April Joys – Tulips on Pearl Street
Normally, I wait until May to come back from my Snowbird Adventures. April has such unpredictable weather in Colorado. We have snow one day and sunshine the next.
This year, I’d heard that Boulder had a much warmer winter than usual, and I wanted to be sure I didn’t miss all the Spring flowers that have such a short time for their peak blooms. Pearl Street in Boulder has such a beautiful, colorful assortment of tulips! The early return was the right decision. How fun to be able to enjoy this rainbow of color on a sunny Spring day!
April Joys – Lilacs in spite of snow
The lilacs in my own garden are always late bloomers, but the very fragrant lavender blooms are popping up in all the neighborhood walkways.
True to form, Boulder did get an April snow last week. However, unlike other years, this one wasn’t heavy and the beautiful and fragrant lilacs survived. I’ve learned that rather than fret about snow, it’s better to savor the Spring flowers.
Five years ago, I celebrated National Orchid Day in mid-April.
This year, one of my projects is going to be to try and capture the lilac’s scent using this enfleurage technique I found on YouTube. Wish me luck at capturing that sweet smell.
April Joys – Friends
One of the most joyful things about being home in Colorado is the opportunity to reconnect with friends in person.
Since I’ve been back in Colorado, I’ve been enjoying getting back on the trails. Admittedly, April can still be a little cold for my overly-sensitive body. That being said, Mary and I were able to get in a beautiful morning hike at South Mesa Trail before the cold front came in.
For many years, I got out for morning runs even on the coldest winter days. Now I get to enjoy winters in snowbird spots like Florida, California, and Mexico. When I get back to Colorado in the Spring, it can be chilly, but it gives me a chance to bundle up a little and see the mountain scenery without the frigid winter temperatures.
And today brought a different kind of joy. My friend Cathy and I attended a Spanish Meetup at Ozo’s on Pearl Street. What a fun way to spend the afternoon—practicing español with new people who are just as enthusiastic (and imperfect!) as I am.
Cathy and I have also been reading El Hobbit in Spanish together. She’s an advanced speaker, so I benefit from every conversation we have. Language learning is so much more enjoyable—and a lot less intimidating—when you’re doing it with a good amiga.
April may be unpredictable, but maybe that’s part of its charm. Tulips and lilacs that don’t last long but bloom through the snow, and friendships that are best enjoyed face-to-face—all reminders to pay attention while these moments are here. Spring doesn’t wait, and neither should we. So I’m soaking it in—the colors, the scents, the smiles—and reminding myself, once again, to carpe diem in every season.
What a wonderful post!
Thank you, as always, Yvette for lifting my spirits. Perhaps like Proust being jolted into seven volumes of memories by the taste of a madeleine (cookie), your desire to capture the heady-but-light scent of lilacs brought a buried treasure to surface for me.
A small white porcelain jar with hand-painted lavender lilac flowers on it, tied at the neck with a very thin, dark purple ribbon. In this magic jar was the unmistakable and bold scent of lilacs in a floral water (a hydrosol–welcome to your new rabbit hole!) I treasured this little bottle in the way only a young girl can–with all her heart. It was a gift from my grandmother on my mother’s side. This grandmother was a very difficult person in my mother’s life, so with this newfound memory, my heart connects to her (and my mother) in the purity of lilac scent. My spirit rises.
Wow, Becky! Your reply is the best part of this post! You’re always so full of wit and new rabbit holes that I can’t wait to explore.. Two new things on my list to dig into: Proust and his thoughts on the taste of a madeleine, and hydrosol for my enfleurage project! If my project is successful, perhaps I can keep your grandmother’s tradition in tact and gift a sweet bottle to my own granddaughter.