It's officially been spring for 12 days already; however, in our area I like to wait a few weeks before letting my "winter guard" down. And after this past winter with temperatures often dipping below -20^oC, can anyone blame me?

So with the start of spring underway, what do we have to look forward to?  Traditionally spring is the time for renewal and rebirth.  For me that means a "honey-do" list of housework, a reorganization of the garage and basement, and preparation of the yard and garden.  In between that work, I need to find time to clean and prepare my fishing and hunting equipment, change my winter tires to all-season tires on the car, and get a splash mat down so the kids can park their muddy boots and coats when they come in from playing outside.

Where was I going with this?  Ah, yes. The renewal and rebirth of spring.  Besides cleaning and organizing, what else does spring represent?  Here are some things to look forward to: longer daylight hours, warmer weather, birds chirping, green leaves on trees and bright flowers.  Sounds a little too Utopian? It beats grey skys and salt all over my car.

With the house list under control, what about the kids?  Spring is the time to prepare for fun outdoor activities with your family.  Now is the time to get your kids enrolled in summer community team sports like soccer, baseball or lacrosse.  Now is also the time to get your kids' bicycles (or tricycles for the little ones) and helmets cleaned up and ready to go.  Oh, don't forget to stock up on sidewalk chalk and bubbles.  Those staples keep kids 1-12 years old happy and busy for hours.

That takes care of the house and the kids.  What about you?  For the gardener, now is a perfect time to survey your landscape for trees to prune, clean out winter debris, plan your vegetable garden on paper, and look for the perfect trellis you were eyeing last summer.  For the angler, now is the perfect time to dust off your prized flies, and research the perfect trout stream you've been meaning to try out.  For the hunter, I have one word: gobblers.  Lastly for the campers, now is the time to research and book a campsite for your summer vacation.

With spring 2009 underway, I feel like I've forgotten something important.  Of course! The start of BBQ and Grilling season!!  Speaking of which, we had wonderful and tasty burgers for dinner on the first day of spring.

Happy Spring!

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