With the spring season rapidly approaching, various activities and opportunities are becoming available. That being said, I find it beneficial to provide different activity ideas to get a head-start on summer vacation in the latter half of spring.
Going outside during the spring not only gets you loads of vitamin D on sunny days, but also serves as a way to briefly escape technology. This can help boost your mood, give you energy and make you feel productive, all while still having fun.
Around the late end of May and throughout the summer, different berries will start growing throughout the region. Why not go foraging on different river trails or even in Frick Park, located in the Point Breeze neighborhood?
The different berries that can be grown and/or picked between mid-May and late August include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries.
However, foraging doesn’t have to be limited to berries. In late April and early May, different wildflowers and mushrooms will start growing throughout the region.
There are various wildflowers that can be found blooming around Western Pennsylvania in the spring. Three of these, which can most likely be found in Pittsburgh public parks, include Hepatica, wild geranium and dogwoods. Be sure to plant some as well, and read Cassandra Harris’ article in our previous issue about starting an indoor garden.
Be careful to not pick too many though. Leave some for our fuzzy bee friends. After all, they need the flowers too.
For mushrooms, keep in mind that you shouldn’t just pick any random mushroom you see – some of them are toxic or poisonous. Make sure to know that the mushrooms are edible. You should also learn the ways to prepare them and the areas where they grow. There are plenty of guides online for whatever region you live in.
While on the topic of going outside, gather some rocks and bring them indoors. Grab some paint from a craft or hobby store and paint the rocks. Rock painting can be very therapeutic and can even uplift the community if you place them outside.
After you paint as many rocks as you want, you can either choose to keep them for display, place them back where you found them so they can stick out or even lay them along a hiking trail. There’s a trail in my hometown that features several rocks painted by many different people.
For my readers who drive or have friends who drive, take a ride through the country areas of the region. Alongside some friends, drive with the windows down, music playing from a good playlist. There is no other experience that comes close to feeling the brisk spring air coming into the car while driving past carrot, lettuce and beet fields and livestock.
Another activity to do is bird-watching. Granted, it’s not for everyone.
Venture outside and keep an eye on the different birds you can find in the region. Start a journal dedicated to documenting the different birds, and if you’re artistic enough, draw the birds you see in your new journal. There are plenty of guides online for bird-watching that list the different areas birds can be found, as well as their names and species.
On the subject of journaling, write in a journal outside. Sometimes, all it takes to get your mind going is to jot down your thoughts. Read a book outside as well. Breathe in that spring air.
Buy yourself a metal detector and go find some buried treasure. People made a lot of money in the past from finding forgotten valuables lost in the ground.
Have a picnic at Point State Park. Whether you’re by yourself or with someone else, a picnic can be a great way to spend the day.
For those daring enough, take a walk in the rain.
If you don’t mind getting soaked with rainwater, taking a walk when it’s raining will change your life. It’s an experience like no other, especially when the cool rain hits you in the warm weather.
Leave your phone inside to avoid getting it wet and just take in the rain. As Natasha Bedingfield said: “Feel the rain on your skin.”
There are plenty of activities that can be done in the spring. Whether or not you do any of them or stay inside is ultimately up to you, but taking an interest in any of these activities can help you have more fun over the spring and summer.
