Spring technically begins in late March, but it takes a while before it truly feels like spring. Typically, April can be a mixed bag – either very nice or not so nice. And there’s usually a fair amount of rain. Isn’t that why there’s the saying “April showers bring May flowers”?
Leaves and flowers start to pop in April, but everything’s finally fully open in May. And the grass is the prettiest shade of green. Enjoy it before the summer heat turns it dry and crunchy.
Once May arrives, it seems our focus becomes getting to June and summer. Schools end in May, there are graduations, and kids come home from college. If you’re working, you can’t wait until Memorial Day and the holiday weekend. And before we know it, May is gone.
Every year, I tell myself that I can’t let May slip away. It’s already the middle of May and I wonder if I’m enjoying it as much as I should be. Is there more I could be doing to make every day of May count, and not just get through the month before summer starts?
Why savor May?
Because it’s the time when the temperatures (typically) are just starting to creep up. It’s not too hot so you can open your windows and let the breeze blow through. When we open our sliding doors in the back and the storm door at the front, we can get a pretty nice breeze through the house. Is there anything more relaxing than a nice spring breeze?
It’s warm enough but not too warm that I can sit on the deck and get some sun. From what I’ve read, May is considered the brightest month of spring. So why aren’t we savoring May!!!
Flowers of May
May is tulip time. Can you believe I’ve never been to Pella for the Tulip Festival? I guarantee Tim and I will get there in the future.
I love watching the tulips open. One of my favorite places to see them is along Grand Avenue in downtown Des Moines on the north side of the sculpture park. I always loved driving home from work and seeing those beautiful tulips this time of year. Unfortunately, tulips don’t last very long. You have to savor them while they’re out or you’ll have to wait another whole year.
And lilacs. I love lilacs. But like tulips, they come and go so fast. We have a dwarf lilac in our backyard. It hasn’t bloomed yet but I can see that it will have flowers this year. I can’t wait to smell them.
It’s also the best time for pansies. They thrive in May’s weather and wilt as soon as the hot and humid days arrive. So savor them while you can.
The days before summer
Why do we want to jump so quickly into summer? Isn’t it nice to enjoy the process of getting there too?
The days are getting longer. But we’re not that far from when they start to go the other way. (I always find the “longest day of the year” to be kind of sad. It means we now have six months of days getting shorter.) May is when we can enjoy the lengthening daylight and the sun farther north on the horizon. I can finally keep my blinds open all day because the sun is at an angle where it doesn’t shine directly at the windows. My furry friends like to lay in the sun by the patio doors when they’re open.
May fun facts
Did you know that no US president has ever died in May? It’s the only month in the year to make that claim.
In any single year, no other month begins or ends on the same day of the week as May. Check it out – no other month in 2018 begins on Tuesday and ends on Thursday.
In addition to being May Day, did you know that May 1 is Batman Day? (Our grandson is a Batman fan so this day was special for us.) And May 2 is International Day of Idleness? Darn, I missed that one. And who could forget Cinco de Mayo? Or the Kentucky Derby?
May is National Moving Month. I guess a lot of people move in May. It’s also National Smile Month in the United Kingdom. 😊
There are still 16 more days
OK, it’s not too late. You have 16 more days to savor May. Don’t put it off. Enjoy something now that you can only appreciate in May. You might regret it if you let another May slip by unnoticed.
Note to my readers: After hearing through your survey responses that my posting frequency was “just right”, I’m sorry to say I’m going to make a change. At least for a while. I’ve been posting three days a week for the last several weeks. With everything going on right now and my summer routine kicking into gear, I’m going to take it down to two posts a week. It’s not that I don’t have plenty to write about. It’s just that this takes more time than you might realize. I’d prefer quality over quantity, wouldn’t you? This is a hobby and I can see how it could become like a job if I let it. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE doing this. Almost too much and so this self-imposed change is to make sure I don’t let it become all I do. I hope you understand!!
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