1. It’s getting warmer outside

One of the biggest ‘bummers’ for me is dealing with long winters- – and I feel like this last one was one of the longest. The cold winds, wet drizzle and grey skies just don’t appeal to me. Luckily, it seems to have come to an end at last. For the past two to three weeks, I’ve been sleeping with my windows open, and it feels great. In fact, today, I wore shorts and sunglasses to work. Hooray for ‘casual Fridays.’

But why is it getting warmer? A common misconception is that the earth is actually closer to the Sun during the spring and summer, causing the weather to warm up… but, that is a misconception.

From Wikipedia: “In spring, the axis of the Earth is increasing its tilt toward the Sun and the length of daylight rapidly increases for the relevant hemisphere. The hemisphere begins to warm significantly causing new plant growth to “spring forth,” giving the season its name.”

2. I can’t breathe

With the nice weather comes higher pollen counts, and for me that means that my sinuses go haywire. Fortunately, I can track the pollen forecast on this website, which will tell me how I won’t be able to breathe that day. Of course, pollen counts really depend on the weather (temperature, precipitation, and regular seasonal trends), and the weather depends on where you are geographically located. My buddies in Texas have been “sportin’ shorts” for about a month now.

3. Baseball season is officially here

Do you like Baseball? I can’t say that I like watching it on TV, but I
do like going to a game every now and then. Something about hearing the
announcers and the organ music and eating hot dogs just spells out the
end of winter. Chances are you live within close proximity to a local
baseball team. If so, go check out a game with your friends or family.

One thing I love about baseball: the smell of freshly cut grass.
Learn which types of field grass are best for various regions of the country:
http://www.ultimate-baseball-field-renovation-guide.com/seed.html

Different types of grass are also be used to accentuate those cool patterns you see on major league fields:
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/question612.htm

4. ‘Tis the season of BBQ

Take advantage of the warm weather and cook dinner outside tonight! No
matter your food preferences, I guarantee you can cook it on a grill.
Even pizza- – that’s right, you can cook pizza on a charcoal grill…
and it’s delicious. In fact, while you are taking the time to plan out
a menu, see if you can grill up a feast using only local ingredients!
Check out one of my favorite blogs, the ethicurean, for some tips and tricks.

Read up on various types of charcoal, if you so wish:
http://www.sustainabletable.org/features/articles/summergrilling/charcoal.php

5. Stuff is finally growing again… including gardens

Nothing is more rewarding that tilling up the soil after a long winter,
planting some vegetables and herbs, and tending to your new garden on a
balmy spring afternoon. Better yet are the delicious meals you can
prepare with all of your home-grown produce. Have you ever tasted a
home-grown tomato? How about one that you planted, tended to and
harvested yourself? I promise that it will be the best tomato you have
ever tasted. For some gardening tips, try this site.