Sunday, February 20, 2011

Winters calm spring erases, and the calma away the storm is chasing, everything good needs replacing.

I got nothing. No super interesting stuff is happening at the moment. It's a cold, rainy day out. OK, given the standard cold I've been enduring, I'm kind of happy it's warm enough out to rain. But the grey of today is a contrast to the blue skies of the past couple, and the sample of spring that had the entire town out in force. On a Wednesday afternoon, the patios were full, the sidewalk traffic heavy, and the doors and windows thrust opened.

Growing up in the South, I never got how oppressive winter can be. And truly, Louisville is not "North" really, but it's the same attitude. A little bit of warmth and clear skies brings the citizenry out in droves. After the months of being confined in coats and scarfs or bring locked indoors suddenly ends, it's time to open the windows and air out the house. It's time to send the kids outside and let the dogs play in the yard. Yeah, there's still a little chill in the air, but it's nothing a cup of coffee (or something stronger) can't easily overcome.

I guess it's time for the spring cleaning. I used to wonder why you had to clean in spring, seemed kind of dumb to just clean during one season. In case you don't know, the term spring cleaning comes from olden days of gas heated and oil lamps. After the winters of confinement, the soot and residue from burning of lamps, fireplaces, and hearths had layered everything in a home. So, when warm weather returned, and it was no longer so cold you needed to have something burning at all times to stave off hypothermia, the servants (if you had them) and you would clean the residue of winter away.

So, now here comes Spring time, kind of natures "spring cleaning", kicking the cold and dead of winter away. I do realize it's only February and this blast of spring is probably going to be ending shortly with a late snow, but it's nice while it lasts. It's a reminder that soon, if not already, the sun will shine and patios will be open and that the cold and dark days of winter are soon over.

But just in case the groundhog was right and spring has indeed come early, I've got my flippy floppies out and ready.

Hopefully soon, I'll have my motorcycle out and riding down Peachtree soon to get to work.

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