A joyful to do list for May
I’ll be honest, I ummed and ahhed about whether or not to put a joyful to do list together for May. You might have noticed that I didn’t share one for April, and when I look back at the March list, all I can think about is how blissfully ignorant I was about all that was to come.
It feels strange to think about what the next month could hold when so much is unknown, but the point of these lists isn’t to tick off big, glamorous activities, it’s to remind us to slow down and savour the most joyful bits of each and every month. And I don’t know about you, but that feels more important to me than ever.
So without further ado, here’s a joyful to do list for May…
Cook with seasonal produce
May sees the first of the summer staples come into season, so why not make the effort to cook with some fresh ingredients? Asparagus, new potatoes, rocket and rhubarb are all high on my list to include in my meal planning this month. And if you’re on the lookout for some brilliant seasonal recipes to inspire you, I highly recommend The Mother Cooker.
Read some new releases
I’m really enjoying using the extra time to get stuck into some good backs recently, and I want to keep that up in May. I’ve got my eyes on some new releases, including My Dark Vanessa, Silver Sparrow and Exciting Times - all of which I’ve read brilliant reviews of. It must be a difficult time to be releasing a new book, but with plenty of bookshops still posting out orders, we can offer a little support AND enjoy a bit of escapism - win win.
Make the most of the extra daylight hours
May is the month when the days start getting really long ahead of the summer solstice in June. While long lazy days in a beer garden might not be an option, there are plenty of other ways we can make the most of the extra daylight hours - get up early to listen to the birds’ dawn chorus, plan your daily walk for the late evening golden hour glow, or simply enjoy waking up to sunshine.
Do some virtual travel
I don’t know about you, but the May bank holidays usually always involve a trip or two for us, whether it’s a long weekend in a European city, or a quick jaunt somewhere local here in the UK. With travel off the cards for the time being though, why not plan a little virtual trip? Pick a location and go to town - watch a movie set there, buy some wine or beer from that region and cook one of their national dishes. It might not be quite the same, but the novelty will bring a bit of excitement to lockdown.
Savour the space
I’ve always loved the month of May - the long days, the warmer temperatures, the two bank holidays - but I’ve also always found it to be an exceptionally busy month, one that disappears before I’ve even had a chance to acknowledge it’s arrival. This year though, perhaps for the first time in my life, that won’t be the case. There will be no to-ing and fro-ing, no days filled with commitments, no need to pack and unpack my suitcase. And do you know what? I’m actually kind of looking forward to that. Now that we’ve settled in to lockdown a little and found our new groove, I’m looking forward to savouring the space that this month will bring, and I invite you to do the same.
What’s on your to do list for May?
