Mornings still dark, days growing

It takes me so long these days to acclimate to the seasonal time change in the spring. Every year I think it's not going to be that difficult, because my biological alarm clock always backed me up.

Not lately, however.

Oh, an alarm goes off, but it's the one on my night stand next to the telephone. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't so dark outside.

In fact my grandson catches the bus at the corner of our property and, oh yes, it's dark when he heads off to school.

Things will be better soon once it all levels out and catches up.

I stumble out in the dark to feed horses each morning trying to find the latch to get through the barn gate, then the barn door and the jerry-rigged light fixture that I can never figure out on the first attempt - the same one that's confused me for five years.

The switch always seems backwards no matter how many times I've fumbled with it. When you have a cold wet nose nibbling at your collar wanting you to hurry up, believe me it's no picnic.

My yearling filly has to prove herself a growing girl. She doesn't bite or pull on my clothing, just likes to nuzzle a bit, eager for that morning meal.

Fortunately, the temperatures are leveling out - even in the early mornings.

Right now is the perfect time to save on your energy bill. It's not that cold, it's not hot. I love this time of year. My bill drops to the year's all-time low about now. Heaters are only needed in the early morning and when you head out the door, shut them off.

Spring time means longer days ahead. I miss them during the winter months when it's nasty cold and wet outside. But I can survive because it's much more comfortable indoors during the winter time. During the day recently, the wind blew so cold from the north, barbecuing was a pain as I ducked in and out of the house cooking those hamburgers and staying out of the wind that blew across my deck.

Now that the weather seems to be cooperating, I like to open the windows and let some fresh air flow through the house. The evenings have been so balmy, I'm finding myself barbecuing on the deck several times a week.

It's so nice it's hard to imagine that before very long, we'll be plagued with hot day and nights. I guess that's why winter cold puts us so far from the last summer.

We forget, at least I do, and that summertime here is, well, not that ideal. But, then, in the summer we forget about the cold days and nights of winter. It's always brand new to me.

This time of year it's hard to know how to dress. So, layer it on in the morning and peel off to the lightweight, short-sleeved shirt. Sandals will soon be the appropriate footwear.

I'm already switching my closet and dresser drawer inventory to lighter duty attire. It's neat to dive into those outfits that I haven't seen for months. They're like brand new again.

I'm guessing more people are hitting the used clothing stores for recycled outfits. There are some great bargains in slightly used attire, but as a friend of mine pointed out, department stores have dropped the price of clothing drastically to entice shoppers during the economic decline. Right now, however, do you want long sleeves, short sleeves or sleeveless?

Go ahead and buy it, but you might have to wait to wear the sleeveless.

Sleeveless can go beneath a short sleeve shirt. Right now you can choose to wear short sleeves beneath a dressy sweatshirt for mornings and by afternoon pull off the sweatshirt to and reveal the short sleeve one.

Kids don't seem to mind just getting up and heading out in short sleeves if the sun is promising to shine. I've cautioned my guys to throw on a light sweat jacket until the morning chill is gone, but don't leave it at school.

April is one of those months that can really fool you. It can be warm as toast or icy cold, wet and windy. That's why the car show is Kool April Nites. Every year the outcome is rain or shine. For the most part it's been rain the past couple years.

So don't put that rain resistant jacket or umbrella away yet ... there could be more to come.

In fact many of us are praying for it hoping a few mid-spring deluges will off-set the drought season ahead.