Spring fever remedied in work

Spring fever.

I feel it. I know the kids feel it. It’s an epidemic that hits right about the end of April when the sun comes out and the weather turns warm. Spring fever is sweeping the nation right now but also signals the second wave: summer boredom. We live in a mostly rural area with farms sprinkled about but many of those farms are being consumed by urban sprawl. Farms that used to provide employment and opportunities for work are vanishing.

A great quote I grew up: “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop: idle hands make idle minds.”

Now that the structured hours of school are ending, parents are fretting about what to do to keep their children’s hands and minds from becoming idle and full of mischief.

One great activity I advocate centers around getting young people’s hands into the dirt and helping something to grow. The Community Garden will get soil this week and by the weekend will be ready for planting. Gardening is incredibly cathartic and helps the mind work through issues while accomplishing something worthwhile at the same time. Pulling weeds, shoveling dirt and harvesting food are all incredibly rewarding because the do-er can see progress being made.

The Community Garden is open 24/7 and once planted, will need constant attention throughout the summer. This is a great opportunity to do good and keep busy. Thinking beyond video games and looking for ways to serve someone else helps keep the temptation to cause mischief in check.

The young people in Pea Ridge impress me with their entrepreneurial spirit and desires to do good. Let’s build on that and not let those brilliant minds or hands become idle.

Editor’s note: Mechel Wall is owner and operator of both The Cottage Flower Shop and Wallflower Farm. She can be contacted at blooms@wallflowerfarm. net.