A bear gets to skip winter. What’s up with that? Not only am I jealous, but so are most of his fellow forest friends. It’s baffled me for years.

I guess it’s no different than snowbirds going to Arizona or Florida. We should all be so lucky. But most of us have a date with a shovel and navigate the slushy roads for four months or so.

But if the bear hasn’t awoken or the snowbirds flown home by now, that’s too bad for them. This is the time of year that is the most energizing. There’s so much revitalization and hope that builds with every increase in degree.

If we didn’t survive the winter, spring wouldn’t be half the fun!

Mother nature, once again, doesn’t disappoint. Flowers blooming, grass greening, trees blossoming, frogs croaking, fish jumping and birds passing through on the way to their summer homes up north. We can feel the energy all around us—it’s like an envirogasm!

When we feel the sun, not just shining on us, but toasting our souls, we are reminded that summer will soon be here. Are you ready to hit that hiking trail, drift down a river, pedal some hills, tow a skier, cast a line, throw some bags, drain a 25-foot birdie, grab the reins, stir the embers, mix a fruity beverage, spread a blanket and bar-b-que a sauce-friendly protein?

Remember, you don’t have the luxury of eating mass quantities and finding a snuggly cave to hang your hat. Enjoy while you can and make no small plans! Let’s make a pact not to be the ones who sit on the other side of October and say, “Where did that summer go?”

Tim Padgett
tim@peppergroup.com

“An optimist is the human personification of spring.”
—Susan J. Bissonette

“There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart.”
—Celia Thaxter

“To shorten winter, borrow some money due in spring.”
—W. J. Vogel