Thankfully, spring has finally sprung

COLUMN

By Ashley Vasquez

I don’t know about you, but I am really relieved that spring has finally sprung.

This past winter really did a number on me, as I am guessing it did on most people. If it wasn’t snowing, it was freezing, and it felt as if Mother Nature was never going to let up.

However, spring seems to finally be here and despite my horrible allergies — it is more than welcome. I never really used to get too excited about the spring or fall seasons because they didn’t include a Slip n’ Slide or Santa Claus. But now that I am older, the spring and fall seasons are much more special.

As much as I love the spring, this is the first year I have had a lawn, and yard work is not an easy task. My husband and I made the fatal mistake of not doing a good lawn cleaning in the fall, so the wet weather this winter and spring, combined with two rambunctious dogs, made quite a mess for us to clean up this past week.

When I was young, I used to think my dad was lucky to get to mow the lawn or that my mom was cool for planting flowers. After hours of bagging gross leaves, picking up what felt like a few thousand sticks and twigs and several wheelbarrow trips to the truck, I realized how silly and untrue that notion really was.

But despite all of the hard work, I actually enjoyed myself. There is something special about a little bit of hard labor. Cleaning your house is more like maintenance, and I don’t usually feel satisfied with a job well done in that arena. But, once Jorge and I had finished cleaning that lawn, I felt empowered and as if I had really done something, even if it was a small task like yard work.

After the mess was cleaned, I decided to get down and dirty planting flowers, laying mulch and beautifying our front lawn and the back yard. Now, I am not sure how long I can keep these poor plants alive, but right now, it looks pretty darn nice around the Vasquez house.

The winter kept us all indoors and pinned up with too much energy and nothing productive to really do outdoors. But, now that spring is finally here, I hope everyone gets the chance to get their hands dirty, feel the earth (including its many yucky worms!) and be a part of the world beyond the television. I know I needed it and I can feel my thumbs turning green as I write.