Hope Springs Eternal
Field notes and a photo diary from early May
Welcome to the Michelle Seguin MD newsletter! I’m Dr. Michelle, and I’m so glad you’re here. This week’s letter includes a field note and photo diary from the first week of May in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Hello friends,
Field notes from early May brought cold wind and warm hope to this week's letter. I've included a bit of a photo diary sharing how spring is (slowly) returning to the landscape. I hope these glimpses into seasonal living offer you permission to notice what's emerging in your own landscape, both outside your window and within yourself. And a very Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mother figures in our lives.
With gratitude,
Dr. Michelle
I've been keeping seasonal field notes for a few years now, brief entries from a specific place and moment. Today's note comes from early May on the property. If you'd like to browse my growing collection of field notes, you can find them here. They are surely inspired by other almanac-style writers like Mark Diacono and Kate Hill.
May 10 - Temperature: 41°F, (feels like 32°F), with 16 mph wind out of the west. Partly cloudy skies.
“Hope springs eternal.” That's the phrase that kept running through my mind this week. We welcomed our bees and moved the bee yard from the old rail grade to the orchard near the house. Only one colony this year (a five-frame nucleus, or nuc, of Buckfast bees), set up close to where we can keep watch from the porch. Hoping proximity will ward off bears after losing our hives (again) last year despite electric fencing.
The first brood box painted John Deere green thanks to extra touch-up paint from the tractor. We often alternate between this vibrant green and indigo blue brood boxes and supers. Despite the cold, we captured a bit of foraging activity today.
What's blooming: Daffodils finally opened, their brilliant yellow blooms against the gray sky. Forsythia also arriving just in time for Mother's Day, those arching branches covered in gold. Some years we have tulips for the holiday, but not with this cool, somewhat late spring. For the first bouquet in the new house: I cut daffodils and arranged them in a repurposed passata jar on the counter near the sink. Fresh cut flowers really do make a house a home (even one still under construction).
Additions to the orchard: A second Montmorency cherry tree, continuing our Mother's Day tradition of planting fruit trees as we build out the orchard. Since reading “The Holistic Orchard” book by Michael Phillips, we’ve added companion plants near the bases of the trees including those spring daffodils and comfrey.
From the garden: Garlic and rhubarb greeting us through still-cold, nearly workable soil. That deep burgundy of rhubarb emerging, the green spears of hardneck garlic we planted last fall. It will be a few weeks before we see scapes or our annual icebox rhubarb pie ala Amy Thielen.
The week's highlight: Our seven-year-old son picked up chicks at school. It's not what it sounds like, I mean actual chicks. He became the proud owner of four baby chicks reared in his culinary and gardening class. He's named them all "Junior" and keeps a little wooden chair, gifted to him by his great great aunt, near their box on the sunporch. Next up on the list of endless projects on the farm (I think it's safe to call it that now)…a coop.
Who I'm becoming: Someone who keeps trying. The bees might not survive, the cherry tree might struggle a bit, but “hope springs eternal.” Even when it feels like 32 degrees in May after two years of bear losses, you still set up the hive.
What are you trying again this spring? Whether it's bees, gardens, new habits, or old dreams, tell me what you're tending below.
Seasonal Spotlight
A highlight from fellow reader and herbalist, Lior | Growing Health :
It's a perfect reminder of seasonal eating in action: certain meals you may get to enjoy only once a year. Nettles are up right now in the Northeast, offering their mineral-rich, tender greens for just a brief window. This dish is on my seasonal wishlist. Thanks for the inspiration, Lior!
Our May pick for the seasonal cookbook club is Dishing Up the Dirt by Andrea Bemis. This book holds a special place for me. It was one of the first that genuinely shaped how I think about seasonal eating. This book was inspired by growing, cooking, and eating from Tumbleweed Farm in the Pacific Northwest. The recipes are organized by season, which means you move through the book the way you move through a year on the land.
Here’s what we’re cooking from this month:
May 2026
Cookbook: Dishing up the Dirt by Andrea Bemis
If you’re new to the cookbook club, you can learn more about how it works and browse our full directory of past books and features here. Whether you cook along each month or simply read for inspiration, you are warmly welcome at the table.
A reminder that on May 20th 4pm EST/1pm PST, I am joining Beth Bollinger , Anja Lee Hall, and the Blood Sugar Method community for my first seasonal workshop collaboration, and I hope to see you there.
We will be having a real conversation about how seasonal eating, dietary diversity, and even a small container garden can support metabolic health and reduce inflammation over time. This recent Q&A with Beth is a perfect primer leading up to this event.
Registration is open to all if you would like to join us!
In Closing
Thank you for being here. If you're new, say hello in the comments. And if you've been here a while, I always love hearing from you! Share what you're noticing, cooking, or tending this season.
With love and care,
Dr. Michelle
P.S. If this note resonates, please give it a like or share it with a friend. When they subscribe, you’ll earn rewards as a thank you.
Here are my most recent Substack sharings:
Savor the Seasons Cookbook Club #16 - Featuring What Goes With What by Julia Turshen
from garden to plate: seasonal eating and dietary diversity for metabolic health - (special feature with Nest Wellness by Beth Bollinger)
So many wonderful and abundant things are happening this spring! You are in a flood of new-ness!
You are welcome and thanks for the mention. I use Micheal Philips books too.