It’s the end of the May and some of us are already enjoying 100-degree temperatures next week (shout out to the central valley of California), but for most of us, the snow is still melting and with that, the temperature is still fluctuating.
I spent most of my life thinking that we only lived in two seasons: winter (mild summer) and summer (extreme summer). When I moved to the bay area, there was a little more color on the trees during spring and fall. The four seasons weren’t a thing to me until we moved to Oregon.
I tend to miss the spring season with work ramping up and my constant daydreaming for summer, but there is a whole season out there that’s worth getting the most out of.
This year I tried to be more cognizant of spring and how to make the most out of it.
Tips for Getting the Most Out of Spring
Take Advantage of the Shoulder Season
I’m sure you’ve heard of shoulder-season travel- travelling between the peak seasons of winter and summer crowds. Spring is the perfect time to travel somewhere new- beat the crowds and enjoy the mild weather!
In April, we traveled to Portland for a concert and stopped at Silver Falls State Park on the way back. Spring is the perfect time to see waterfall flows and since it was mid-week, there were only a handful of people at the park with us, making it much more enjoyable.
If you read my previous post about waterfalls, I mention how different the crowds were from summer to spring.
Last May, my husband and I camped at Acorn Womans Lake, a smaller lake that is booked up for the summer and usually filled with locals during the day. Since the summer season hadn’t picked up yet, we were the only ones camped there for the night.
Stop and Enjoy the (Wild)flowers
One of the nature highlights of my year is spotting cherry blossoms. Thankfully, I live in a neighborhood full of these trees. I can bet on flowers blooming around the neighborhood and on my favorite hikes. Spring is the best time to see wildflowers that only bloom during this period for pollinators.
Whether you are trekking for wildflowers or enjoying your neighbor’s garden, flowers are one of the most beautiful parts of spring.
Earlier in the season, I went on a hike into the Kalmiopsis Wilderness with a group of local hikers. I was hopeful that I would see the Kalmiopsis leachiana, a rare plant that only blooms in this region. We did.
Get Outside
This will always be a topic of my blog posts because I believe in spending time outdoors. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Enjoy your garden
- Go for a spring hike
- Have a picnic
- Go for a morning or an evening walk
- Visit a zoo
- Find a local spot and sit on the patio enjoying your dinner or glass of wine
You don’t have to hike to enjoy the outdoors.
Find a New Hobby
Spring is the perfect time to get interested in hobbies and activities. One of the hobbies I picked up this spring was birdwatching. With all of the cherry blossoms in my neighborhood, it was easy to download the Merlin App and try to identify the different bird species enjoying the trees.
My tip is to look around and see what is out there- is there an event you’ve wanted to go to? Do you want to make new friends? Sign up for an app like Meet Up or look up local events like outdoor music. Spring is when a lot of local events pick up again. This is a great place to start.
Enjoy an Old One
Spring can be an exciting time, especially if your hobbies are weather-dependent. Every year, I get into a mental trap that tells me I can’t hike or kayak until June, but you can start enjoying these activities in the spring!
As soon as the temperatures rose above 70, Dan and I were on the water fishing and paddling during the weekend and after work.
Usually during spring, I get back into using my bike for neighborhood bike rides instead of going for walks.
I also tried something new this year- enjoying local hikes in a new way. I’ve always wanted to hike Table Rock at sunset, so I did it! It was beautiful with all of the wildflowers in bloom.
What are some hobbies you can dust off and enjoy? Or what is something you can do today to prepare for your summer-only activities?
~*~*~*~*~
Whether you’re an indoor person or an outdoor person, there’s always something in spring to get excited for.
Tell me about your favorite spring activity!
~C
The BLT Guidebook 
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