Every year I say the same thing — I can’t believe March, and spring, is here. And somehow, here I am saying it again. In the South, we don’t wait for the calendar to tell us the season has changed — we look for the Southern signs of spring instead. March is upon us once more, bringing with it that unmistakable sense of turning a page. March 20, 2026, officially marks the first day of spring, but most of us recognize it long before then.

In my feature this month, “No White Until Easter: And Other Southern Signs of Spring,” I reflect on those gentle markers that shaped many of us: the long-held rule about not wearing white before Easter Sunday, the brief surprise of Blackberry Winter just when we’ve packed away our coats, the reopening of porch season, flowers blooming, and the quiet excitement of choosing our Easter Sunday best. These traditions may seem simple, even old-fashioned. But they do something important. They create rhythm. They remind us that life unfolds in seasons. That change doesn’t happen all at once but arrives in layers, in buds, in longer evenings, in lighter fabrics.

And whether or not you grew up with these exact customs, I suspect your family had its own signals of spring. The first meal eaten outside. Windows thrown open. A favorite recipe brought back to the table. Every family, every region, has its own way of saying: It’s time. That sense of renewal echoes beautifully throughout this month’s issue.

Brenda brings us back to the table with Mama Spivey’s Cornbread and later warms us with a comforting Shepherd’s Pie. Karen honors Women’s History Month with The Women Who Raised Us – And the Parts We’re Redefining, then guides us into the new season with Spring Self-Care Rituals That Actually Feel Good. She also adds a festive touch with a St. Patty’s Day cocktail, Cabbage Apple Slaw, and a beautiful Pistachio Cake as we move toward Palm Sunday.

Leanne offers a thoughtful reflection in The Real Sacrifice Isn’t Leaving Your Job – It’s Letting Go of Who You Were Taught to Be, reminding us that growth often requires releasing old narratives. Sandy helps us clear space, both practically and spiritually, with Spring Cleaning Part 1 and Easter for the Table. Becky introduces us to The Mad Wife in Book Club, while Lori takes us to South Africa in Destination Diaries, expanding our view just as the world around us begins to bloom.  There’s plenty more, too including Karen’s podcast and Susan’s When Ordinary Becomes Extraordinary.  In A Time to Bloom, I’ll be writing about “Movement that Sparks Joy” because spring isn’t only about cleaning and cooking and dressing differently. It’s about letting our bodies and spirits remember what energy feels like.

As we step into this new season, I hope you notice your own markers.  The ones passed down to you and the ones you are redefining for yourself. May this month invite you to honor tradition, release what no longer fits, and welcome what is quietly blooming.

Here’s to porches reopening, flowers blooming, to fresh beginnings and perhaps even to white shoes waiting patiently for Easter morning.

Be Encouraged, Be Empowered, Be Inspired – Be Unconditionally YOU!

“No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow.”
– Proverb