We'll take it: spring, summer, the whole thing.

“More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out
of the crabapple tree, more than the neighbor’s
almost obscene display of cherry limbs shoving
their cotton candy-colored blossoms to the slate
sky of Spring rains, it’s the greening of the trees
that really gets to me. When all the shock of white
and taffy, the world’s baubles and trinkets, leave
the pavement strewn with the confetti of aftermath,
the leaves come. Patient, plodding, a green skin
growing over whatever winter did to us, a return
to the strange idea of continuous living despite
the mess of us, the hurt, the empty. Fine then,
I’ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf
unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I’ll take it all.
”

— "Instructions on Not Giving Up" - Ada Limón, 1976

Yes it's true, we wait for these suckers every year. They make my heart so happy. I don't know if it's the anticipation of change finally coming or all the pink, but they particularly made me swoon this year. Winter was really tough; I worked through some messes and lot of hurt. Like I tell so many of my friends: "it's just a season - and all seasons have an end," I had to remind myself of that too. I had to find a way to teach my heart to be patient through this difficult season.

Spring (and summer) eventually arrived, and my insides are relieved. Life's better through rosé colored glasses, right?

Since we're in the happy place, we'll be sharing some recent adventures soon! California roadtrips, Miami beach escapes... and ICELAND!

notes:

- photos are from a spring afternoon at the beginning of May with my friend Mara at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. i always keep a close eye on their cherrywatch, and this year we went toward the end of the bloom, which is why there are so many flower petals on the ground -- like pink snow! hint: Tuesdays are free!

- i love this poem - i heard it read at my gym nonetheless! (it's not your ordinary gym...) it struck a chord with me, so i had to share.

I don't know if there's much more that captures joy than the joy of spring finally arriving. After a much-too-long winter, the anticipation of it all was just killing us. But by the time we got our first day of warmer weather above 40 and the flowers started to bloom...we knew we were going to make it after all. Summer is finally in view on the horizon. You can smell it in the air.

The transitional seasons in NYC are always a bit tricky, but they are the most enjoyable. We can't wait for the leaves to change color in the Fall or for the flowers to bloom in the Spring...but it's so hard to predict when exactly it will happen! We wait and wait and wait...and then by the time I actually make plans to go take that iconic walk through Central Park, either the leaves have mostly fallen or they haven't quite changed colors yet. I suppose the best practice is to be ready for things to change and bloom. To be present in whatever season we are in. Such is the seasons of life (good things bloom...eventually)!

One of our favorite ways to experience Spring in NYC is heading to check out the cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. And they've got this nifty map you can use to keep up with the bloom status. Needless to say, we've been watching this like a hawk for the past 4-5 weeks. (Yes, I always have 100 tabs open on my computer.) I watched it last year and still waited until it was too late :/

We were determined not to miss it this year and spent a quiet, sunny afternoon strolling, reflecting, and enjoying the pink wonderland. Once a new season finally blooms you've got to kick up your heels and enjoy it in good company. Meg's childhood Irish dancing days did pay off.