DEJA’ VU AND TIMING

How incredible. How similar and how hilarious. Some of my readers might recall my article describing my dual purpose trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C.. three summers ago. The first priority was to buy an outboard motor for my collection. The second was to invest in a fresh supply of fried, soft crab sandwiches. I had just spoiled myself with a scrumptious soft crab sandwich at one of those rapidly disappearing Ma and Paw restaurants and was leaving the building with a bag full of same for a couple of close friends.

Outside, I witnessed a young man, with head bent downward, closely observing the glowing keypad of a hand held device. He went to the right a few steps and stopped. Then 180 degrees, several steps, stopped and continued another direction. Suddenly his progress abruptly halted. He slammed into the brick wall of the restaurant and down he went. Looking up at me, he admitted that he had made a mistake while following some digital game called Pokemon Go. One impulse compelled me to offer him assistance in getting up. It’s doubtful if I could have been much use, because my sides were about to split open from stifling a bad case of spontaneous laughter.

A few minutes later, I was privileged to witness three young people, apparently playing the same game. They continued right down the fishing pier and all three stepping off the end, falling into water below. It’s certain that salt water fried their expensive phones. Spasms of involuntary laughter almost made me drop my bag of soft crabs. Driving home later, safety compelled me to pull over as I recounted the powers of electronic addiction, affecting many young people. Timing was unquestionably responsible for those hilarious moments that will last a lifetime.

Speaking of timing. I’ve been hearing a lot of comments lately about how the weather folks delighted us with about five days of springlike temperatures. Yep, saw two different kinds of warblers that usually don’t arrive until around the first week in March. They got fooled, too. Oh yes, a few islands of jonquils, successfully managed to push up through the leaves of my yard. And one of those delightfully green stalks made my day. It was topped with a fully opened yellow bloom – first of the year.

It often helps most of us to consider a few natural facts that are behind the often sudden appearance of harbingers of spring. First, Dec. 22, our planet shifts on it’s rotational axis. That was the shortest day of the year. At first, there is only a tiny increment of change – much too brief to be noticed by our senses. But gradually, as the earth changes it’s tilt, dawn arrives a tad bit earlier each day and sunset is pushed back by an equally small increase. By the end of January, our days are becoming longer by 1.7 minutes each day. By the middle of March, we are gaining almost three minutes per day. More available sunlight means more warmth.

Before we know it, we see critters that we haven’t seen for almost six months. We hear sounds, like spring peepers harmonizing on warm nights,

PUSHING THE SEASON — Left, in spite of what the weatherman says, these beautiful plants sense the change in light and warmth. They are among the first to emerge, as a promise for spring. birds singing their courting songs, critters acting frisky and the crappie down at the lake are trying to jump in my cooler.

It’s difficult to wait for a calendar to tell me that seasons are churning. A few days in the 60s does something inside my head. I get so excited over a few extra minutes each day that I can’t stand it. I might be found outside washing off my boat, charging the batteries, doing maintenance on the motor, fishing equipment – – when the temperature might be in the 30s. Even without a reminder from the weather folks, something wonderful is galloping towards us. Got the fever early (again). Look out crappie. You’re gonna be in BIG TROUBLE. Yippeeeee!!!!!