By Joe Rector
For the most part, winter seems to have bid us farewell. Yes, around here, half a dozen “special winters” are still to come, but the temperatures are beginning to climb. I worry about the saying about March: “in like a lion, out like a lamb.” Another snow might be on the way in the next couple of weeks. I almost sound like a weather prognosticator who covers both sides to avoid being wrong. Still, I’m encouraged that spring and warmer weather are here to stay.
I always like this time of year because Easter comes. For Christians, this is the most important day of all. “Christ has risen; he has risen indeed!” Our church choir, of which I am a member, will present its cantata on Palm Sunday. The week following Palm Sunday, churches around the world will observe Maundy Thursday, the time of the Last Supper, Good Friday, the day of Christ’s crucifixion, and then Easter Sunday, the day on which Christ arose from death. The basis for a faith that has existed for 2000 years is one that offers hope for all people.
I admit that I couldn’t wait for the grass to grow before I broke out the mower. My yard is far from perfect. It has too many weeds that make the place look ragged. Leaves that have finally blown off the oak trees lie in small piles around the yard. Of course, I’ll find any excuse to start mowing, weed eating, and blowing clippings.
In a couple of weeks, I might be going back to work at Knoxville Municipal Golf Course. I’ll crawl out of bed about 5:00 a.m. and begin mowing half an hour later to keep the tee boxes in good shape. As much as I dislike going to bed early, I enjoy the early mornings and the routine for each week. I also like hanging out with the guys before and after mowing. We tease and joke with each other. It’s much like a second family.
Sometime in the next couple of weeks, Dave will come to the house and open the pool for the season. He works wonders, and the water sparkles. Although it looks good enough to jump in, that move is ill-advised since the water is still frigid. Amy and I will set out the pool furniture and spend the next few months sitting by the poolside and finding peace and calm from just looking at that water. Our dogs find warm places to stretch out on the pool deck. When they warm up, Sadie and Harvey move to us in the shade. Amy shares her lounge chair with Sadie, and Harvey flops on his side close to my chair.
The flowers have broken through the ground, and their greenery announces the arrival of blooms before too much longer. Amy has worked over the years to set out a variety of plants. Most of them are placed to draw hummingbirds, and we watch them arrive each year and stay until late summer or even early fall. Her green thumb has given plenty of color and life to our outdoor areas.
Best of all to me, spring ushers in Daylight Saving Time. That extra hour of daylight always invigorates me. Sitting outside late and watching fireflies is something that still fascinates me. Yes, I love summer, but no other season is as beautiful as spring with its never-ending supply of flowers and shrubs that burst with blooms. I’m glad spring is here and thankful that the good lord blesses East Tennessee with the most beautiful landscape in the country. Happy Easter and happy spring.
