Spring in Central New York

March. The promise of Spring is clearly in view. My husband reported a Robin sighting last week. My dad and I had a contest every year and whomever saw the first Robin of the season would call the other and sufficiently rub it in their face. I think my dad is smiling just a little at the thought that Andy beat me in seeing the first one for 2011. I am smiling, too.

Other signs of Spring in Central New York? The sidewalk! It is visible and we walk on it joyfully without the fear of slipping off the three inches of ice buildup that was there just last week before all that rain that fell and melted it away. The last bit of ice is ready to fall off of the roof and I'm actually looking forward to Spring clean-up. Ah yes, Spring. I can smell it.

And speaking of smells, we really need to get out there and clean up all the Max deposits that have collected. I could use many words to describe it. I could go on and on but I think "ewww" pretty much says it all. He's a big dog. We'll leave it at that.

The potholes are massive this year. At least one could be mistaken for the hole Alice fell down. Be careful! If you find yourself tumbling down, falling, falling only see a White Rabbit running around, crazily chanting how late he is, it might be time to fill that darn thing in.

As much as we complain about the snow at this time of the year (I think I speak for almost everyone when I say, "Enough is enough!") all the dirt and grime under the newer-fallen stuff shows it's ugliness and the mud is so abundant that every slope is a slippery slope.

Now on to my biggest pet peeve about the Spring.....parking. I drive aimlessly around the parking garage every morning looking at cars whose drivers clearly do not know how to park between the lines. As I drive by the fourth or fifth car that has taken up two spots, I begin to feel a twinge of Evelyn Couch when the young girl took her parking place and I want to scream, "Towanda! Righter of Wrongs, Queen Beyond Compare!" And then I want to push one of the idiot-parkers out of the way and skip merrily along my way. I would plead insanity. No court would convict me.

On March 13, we Spring ahead. Daylight savings time affords us more light at the end of our days! March 20, we will welcome Spring 2011! Yes, bring it on! Bring your mud, your rain and your wind. You will also bring sunshine, flowers and warmth. Everything wakes up and comes alive again in the Spring. It's a time for new beginnings, rebirth and re-connections.

Thank you, Spring.