It is nearly May, and T.S. Eliot's "cruelest month" is almost over. But in my academic calendar, May might be the most difficult set of weeks.
I have research papers, term papers, portfolios, and a seeming multitude of smaller essays and projects. The spring air carries the scent of summer, and I can see the days of nothing ahead when I write in my planner.
This weekend I spent hours in cafes and libraries, drinking coffee and typing until my hands began to shake. I tell myself that soon I will have all the time to draw, write, sew, explore, and [of course] take photographs.
In only a few weeks, New York burst into colour. Tulips opened and trees blossomed, and now they fill the streets and skies with new life.
Walking through the Union Square farmers' market, I could feel the energy of spring in my legs and the freshness in my lungs. My friend and I wandered through the plant stalls, planning the herb garden we want to have in our apartment. The jams, chutneys, enormous apples, and fresh breads of the food stalls convinced us that we need to visit more often. Return, we will.
Who could resist jams with names like "Fig Galaxy" and "Rhubarb & Berry"?
And the spring dresses rustle in my closet, whispering "let us out, let us out". The flowers dare to show their petals and the sun refuses to go home so early. My skin, trapped under wool for months, feels the breeze and dreams of water and sand.
Spring fever runs through my blood. My veins are vines returning to life, and I remember how beautiful green is.
A greenhouse of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Nothing like the winter-chilled world outside the glass.
Spring break has given me some welcome rest and relaxation. Besides work in the morning, I have been free to explore, draw, read, watch movies, and sleep as I wish. And with my extra time, I decided to actually make breakfast. Not elaborate weekend or brunch breakfasts, but simple everyday ones.
I love fruits and granola with yogurt or oatmeal, since they're all healthy and delicious but don't take much time to prepare. I also love peanut butter. Plain, on a spoon, is perfectly fine with me. So here is my week in breakfasts...
English muffin with egg. Banana with granola and peanut butter. Green [banana and spinach] smoothie. Oatmeal with banana and honey. Bagel with cream cheese. Greek yogurt with muesli. Apple with granola and peanut butter.
I visited the Brooklyn Botanic Garden today. Admission is free on Tuesdays, and my lungs welcomed the fresh, cool air. The trees and most of the garden are still bare, but I can imagine how beautiful they will be in only a month or two. The Bluebell Woods and the Cherry Esplanade will be breathtaking.
For now, winter and spring share the garden. Snow from Monday and Saturday waits to melt into the ground while fragile shoots and buds reach towards the sun. A new season is coming.
