There’s something special about March, and I’m not talking about college basketball. March is when I start gardening. I ordered seeds before I left for South by Southwest Interactive and they arrived while I was gone. Now I’m home and eager to get dirty.

It’s still too cold to plant most things, but I can start seeds indoors, go out and turn some manure into the soil, and I can also plant that half pound of snap peas. Can you believe I plant a half pound of peas and never have any to freeze? My kids devour them.

You should think about planting some veggies this spring. If you don’t have much space, or if digging is a problem, you can do amazing things with container gardens. My mother has great luck with tomato plants in big flower pots on the side of her house.

We all know that growing your own vegetables is a tasty and nutritious hobby, but it also saves energy because your food doesn’t have to travel hundreds of miles in a truck to reach your table, it saves money, and you get some fresh air and exercise. Another benefit is that when you grow your own food, you know where it came from. In these days of industrial food factories, and processing, and salmonella, and E. coli, I like to control the safety of my food.

With the exception of a weird brand of adhesive bandage and penicillin, I am very lucky that I do not have any allergies—especially considering my family history.

The same can't be said for my poor sister whose entire childhood was severely sleep-deprived due to horrific allergies, particularly in the spring and fall. And who can forget the Thanksgiving when we cleared out nearly the entire extended family, not realizing our new pet rabbit would send them rummaging for inhalers—and out the door? Then there was the road-trip when I spent 6 hours freaked out, thinking my friend had pinkeye. Turned out to be a ragweed flare-up.

Suffice to say, allergies are no fun! They become particularly bad this time of year when new flowers are in bloom and pollen is whirling around. Pollen allergies, also known as hay fever, can often be confused with the common cold. Same sneezing, runny nose, coughing, watery and itchy eyes. While a cold typically clears up in a week or so, allergies can last for weeks. Left untreated, it can lead to more serious issues like ear infections, sinus infections, and asthma.

What can you do if you have these extended symptoms? Obviously, the first step is to see your doctor. Once it is determined what you're allergic to, you can then figure out ways to avoid the allergen. Allergic to plants and trees? Keep your windows shut, and use air-conditioning with a filter. For dust allergies, do your best to minimize clutter—where dust gets trapped. Purchase pillow and mattress covers to form a barrier between you and dust mites.

Your doctor may also prescribe you medication depending on your specific problem. Many nasal sprays or antihistamines can be taken at home. Sometimes allergy shots are recommended. These take place in the doctor's office and continue at weekly or monthly intervals for 3 to 5 years.

Determining the cause of seasonal discomfort is half the battle. Don't let allergies keep you cooped up this spring!

Yesterday was the first day of spring so it’s time for annual spring cleaning again. But, how many of you, like me, dread the process because of the smell of traditional household cleaning products? Fake pine, lemon and orange just don’t make me think “clean” they make me think “hard to breathe” and “headache.” And the residue some cleaners leave behind is just gross!

I’ve recently tried to learn about less toxic products I can use to clean the house. Luckily, my research turned up tons of ways to clean without using toxic chemicals and store-bought cleaners.

Some basic staples to keep on hand for green cleaning include:

• Vinegar: My favorite product to use around the house, plain white vinegar, works as a fabulous all purpose cleaner and it doesn’t leave behind toxic smells or residue. I mix equal parts water and vinegar and keep it in a spray bottle. A couple squirts and a clean rag go a long way to sprucing up the house. Vinegar with a sheet of newspaper works great for cleaning windows and mirrors while a spray of the water and vinegar mixture on the bathroom sink in the morning freshens it up for the rest of the day.

• Baking soda works great as a mildly abrasive scouring powder. Used on a damp sponge it can even get a kool-aid stain off the kitchen counter! This natural deodorizer can also work wonders in a refrigerator, pantry or clothes closet to keep the air fresh. Hey, any product that can keep kitty litter smelling fresh is a miracle-worker in my book.

• Lemons and lemon juice are nature’s bleach and disinfectant. I love to use lemons to freshen my garbage disposal. Sprinkling some salt on a lemon you've cut in half makes a great disinfectant and deodorizer for a cutting board.

When making your own cleaners use caution. Make sure you read all labels closely and follow recommendations. Never mix products that turn toxic when combined including bleach with ammonia or vinegar.

Here’s to a clean, green house this spring!

I’m still not used to Daylight Saving Time starting so early in the year, but here it is! On Sunday, we turn our clocks ahead one hour. That is, if you live in a place that observes Daylight Saving Time. I always thought it was goofy that some states observe Daylight Saving Time and other don’t. Can someone answer a question that’s plagued me since I was a child? Is it confusing to live in one time zone and work each day in another? I always thought this would lead to a lot of missed appointments, but maybe you’re more adaptable than I am.

We’re in our second year of extended Daylight Saving Time, brought to us by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The change is meant to save energy by providing more daylight during the evening, although the savings may be offset by increased energy use in the morning. Interestingly enough, a draft report on the impact of lengthening Daylight Saving Time has recently come out of the University of California, Santa Barbara that suggests just the opposite. The law requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to study the impact of the Daylight Saving Time extension and report back to Congress, so stay tuned—it just might change again one of these days.

The University of California draft report has generated a lot of anti-Daylight Saving Time discussion, but personally, I just like Daylight Saving Time because it gives me long evenings to spend outside with my family and friends. It’s as simple as that.

It’s hard to think about planting trees when you’re building an 8 foot snowman, but did you know that Arbor Day is just around the corner? What a perfect way for me to continue to pine (ha-ha, I didn’t even mean to do that) away for spring.

National Arbor Day is the last Friday in April, but many states observe Arbor Day on different dates according to their best tree-planting times. In most states, Arbor Day is in March or April, but if you live in Alabama, it’s this week, so get digging!

Why bother? Take some responsibility for your carbon footprint! Trees gladly consume carbon dioxide and provide us with lovely oxygen. Did you know that trees can reduce your home heating and cooling costs? True! I spend almost nothing to cool my home in the summer and that wouldn’t be the case without the ancient maple trees surrounding my house. Let’s not overlook that attractive landscaping increases the appeal of your home, and trees are beautiful all year around and come in all shapes and sizes. What better place is there for a backyard picnic than under a shady tree? If you don’t have your own property to plant on, you can volunteer to improve public land. There are opportunities all across the country.

You know that I plant my Christmas tree each year, but we try to do more than that. My husband usually gets a tree for Father’s Day, and each year we plant a few trees to landscape our property or we put a few in our little orchard. Can you ever have too many varieties of apples? I don’t know the answer to that yet, but I hope one day I will…