By: Brooke Takhar
Every year when Spring comes to Vancouver, whether it’s hot and heavy or a sodden burst of grey rain, I feel like the lead singer of a relic 80s pop band with a long lead microphone, howling to the sky, “Can I get a HELL YEAH?” The audio feedback squeals, the mic drops and I prance away in glittery scarves back to my groupies in the green room. Something like that.
I love Spring. LOVE. I sat in its pale wan light this morning, still needing a blanket for my extremities, and thought about why exactly this season makes me happily lose my mind every year. Here are the three reasons Spring is my favourite fling.
Luscious Longer Days
These days, when the sun sets way after dinner, are what the dreams of working Moms are made of. Sure, losing that hour of sleep is totally terrible, but we get by and push through. Outside opportunities after the dishes are done have been unheard of all winter. When I can take my kid on a weeknight adventure in the waning hours of daylight – that is my beautiful gift from Spring. If it involves a gelato or last minute donut from Cartems, I look and feel like Mom of the Year.
The Blessed Lack of Holidays I will Screw up
Spring brings Easter, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Let’s break ‘em down. Easter. Despite what Pinterest tells me, it is still totally okay to be a champ at Easter by hiding store-bought eggs around the apartment and film my kid finding them. Easy. Done. No pressure and no way I can fail.
Mother’s Day. A holiday I blissfully only have to receive. Mega easy. (Any way I honour my own Mama is gravy. At this point she is just happy to spend a day with the monkey and me. So a win all around.)
Father’s Day creeps in right before the end of Spring and it’s been my personal challenge every year to make it amazing for my Husband. So I’m not sleeping on that holiday but I do have some great plans up my sleeve, so it can’t topple my love for Spring.
Whither the Weather
Like I mentioned above, in Vancouver Spring holds no false promises. We all know March and April could very well be rain boot and flipped-inside-out umbrella weather. We’re ok with that. Because every now and then we get the blue sky smeared with cotton ball clouds. It’s the best.
That little snappy chill in the air means I’m not sweltering and praying I put enough sunscreen on both my kid and myself. It’s the little respite before summer’s intense heat bears down in the city. Where a light jacket is perfect and some scarf action is still totally stylish and functional.
My kid can wear her cut-rate Princess gear without suffocating in melting polyester or freezing her tiara off. The deck gets just enough sun for us to plant some herbs or for me to think that would be a great idea anyway.
It’s all about possibilities, people. Something about Spring makes me, a struggling pessimist, think anything is possible. That positivity is power I can ride for a good long while. Won’t you join me?
What’s your favourite season in your part of Canada?
Are you all hippy dippy in love with Spring too? Let me know in the comments below.
Brooke Takhar is a mama of one monkey, based out of Vancouver, BC. She blogs about the trials and triumphs of parenting at missteenussr.com. When she’s not obsessing about her lack of DIY skills and exotic face creams, she shares her life and loves via Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.