April 12, 2022 7:02 PM
When I entered the clearing, I was immediately hit with the subtle fresh smell in the air and the psychedelic colors of spring. Floral. Whites, red. Various shades of pinks, blues, yellows. I’m glad I can smell again. I’m glad I am in this place.
That was what I typed on my notes on a random day while walking in the park (after I had a COVID scare, obviously), but what a way to remind me of that specific feeling. I’ve often said that Autumn/Fall is my favorite time of the year just because it’s when all my favorite colors come to life… but Spring is a close second. I moved to Northern Ireland in the middle of winter. To be honest, I was close to being depressed because of the homesickness and, of course, the drab weather. But then a couple of months in and something magical happened: SPRING! And I started to see Belfast in a new light. And with my usual, easily fascinated self and armed with my trusty phone camera (thank you, Google Pixel!), I took hundreds of photos to remind me how something could transform and bring me so much joy.
To follow are some of the photos I took. These may just be a fraction of it, but I figured I wanted a space for these photos in this blog. Autumn is here already (as of writing) and what a perfect time to finally put these out here before another batch of photos is posted in this little space of mine. 🤗
"On the new edge of springtime when I stand on the front porch shading my eyes from the weak morning light, sniffing out a tinge of green on the hill and the scent of yawning earthworms, oh, boy, then! I roll like a bear out of hibernation […] Come the end of the dark days, I am more than joyful. I am nuts." ― Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life
And it’s not just the flowers. Spring also proved to be the perfect time to go exploring. It is still cold, not the biting cold of winter, but a welcome one. We went to park walks and hikes. It was fascinating to see new blooms whenever I visit a place after a time. Things kept on popping and they were a nice surprise. This weather taught me to literally and figuratively stop and smell the flowers (no matter how cliche that may sound). It was a great time.
"It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine..." ― Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
I would definitely be looking forward to Spring again come next year and will be sure to document it again. I’m glad I get to experience it like this. 🌼
Places where these photos were taken:
- Queen’s University
- Botanic Gardens
- Ormeau Park
- Lagan Regional Valley Park
- Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon Park
- Mussenden Temple and Downhill Demesne
- Giant’s Causeway
P.S. Yes, the title of this post is based on the Endless Love korean series. Will this be the start of me using all the season titles in my blog posts? Who knows? 😂
Pages and Coffee Cups 
What a lovely post! Your beautiful pictures and the quotes you shared really brightened my morning.
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