May, Oh May

May is decidedly one of my favorite months of the year! Not only is the weather nearly always perfect in May and the flowers are blooming wildly, but the entire month typically feels like a giant sigh of relief for me at the end of a long academic year. Sometimes the jolt of switching from work at full throttle to a slower, more leisurely work schedule can be abrupt. I'm not complaining though! After putting in many late night workshops or weekend retreats, I am joyfully taking advantage of long morning runs, late lunches in the arboretum, and afternoon breaks for bubble tea. Ahhh, summer! I have realized now that the natural rhythm of a school year was a big draw for me in entering the field of higher education. Unlike the seemingly endless cycle of a corporate year, I have these predictable lulls to serve as my "light at the end of the tunnel" during those busy months.

In celebration of my new-found return to sanity, I have been doing some fun things that have been on my short-list of "must-do" in the area. Among my favorites - strawberry picking! There is something so spectacular about getting up early in the morning, stepping through the dew-covered fields, strawberry scents wafting in the air around you, finding a perfectly ripened berry and biting into it to discover that fresh berries actually taste sweet all the way through! Unfortunately, strawberry season is pretty much finished in the south. However, I would recommend that any of my northern readers take advantage of the opportunity in the weeks ahead!

We also made one of our first weekend roadtrips of the season (the first of MANY to come!) over Memorial Day weekend. We drove to Columbia, SC to visit our friend Lee and his dog Milo. Dewey and Milo became fast friends (or, at least wrestling buddies), and the humans spent the weekend visiting USC's campus and touring South Carolina's capitol city. I enjoyed experiencing a slightly more "southern" culture for the weekend!


We also had a fun Durham Bulls outing with the staff and families of Carolina's all-star leadership department. It was our first time actually seeing the Bulls play, even though we've been to the ballpark before for a Team USA game. The movie, "Bull Durham" is a must-see for anyone who visits the ballpark. Unfortunately, we'll miss Kevin Costner's big return to Durham on the 4th of July. Who knew he had his own band?! Apparently KC is going the way of the Bacon Brothers.

Our farewell to May also signals (to me) the beginning of the hot, hot, HOT summer season. Thankfully we'll get some northern interludes as breaks from the heat throughout the summer. June will be FULL of travels to fun places! :)