O Mr. Sun

On February 2, 2018, Northeast Ohio residents groaned in unison when that nefarious groundhog emerged from his den, saw his shadow, and superstitiously predicted six more weeks of winter. Regrettably, his prediction has been further delayed, for huge snowflakes are falling past my window as I’m writing on April 9, nearly ten weeks after his celebrated shadow-sighting.

Spring, O Spring, where for art thou Spring? Whether we borrow Shakespeare’s language or not, the arrival of spring has been teasing us for weeks, and we’re done with its endless taunting, although the images and numbers on my phone’s weather report may not be. I’m finishing these words on Thursday, with a high of 69. Friday is 77, sun peeking out. Saturday, 68, rain. Sunday, 61, thunderstorms. Monday, April 15^th, 40 degrees and those pesky snowflakes. Really? 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is the mental health diagnosis for those who exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year, most commonly in the winter. Even if we don’t meet the clinical criteria for SAD, by this point in April, we’re ready for the lack of energy and our craving for carbs to be over. Snow-kissed trees in April are not beautiful, Mr. Winter. Go away.

Time to stop whining. The Spring Equinox took place at 12:15 p.m. on March 20^th, and the signs of spring are at work around us, relegating winter to its proper place. Spring clean-up has been filling Ashland tree lawns with all kinds of treasures, ripe for the picking. Cabin fever is departing, as are the worst cases of flu. 

By April, the A&W has been open for weeks, and sightings of Lerch’s donut trailers are occurring regularly. I bought my first dozen in front of Planet Fitness in Wooster, a rather ironic location. Ashland is welcoming its newest ice cream this weekend, as Whit’s Frozen Custard opens to the public. With a fleeting look at their sign this week, my eyes missed the “1” before the “3,” and my ice cream-seeking radar forced me into the driveway, only to realize they were still washing windows and doing last-minute prep for the weekend grand opening. Welcome to Ashland! I was disappointed to see no sign of life at the ice cream stand on Cottage Street, only a “for sale” sign. Wouldn’t it be fun to sell ice cream for six months a year, seeing your name in lights? Debbie’s Dariette or Carlton’s Creamery? But I digress.

One of the joys of spring is the faithful re-appearance of hardy perennials. I’m glad a previous owner of our new house planted the purple crocuses and yellow daffodils that have greeted me already. Lauren and Greg have delicate lily-of-the-valley, a sweet-smelling reminder of my mother’s patch of the same flower, while Dan and Becky have forsythia in bloom already. I’m not a horticulture expert, but a friend thinks we have a lilac bush at the end of our driveway. I hope she’s right, as those ever-present April showers will soon bring May flowers, and spring will be in full bloom.

A traditional sign of spring in bloom in Ashland is the United Way’s annual Ring in Spring at the fairgrounds on May 4^thand 5^th. This year’s fun begins on Friday night, with a Phil Dirt and the Dozers concert. We can run a 5K in support of domestic violence initiatives, eat carb-laden Kiwanis pancakes or sample local food truck fare, test-drive a new car or truck, check out the Truckin’ in the Spring truck and car show, bid wildly at the auction, and discover those “just what you need” flea market bargains. And since it’s scheduled for May, spring should (hopefully) be fully present. It’s about time.

As Madeleine Kunin reminds us, “. . . winter will be forced to relent, once again, to the new beginnings of soft greens, longer light, and the sweet air of spring.” As the lovely Madelyn Simone and the delightful Elizabeth Holiday know, Mr. Sun will answer their pleas and will soon be shining down on us with a smile. And just think: before we know it, we’ll be singing along with Ella Fitzgerald, “it’s too darn hot,” because, after all, this is Ohio.