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Illustration by Mary Kirkpatrick
When asked what my favourite season is, I will often say autumn. That’s the word that escapes my lips, but what I feel in my heart is a different story.
Even though I love fall, I have come to realize I am enamoured with spring. Fresh buds on trees and the arrival of warm weather win my affections more than falling leaves and crisp days.
There is something about spring that awakens me. The days are getting longer, and the extra hours of sunshine and warmer weather are mood-boosting. We shed our winter clothes, ditching the boots and mittens in favour of sneakers and T-shirts. Children are on their bikes again and people are out jogging at all hours.
Soon I will be playing pickleball at an outdoor community centre. Not everyone is happy about the conversion of tennis courts to pickleball courts. But playing outside in the spring is refreshing. The higher-pitched sound of the ball hitting the paddle is music to my ears – much to the chagrin of the neighbours.
The most stressful of days can be lessened by a spring walk. On winter walks, trudging through the snow slows me down. In spring, it takes less effort to build up speed and stamina. And I ditch the headphones and music for the sounds of nature.
While out walking every morning, I observe the changes in my neighbourhood. Trees are budding, my magnolia tree is blooming and the dainty yellow flowers on our forsythia bush steal the show. No one seems to complain about rain in the springtime as it washes winter away and makes the grass greener with every shower. Robins return, and geese fly by honking as if to tell us to wake up.
Spring is also a time to declutter. This may date back to when our homes were heated by wood and we needed to clean the soot left behind. Some religions and cultures celebrate a rebirth and reawakening at this time of year. Many traditions include spring cleaning. For Chinese New Year, my husband’s family would clean the house to sweep away the bad luck from the past year and prepare for a fresh start in the new year.
A decluttered space equals a decluttered mind, and spring cleaning brings me joy. I start with my fridge and pantry. Imagine my surprise when I found a bottle of sauce at the back of the fridge from 2022. And how many half-opened packages of pasta can I have accumulated?
While I’m at it, I open the windows. What a nice feeling to allow fresh air to permeate our living spaces after a long winter. Recently a friend offered to help me clean my kitchen windows – a small act of kindness that meant a lot.
Looking out my freshly cleaned windows, the garden beckons. I have already bought seeds and soil to replenish the beds. My local garden centre was packed with people doing the same thing. It’s such a joy to watch others decide on which seeds to purchase, and overhear impromptu conversations and sharing of gardening tips.
When redesigning my backyard garden, I incorporated raised beds to win the battle over squirrels and rabbits. They’re also more back-friendly, something I appreciate as an older gardener.
I favour herbs of all kinds as well as easy and hardy vegetables including beans, peppers, kale and swiss chard. I also plant a neighbourhood herb garden at the edge of my driveway for neighbours to come by and help themselves.
Spring revitalizes my sense of adventure in the kitchen with the anticipation of buying and eating local produce. The first Ontario asparagus is such a treat. Embracing my Italian heritage, I can’t wait to make risotto with local asparagus. It has become one of my spring food traditions, along with cooking with rhubarb from my garden. These are quickly followed by fiddleheads, peas and lettuce. With the arrival of June, strawberry season will be upon us.
The season also makes me want to shop. A few new items for a spring wardrobe are a must, but also spring flowers – tulips add a burst of colour to newly decluttered spaces – and a new mat for the front door. My friends all seem to be in this same state of mind. Maybe it’s the result of getting rid of clutter and replacing some of what we’ve thrown out, or finally getting to the things we’ve put off all winter.
For many, January signals a new start and September is the beginning of a new school year. But for me, spring is a time for renewal and embracing the season’s many joys, inside and out.
Susan Marchiori lives in Waterloo, Ont.