Double-Edged Spring Night

It is easy to run, walk, or even trot with your dog on one fine spring evening at Pennypack Park. The experiences of the park inspire you not just while you are there but after you go home. It starts with breezes, over a nearby stream, that does not go through you but barely grazes the top of your skull. They are not cold and can be downright warm and comfortable. 

Pennypack Park is a place you make your own. It is many things to different people. Some people use it for voodoo or robbery. See it in the fall and run from misshapen vegetation.

  Rain, any time, or ice turns the park into a place that can swallow you whole with a wrong misstep. A dry Spring evening forces the flowers to bloom, bees to get busy, and fish to jump after the newest insect to float on the water. This puts a new face on the park. Anything that colorful can make you hang around for a little while. 

The air makes a point to embrace you in a union with local flowers to welcome you to the Spring. For those of us with allergies, the first day is magnificent. The pollen just gets loose. The other days, it is all about red, runny, and swollen nostrils. Sneezing is on sale and other people just watch you go through it. 

A Spring evening is not just about the activity. There is a very good chance you get to watch a sunset or a couple walk, joyfully, together, in-step. At the same time, you can turn a corner on a specific walking trail and realize some people show just a little more love, and skin, than you might expect. 

This time of day has a deceptive expiration date. The experience is all about how much the sun gives you. Daylight savings time pushes that night back just a little more. The right Spring night bounces your expectations, to and fro, with an idea. 

This is your time to get done whatever you need. You can mow the grass, or get the inspiration to tackle the grass, at some point. Who wants to do that anyway? Sit your butt on the porch or outdoor furniture. There is tomorrow. 

Whatever beautiful, somebody, is going to walk by. Spring makes people turn to bananas without peels. People just like to take clothing off in warmer weather. It might be the color, warmth, or active movement of your neighbor. The park is full of yoga pants, rolled-up sleeves, and a variety of shorts. 

You notice, but do not necessarily have to stare. That is the most important thing. No need to fall or your face or get chased out of the park.

Think about how you could climb to that roof. Clear the gutters. However, you could pretend, hide, and drink a cold lemonade or beer in your favorite outdoor location. Why not clean up the barbecue?

There are burgers in the downstairs freezer. Summer is close though. Forget that crap. Order food out. Sit on your butt again. This is the time you shovel a nice light meal into your mouth. Chinese food or pizza will suffice.  

That is just part of what makes Spring so delightful.

Spring cooks up the flowers and gets those wonderful fragrances around. The Spring's color palette goes into overdrive. Pink flowers, pink and white flowers, green, and red flowers paint just a small picture. Pedals fall and decorate your walking path.

  However, there are bees and wasp nearby. Watch where you put your nose and what might try to sting your cheeks, high or low. 

The beach season is so close. This is the best time of the year.

Nevertheless, this time of day, again, is deceptive. Spring is like a double-edged sword you can coddle too much. Nighttime is coming. Temperatures are going to drop. If you run or walk too late, a warm lather can turn into a cold shiver. You can not see your feet, and before long, your hands. The sun can feel so good that you can forget it has to go. I got to get home but plan for tomorrow. 

The fact is Spring is here. It is not going to go for the next three months. How many meals can you consider? What activities can you do in the park? What chores need to be done? What book is best for that perfect wooden bench? 

  None of it matters at this time. You have one objective. Move from one end of the park to the other. Watch the horse poop. Skunks and raccoons might be out soon so you might want to hurry. The season is about building those warm-weather expectations. 

 The cold chills, of Fall and Winter, are bundled until October. You get to finish your laps. Get to your car, open the windows, and take in those sweet Spring scents. Hurry, get to your car. Watch your back. Get in safely because it is the dead of night. 

That is how the perfect Spring night embraces and gets you. The point is to inspire and warn. A nice Spring day sets the stage for those things you look forward to. However, the real night represents the things that you might not expect. 

A homeless person, in a shelter surrounded by trees, can rush over to you and asks for change. You can give it to them or maybe, just jump in your car. If they get hit, it is not your fault. A strange dog, without a leash or collar, may feel the need to approach you. At least inside your car, you can admire it from a distance and call the police. 

The flowers smell and warmth of the season require you to plan. It is your choice to use it wisely. A double-edged Spring is the right kind of season. Overall, Spring has got your back but can stab you in that same back. It is your reminder of just what life is all about.