The Little Things

Now that the weather is finally warmer, I'm spending more time outside and realizing how good it feels to go at a slower pace, to enjoy more of the little things in life: the trees turning green, flowers blooming everywhere, playful birds or squirrels, and geese returning home.

This time of year, there is so much happening all around with nature coming alive again that, even in the city, I find that I can't help but "stop and smell the roses" from time to time no matter where I am or what I'm doing. It's such a welcome change from the cold days of winter when all I can think about while I'm outside is how to make my way quicker from one place to another. Sure, there are just as many things piling on my to-do list as ever but, once I've stopped for a second to notice a bunch of bright yellow daffodils, switched my attention from my phone to the chirping birds nearby or caught an intoxicatingly sweet whiff coming from a lilac tree, everything seems a bit more manageable and a little less threatening or overwhelming. It's a good reminder that I need to do this more throughout the year, and not just in the spring.

This past weekend was a long one, and it was long enough to be outside enjoying the beauty of our garden and prepping it for even more beautiful (and delicious!) things to come over the next few months; long enough to rest and recharge with my family, and yes, long enough to fill my camera with snaps of everything that caught my eye; my favourite, by far, was the blooming apple tree from our backyard.