June is the official start of summer! As schools let out and graduations take place, there is a palpable sense of enjoyment, whether it be increased recreation, spending time in nature, outdoor dining with friends and family or travel.

May is the month where we officially turn the corner towards summer. The days are getting warmer, and the calendar is stacked with festive events such as the Kentucky Derby, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and various graduations.

April showers bring may flowers; the month of April has really taken this adage to heart! Rain is already here and falling steadily, and “awakening the earth” to quote a dear friend.

As soon as we flip the page from February to March, it feels like Spring is on our doorstep. The sun seems to shine differently, and there’s an earnest hope for warmer weather and loner days.

We made it through January! Somehow, I don’t think that people in the Southern Hemisphere feel as if it lasts 300 days!

New Year’s represents a time to reflect on the past year – the highs, the lows, the wins, the losses – and to celebrate your growth and make peace with whatever you need to let go of so you don’t bring that negative energy into the new year.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year with sparkling lights abound, and shoppers bustling about, toting festive packages promising holiday cheer. The spirit of giving is everywhere.

November is one of my favorite months of the year as I get to celebrate another turn around the sun! Autumn still brings warm, sunny days with slightly cooler evenings, signaling the arrival of winter and all the cozy feels and foods.

The deeper we get into autumn, the more I enjoy spending time in the kitchen preparing cool weather, family favorite recipes.

The end of August is always bittersweet as we bid farewell to thel ong, relaxed days of summer. Yet turning the corner into September after the holdiay weekend always seems to beckon fall with renewed energy and the excitements of reuniting with friends and colleagues whether at work or school.

July is the midway point of the summer; a delicious stretch of long, warm sun-drenched days and the promise of a continued slower pace unfolding in the days ahead.

Welcome back, summer, we’ve missed you so! While the season doesn’t officially kick off until the third week of the month, warmer temperature and a spirit of joyfulness have already made its way into the early days of June.

May is the gateway to summer in the northern hemisphere where days become slightly longer and warmer, and dreams of summer plans float expectantly on the horizon.

The old, familiar adage, “April showers bring May flowers” means that once the rainy season passes, we shall soon see beautiful spring flowers and sunny days.

March symbolizes new growth, transformation and new beginnings. Warmer days, birdsong and colorful crocus patches proudly emerging through frost-weary soil, thrust winter into the rearview mirror as we eagerly await the arrival of spring.