Image by § Mary § via Flickr

Back then, we had tough winters, too.  The old adage about March coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb was the rule rather than the exception.  The snow was often on the ground after the second week of the month with the only encouraging sign being buds of crocus and other bulbs popping through the icy blanket.  Then, miraculously, the air softened and on the wings of a gentle breeze all signs of winter drifted away.

Even as a kid, I was fully aware of Mother Nature’s awakening.  Besides the flowers, the pussy willows and their furry little buds indicated the dogwood trees would soon be blossoming and a whole range of deciduous trees would follow, sprouting leaves that would soon fill the landscape.

It was time to change from those protective winter coats to lighter outer-clothing.  For boys, clothing switched from corduroys to kaki pants.  Sweaters and flannels would give way to less bulky shirts.  The girls’ attire moved from long stockings and woolen things to more comfortable items. 

Children began to play outside for longer periods of time.  And, without the heavy clothes, the games we played changed, as well.  The bicycles and roller skates (the clamp on to your shoes type) came out, along with the scooters.  Boys starting tossing the baseball around, even though the ground was a bit too soggy to start playing at the park.  Girls played hopscotch and jumped rope, activities which had been confined to the basement or not engaged in at all during the winter.  Our world was suddenly alive.

At school, we played outside before and after class and at recess.  And the playground gates were open longer, even though it still got dark early.  Daylight savings time do not go into effect until April during the ‘40s and ‘50s.  Ahh, what a great time of year.  Even the end of the school semester was in sight.

Of course, the spring rains were still to come.  April always turned out to be pretty wet, but that thought didn’t enter our minds when the first break in the weather came.  The chirps of the drab little sparrows could be heard long before the robins and the other, more colorful, birds migrated North for the upcoming season. 

Remember how it was back in your hometown in early spring?  Be sure to share those experiences with the grandkids.  Better yet, take them on a walk and show them the signs of spring you loved so much back in your youth.