letters to may manifestations

a may bucket list, dos and don'ts, and the general vibe to romanticize the month of may

your bucket list and vibe for may

people are gardening, flowers are blooming, groups are going hiking and camping, picnic baskets are being taken to the park, and people are grabbing their lightsabers and going to the theater for star wars re-releases (or, if you’re like me, going to star wars-themed burlesque shows!).

may is here, and we are at the crossroads of spring and summer. beltane lands on may 1 and invites us to relish in this special in-between. if you’re not a pagan like me, may is still a special time! it’s the last month before summer comes and brings with her unbearable heat, the longest days and shortest nights, and other summer rituals. may is a time of graduations, long memorial day weekends, and even learn to ride a bike day and national comfort month (not as fun as it sounds — it’s run by a heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration company).

sunscreen is being slathered, weekends are designated for being outside with loved ones or alone, lawnmowers are revving up, farmer’s markets are bustling, strawberries are being savored, and cherry pies are being made. people are drinking cocktails and sodas on patios, when the server asks “inside or outside,” groups are looking at each other with hesitant smiles and saying, “let’s do outside!” bare feet slipped into sandals are back, baby (for better or worse), sundresses are on, and shorts are replacing jeans.

may is for the sweet sense of liminality, the knowledge that mid-spring is fleeting. summer break is reuniting families and freeing up college students to enjoy their precious time off. adults are using their precious vacation days, and when you send an email, you get an auto-reply back that they are out of the office.

so, here’s your may bucket list:

• drink a lavender lemonade - lavender is not required, of course, but an extra flavor can make it extra fun

• enjoy a slice or strawberry cheesecake or pie

• take a stroll at your local botanic garden, or visit one if you’re traveling!

• go on either a walk or hike somewhere beautiful

• bake something… bonus points if you share with someone else

• host a picnic, either solo, with one other person, or a small group

• take a book to a cafe or brewery and read

• go to a farmer’s market

• buy yourself a bouquet of flowers

• deep clean at least one area of your home

• send someone a postcard

• go thrifting

comment your bucket list <3

if you want more, I highly recommend Notes On: How to Romanticise May by Hannah Connolly (my favorite).

Notes On: How to Romanticise May