Lilacs, Lilacs Everywhere...

Growing up we had awesome lilac bushes in our backyard.  I looked forward to them every May and truly appreciated them throughout their bloom as they're usually only around for a few weeks.  They are my parent's wedding flower (my dad made my mom a crown of Lilacs right before their hippie-dippie wedding!) so they bring me back home in more ways than one.  During college, they lined my favorite part of the Cooley bike path and were directly involved with my bike accident that resulted in 7 stitches in my chin (giving me chin whiskers for a week).  They lined the back fence of our neighbor across the alley in Golden.  Their dog would pretend to be friends with me as I smelled them, then jump out from nowhere to remind me that they were his lilacs, not mine!  Lilacs have been with me through all the stages of my life!

Last year was the first time I was unable to enjoy them as I spent the month of May studying for culinary school in Avignon, France.  I was happy to be experiencing France's Provencal country side, tasting French wine and learning tricks of the trade from top French chef's, however, I didn't get to see or smell one lilac.  Chris can can bare witness to the fact that I was one UNhappy camper! 

So here we are living in Ireland and yet again, I am thankful to be able to enjoy this experience of living abroad, but was quite dismayed when the thought of losing another year of lilac blooms, possibly two, came into my head!  As you can probably guess from the name of this post, I was pleasantly surprised during this everlasting Irish spring to find that not only do they have lilacs blooming over here in the Emerald Isles...they have them everywhere!  They come out of nowhere and beg me to smell them.  I get funny looks from the locals as I take time to smell the lilacs, but I don't care.  I have my lilacs!  So as spring approaches in your neck of the woods, and as you're strolling down the street, think of me and stop to smell the lilacs.  You won't be sorry!