Spring - officially!

After all the snow and ice we deserve a little warmth and color in our lives and we sure got it this weekend. The first day of spring was officially observed yesterday - I heard two different times for the vernal equinox about five hours apart so who knew when to stand the eggs on their ends - and I got my bike out to bookmark The Day. We have had temperatures in the low seventies, gentle breezes and blue skies - it really doesn't get much better than that.

Friday was the first day in shorts and one simple jersey - no layers. I really love going out on a work day, it is one of the true "perks" of retirement. Much as I enjoy riding with someone or a group it really is nice to have all the scenic backroads all to myself. I went to the covered bridge and rode upstream from the highway to the bridge. I saw a lone hiker and a photographer but otherwise the noisy, burbling stream was there just for my enjoyment. And with the rain from last week and the runoff from all the snow the stream and creeks are all flowing and at their prettiest. Today I went into the sourlands and again rode upstream (and up hill) by another healthy little stream. I even scared up a red tail hawk from alongside the road and watched him spread his wings and hover above me until he decided to peal off to the right and go looking for a tall tree to sit in. And it turned out that there were lots of people more interested in being outdoors than staying to watch the NCAAs - lots of cyclists and even more motorcyclists. I think of the latter with mixed feelings but those I saw today were courteous and careful, I probably could have held a civil conversation if we had stopped at the same deli.

I have lived in New Jersey long enough to know that summer is not starting tomorrow but am also enough of a Pollyanna that I'm planning on nothing less than more spring weather from here on out. If the daffodils are out today can the forsysthia be far behind?