What a day for a daydream!
Daylight Savings Time sure picked the right time to start. What a day to be out and about this 9th of March in a Madison WI that warmed up to 61° F. We heard birds singing this morning as we scraped Sunday’s newsprint off the driveway. The lovely Lisa says they are wrens. Some of it was Blaska.
Golfers were playing Odana Hills and The Oaks out in Cottage Grove — with snow still clinging to the shade, but it was golf. Fathers and sons played catch in Wingra Park even as a thin crust of slush blanketed the small lake. The canoes at the Parks Department concession stand remained stacked but look ready to get wet.
Blaska begins every week with a sacramental cuppa joe and an almond croissant at Colectivo. Barrista knows he’s coming. Monroe Street was hopping. Two small motorcycles buzzed the street, young riders in coats. Harley owners kept theirs in the garage, fearing residual salt. Parking on Monroe Street was a premium (but it’s all free). Families were celebrating a “Magical Community Purim Carnival” at Temple Beth El on the descriptively named Arbor Drive. Kids sure seemed happy.
The Madison BCycle rental rack was still empty; bikes promised March 15.
Turkish Kitchen was doing a good business. Very flavorful their food and it goes down lightly. Any and every dog in town was being walked. (If not, report owners to the humane society.) The Southwest bike path was almost as busy as the Beltline highway with bikers, baby strollers, and walkers. Homeowners on the West side put out little tableaus (one of which, pictured). Sometimes, it’s the little things.
Anyone know if Rudy the pig was rooting in his backyard along the bike path?
Beating the dandelions, panhandlers sprouted up on two of the four corners at Odana Road and Whitney Way. Workers at Madison Theater Guild, in that lovely old fire station, were loading up a van. Guessing the car washes were busy.
Given that it’s southern Wisconsin in early March, we’ve learned to expect a couple more snow howlers, Paris Accords or not. But we’ll take what we’re given — especially after the wildfires on both coasts.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: We were going to rant and rave about politics again today but Madison’s beautiful weather had other ideas.
9 responses to “Give spring a chance”
Glad you made the choice you did, Mr. Squire (heavy on the Mister!).
I had nap and 2nd nap between outdoor activities today.
Life is good.
I hate to spoil the vibe from your bucolic post, Squire, but in the 77 square miles surrounded by reality the progressive drums beat on. My lovely wife and I ran into a friend of a dearly deceased friend at a local restaurant. Her first blubbering after our not having seen each other for seven years was “Are you happy with what’s going on” (she is a retired MNSD teacher). She was of course talking about the whirlwind in Washington DC released by the silent majority (outside this fair city) this past November. When I remarked that the reason we remained friends with our dearly departed friend and her husband (also teachers) for so many years was because we never talked politics, she continued her mission aided by my wife who diplomatically claimed she was an “independent” (with her fingers crossed behind her back).
At any rate, our progressive friends can’t help themselves and remain steadfast in their evangelistic fervor to spread the liberal gospel to all of us heathen. What joys we have to look forward to these next four years!
Yes, many yard signs about.
Misery must have company.
Monroe St. was my WSJ paper route ca. 1965. We lived on Jefferson St. across from the Edgewood entrance. Those 64 acres were a great playground as well as the zoo, Lake wingra, the Arboretum and all happily accessed on my green Schwinn.
My sign of Spring is Spring training…..
I saw blackbirds and a meadow lark today during my walk. True signs of spring!
Here in the northwoods (Forest County) THE sign of spring is tapping. We collected most of the first run yesterday (210 gallons). It’s currently being boiled down. After the 9:30 firing, we’ll collect the rest of the run (we ran out of jugs last night). First canning tomorrow. Even with half a yard of ice still on the lake, a thick mat of last Wednesday’s blizzard still covering the local golf course, and a current temperature of 27°F, the first maple sap in the cooking pans marks the start of spring up here. Or at least the feel of the start. In 4 or 5 weeks the lake may see ice-out and we’ll be getting a tee time Despite this greenening, wise golfer will bring a snow wedge.
Rudy the pig was not there when I rode past yesterday, but his pig house is still there.