Spring has Sprung

Finally, it seems like the south, at least this part of the south, spring has decided to come visit for a while.  After what seemed like a very long winter, in other words, temps in the 20's, 30's and 40's most of the time, it's  become a bit warmer.

According to those in the know, like the neighbors who have lived in this area most of their lives, this has been a very, very cold winter.  Not like some of the others with terrific ice storms with lots of wind and even some snow, but cold nevertheless.  For a transplanted west-coaster, it’s been exceptionally cold, rainy and cold and even cold.  I think you might be getting the picture.  But in the last week or so, the sun has been shinning and the weather has been warmer.

Take this past Sunday for example.  The temps were in the low 70’s and the sun was shinning… just my kind of weather be it here or in So Cal.  We decided to check out one of the local parks we have seen driving by.  Of course we couldn’t find the correct entrance but an entrance we did locate - that allowed us to park and walk.  It seems this is a favorite park of walkers, people wanting to have lunch in the sun, and families with young kids who could play on the swings and slides and just generally run around and have fun.

 

Stasia, Jenia and I did the short walk from where we parked to the main part of the park where the playground equipment was located.  It is really a very nice park with lots of trees, a really nice .8 mile walking trail and lots of benches and tables for lunches or just sitting watching people and nature.  Of course there is a small lake with ducks and that will be great for later on when we want to feed them the bread we are gathering at the end of the loaf.  Jenia took the whole walk and said it was very refreshing.  For me, just the short walk we did pretty much did me in.  The good knee is OK but the other one is really causing problems.  To me it would be a better trail to bike ride cause it has little hills going up and down.  However, I’m not sure it’s wide enough to handle walkers and bikers… maybe during the week when there aren’t so many people walking.

 

For me, one of the lovely parts of this being spring is the awakening of the flowers and trees.  We have some lovely flowers in our back yard (which is large enough to take a nice stroll around) and some big trees.  I’m not sure what these flowers are… I think jonquils.  Around this area, one of the first trees to bloom is the dogwoods. They really are beautiful… but I have a feeling very messy.  I remember in CA in the spring one of the nicest trees and the one I loved the most was the jacarandas.  Their flowers are a beautiful light purple in color but boy are they messy especially when the flowers fall on your car.  Be that as it may, the dogwoods are incredibly beautiful. 

As I’ve been driving around town the last week or so, I’ve noticed all the beautiful trees and plants all coming to life.  I remember growing up in the Boston area, I always loved spring and fall seasons the best.  Spring was such a renewal of life with trees and plants coming back to life after the first few warm days.  And that’s what it’s been like here in the south.  A lot of the different types of trees still need their leaves to sprout, but the buds are there and just waiting for some more warmth, sun and of course a little rain to give them a good start.