May in Noblesville is like December in disguise – only swap out the Christmas lights for sunshine, peonies, and a whirlwind of end-of-the-school-year chaos. We’re only halfway through the month, yet it feels like we’ve lived an entire season already. From talent shows and synchronized swim meets to cheer tryouts, tennis matches, and Girl Scout camping trips, the calendar is bursting at the seams.
Somehow in between Mother’s Day celebrations, eighth-grade D.C. trips, board meetings, and Taste of Community booths at the farmers market, we’re still going strong. And while it might sound like pure madness, I’m here to say: I love every beautifully chaotic moment of May.
Just walk around downtown Noblesville – our city is having a full-on makeover. Peonies are blooming in every shade imaginable, decorating the Square and brightening Seminary Park like nature’s own confetti. Their full blooms mirror the fullness of our days – layered, vibrant, and impossible not to notice.
At the heart of all this hustle is a little girl who turns eight at the end of May – my Memorial Day baby, my sunshine in human form. Watching her grow up in a month filled with movement, celebration, and community reminds me how lucky we are to be busy with what we love.
May brings more than just activities – it brings connection. Evening bike rides. Farmer’s market strolls. Playdates, popsicles, and the first taste of summer freedom. It’s also the season of mangoes – a taste that takes me straight back to India.
Photo illustration by Pooja Thakkar
This year, I returned home during early mango season, and the memories flooded in. Mangoes there aren’t just fruit; they’re a celebration. Mango pulp with roti, mango lassi, mango pickles – each bite a love letter to tradition and family. I sat barefoot at the kitchen table, juice dripping from my hands, just like when I was a child. It was more than nostalgia – it was grounding.
From the golden Kesar to the bold Alphonso, every variety brought a memory and a smile. My childhood mango moments are now part of my daughter’s story, too, as she savors mango slices over ice cream in our Indiana kitchen.
That’s the real magic of May – it wraps the old and new into one big, messy, heartwarming bundle. Whether you’re chasing your calendar or chasing your kids, whether you’re savoring mangoes or a moment of peace, May reminds us: beauty blooms where chaos lives.
So treat yourself. Blend a mango milkshake. Sit outside. Pick up that book. Plant a peony. And remember – this month may be madness, but it’s also magic.
“To taste a mango is to remember where you come from, and to dream of where you’re going.”
Pooja Thakkar is working to build connections through cuisine. You can read her column each week in the pages of The Reporter.
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