Last week as I looked around the remnants of last year's gardens, I was dismayed to say the least. I lost at least one rose bush, and it seems that many of my perennials are either late or aren't coming back. I'm writing them off as wimps. C'mon, this is the Midwest! This winter wasn't that bad!

But even my hardy herbs seem to be taking their time in recovering, and I'm suffering from the same lack of energy. Typically by now I'm in full garden swing. This is the time of year when I'm driving my family nuts, dragging my husband and daughter from one garden center to the next, enthusiastically planning for the upcoming growing season, as they groan and frantically try to distract me from garden displays. “Mom, look over there! I think I saw a genealogy book through that door.” (Hah! I won't fall for that one again!)

Even though we've had some nice days, I have been focusing on indoor projects, avoiding the work outside, simply because I didn't know where to start. Saturday as I looked out over the mess, I decided it was time to take action. I headed to the local garden center where I loaded up my minivan with as many bags of mulch and compost as I could and headed home. Now I was inspired. I was out there getting dirty and my gardens looked so nice and tidy. I can't wait to start planting. I had forced myself out of my winter cocoon and it paid off. In that one weekend, I finished all but one of my gardens and am planning a new one by the garage. (Shh, don't tell my husband!)

When we're inspired, I truly believe we can accomplish anything, but the hard part is finding that inspiration. There are times when we need a little inspiration to get our family history searches rolling too. This week, let's talk about some ways to find that nudge in the right direction...

Read More of This Article.

• Read Past Articles