Spring

I think it is finally safe to say that spring is here. I saw a few examples this past Easter weekend that gave me this grand deduction. So we’ll see if you have noticed any of these items as well.

First, the bikes are out! Oh sure, there was a bike here and a bike there during some of the milder winter days (if there were any), but now whole families are out. Sometimes mom leading the pack with two or three children in the middle and Dad bringing up the rear, often times pulling a trailer with the latest edition to the family in it. All of them with safety in mind because they all sport riding helmets.

The sound of lawn mowers! It’s not necessarily because the grass is already growing, but that special thatcher blade is spinning around the yard getting some of the old dead clippings up, making it ready for a new growth of green. Which of course if you fertilize and make sure it’s watered you’ll be cutting that lawn twice a week through early October.

Loved seeing the roller blades out too. Also, I still for the life of me I can’t figure out why you guys want to skate right down the middle of the road. It’s like a challenge to see if you can handle those deep potholes that are all over the place. Or, wait to see what that Yukon will do in a “chicken” match. I’m all for getting exercise but that one I’ve never been able to figure out. Drop a note and let me know, could you?

Speaking of potholes, what a money making idea I’ve got for the city coffers. Until these potholes can be fixed, and there are a ton of them, let’s add this to those “Bump” signs. Something like “This pothole brought to you by ‘Alignment by Bob’ if you hit too hard, swing by and see Bob.” That would be sweet! It would give you plenty of warning, and if you hit it square and knock your ride out of alignment, you got a place to go to get it fixed. By the way, you know they’re bad this year when you hit a pothole and your cd skips in your player.

The initial signs of buds popping up on trees, so full foliage is near. Bulbs beginning to come up in the gardens. The city parks have dried up from the spring melt and kids of all ages are back in action.

Another sure sign of spring is road construction. While prep work with the utilities were being done, it looks like drivers are already seeking alternative routes on 25th St. as they will widen it to six lanes from 17th Ave. S. to the Interstate. But that’s just one project; we’ll keep you posted on KFGO.

This is just a handful. Clean-up week will soon be here. Gasoline prices will bounce I’m sure. But somehow one thing always sticks in my mind during this time of year and lasts through October. Baseball! There’s one thing about following the Twins as long as I have, while walking or riding the bike, you hear the voices of Corey Provus and Dan Gladden coming from garages everywhere and it just makes you feel that spring is here. Even if they did lose over 90 games the last 3 seasons.