is the key to success, but also, making you parents proud! Coz, if you always have this in your mind, in your heart and in your soul, everything goes to its proper place in God’s time. Believe me. God bless the children more, who respect and obey their parents. 3.Marriage. Know the true meaning and essence of Marriage. Marriage License is not marriage. Marriage license is just a piece of paper. Wedding ceremony is not marriage. Marriage is after the moment you say I do. Marriage happens in the weeks to come, months, years, decades to come. No one has greater love than this to lay down one’s life for your Partner. Marriage is giving up yourself for each other because that’s what marriage is. It’s a gift, a present…and give your life for one another… Marriage is a present of yourself. It’s a present of your life and it’s not just for today. It’s for everyday forward. You must constantly give yourselves to one another. That is marriage, it means letting go of petty things, like who’s right and who’s wrong. It means putting your spouse their wants and desires and happiness ahead of your own. Let us all be clothed in love.
LOVE for Travel. Since a kid, it’s been my dream to travel the 195 countries in the world. If not all of it, at least some and if not for me, then for somebody else. Traveling is for me a source of joy, education, adventure, test for my patience and my whole being. It is one way or another an eye-opener. It opens my mind, my heart and soul to not just tolerate, but to accept our cultural differences. That there is no one way to live life. Meeting people from other countries, exchanging conversations and ideas make me realize that my world view isn’t the same as everybody else’s. As the quote goes, “You can’t imagine how different life is in another place until you experience and see for yourself”.
LOVE for Events. Weddings, Birthdays, Debuts, Christening and other Family Big Events have been fascinating me all my life…The Love for Events inspires me, gives me endless ideas in artistic and practical ways. It makes me special and gives me more reasons to smile. Thru this fondness, I can make other people also feel very special. Like a typical Filipino, I love celebrating LIFE!..
Businesses. I turned my dream, my passion for travel and events into a business. That’s when D’1 Travel and Tours was born…To fulfill the dream travel or dream event of YOU – our very much appreciated Client!..D’1 Travel and Tours and partners are a team of more than 6,000 Tour Operators and Travel Agencies who strive to give you quality, reliable, affordable tour packages to explore more than 7,641 Islands of the Philippines and other parts of the world.
D’1 Travel and Tours offers Domestic and International Tour Packages: customized or non-customized, depending on the customer’s budget. We have Visa/Passport/PSA/NSO Processing Assistance for Philippines Passport Holders and foreigners, Family/Group/Company/Church Outing, Team Building, Educational Tours, Event Services like Wedding, Debut, etc. and Kapamilya Tickets. CBDP Partnership tenders realty and furniture-making services in the Philippines.
“Spring Bles-sings” is the theme of Pilya Blog Magazine’s April 2021 with Bles-Chavez Bernstein as Cover Girl. That’s really Pilyamazing! Tangkilikin po natin ang sariling atin. SUBSCRIBE Now! Maraming salamat po.
Pilya Blog Magazine is the first and only Filipino-German Lifestyle Magazine.
Now is the time to read without missing home.
Website: http://www.pilyablogmagazine.com
For booking and inquiries, you may contact the Publisher, Ces Seidel
Email: pilmanya@gmail.com
Facebook page: PilyaBlogMagazine
Instagram: pilyablogmagazine
Pilya Blog Magazine 