May I have this stroll?

What’s your favorite month of the year? Why?

I was tempted to answer this one by saying whichever month it is now as part of my aim to live in the present and find pleasures in the everyday. There would have been an element of truth to that answer as walking more has opened my eyes to the little joys of every season. For example, like a lot of people, I am enjoying the autumnal scenes of this month, particularly at the moment when the trees still have leaves on their branches while also having the leaves they’ve dropped seemingly reflected back at them from the path. I like the description of the leaves being ‘nature’s firework display’.

And next month when the tress are bare they will still add a barren beauty to the park, particularly when we are gifted with a clear, crisp, blue sky day and in the evenings it will be lovely to see the twinkly lights as we scurry home for a warm (or warming) drink. However this is probably where the romanticism will end as it really is difficult to find anything positive to say about January, it’s a long, bleak, dark month which seems to be filled with wet & windy days robbing us of the meagre hour or two of daylight we were hoping for. Although at least this bleakness means the first signs of spring are really appreciated and hope is restored once you spot your first crocus, snowdrop or daffodil.

Anyway let’s get back to today’s question and what my actual answer is. My favourite month is May for a number of reasons. While it is possible to find something positive to say about most months, the fact that May has so much to offer is why I love it. First of all May is my birthday month and I was lucky during the lockdowns as my birthday coincided with the easing of restrictions which meant we could go to our local pub, sit outside and have a meal. Their burgers have always been incredible but that birthday, lockdown burger was phenomenal!

That was a bit of tangent, now where was I? Oh yes, May. In addition to my birthday May also gives us two bank holiday weekends and more hours of light than darkness. The weather is usually pleasant, perhaps the odd wet day but there are usually far more good days than bad ones. It’s still possible to go for a long walk because even if it is hot, it’s rarely swelteringly so and the hours of light mean you don’t need to worry about cutting a walk short.

Plus in May both the wildlife and nature provide plenty of entertainment. There is still blossom on the trees as well as carpets of vibrant purple bluebells. We have foxes visiting our gardens and by May the adorbable cubs (or is it kits?) are venturing out and play-fighting with one another, sproinging about the garden and looking ridiculously cute. In the park I’ll get distracted from my walk as I stop to watch the ducklings, cygnets, goslings and moorchicks. Finally if it is a sunny day I can easily find shade in the woodland as the trees display their lush, green leaves.

So if I were to pick one month it would be May but while I look forward to all it has to offer I will continue to look for the positives each month before that has to offer – yes even January – and be grateful that walking helps me to see the simple, everyday pleasures.

That’s how I stroll.