Springing Forward

Spring is my least favorite season. I don’t hate it by any means, but the anticipation of some warmth and the return of life to the world is dampened for me by the slush and endless rain of those initial weeks. When I say I want spring to come, I really mean May. And May is practically summer. And not knowing what the spring will look like in terms of Covid restrictions is dampening my excitement. The road to normal is looking a bit longer than I had hoped.

But I know I’ll still get so excited when I see new leaves sprouting on the hedges walking near my flat. And there are certainly things to look forward to this spring. Getting vaccinated for one (hopefully). Going on walks and not having my toes go numb from the cold. Daylight. Flowers. And, of course, a whole new palette of foods to cook with! I am patiently awaiting those slender green shoots of asparagus, among other spring treasures. Last year I think I made the mistake of jumping in full-force after craving fresh, raw, greenness in the last weeks of winter. This year I plan on straddling the line a bit longer, and savouring the cosiness of rainy days a bit more.

By no means do I want to stay in perpetual winter. I generally prefer cool weather and cosiness but I can’t deny I do love the warmth of the sun. I think that’s why I struggle with spring. I’m too impatient to appreciate the transition. So this year I’m trying to focus on some of my spring rituals like cleaning and gardening to help slough off hibernation mode. There’s something so energizing about dusting off the figurative (or literal!) cobwebs and making everything sparkle for a new season. I’m also looking forward to switching out my wardrobe for spring and summer, it feels like getting a whole new wardrobe without having to spend a cent. Soon I’m going to start some seeds indoors, and this year I’m expanding my balcony garden a bit. I’ll talk about that more in a future post on gardening from a flat.

Maybe spring won’t be so bad. I’ll let you know.

What I'm looking forward to most!