SPRING Forward

The pear tree is leafing. The daffodils are poking through the pine straw. The ospreys are adding to their messy nests from last year.

Yep, it's Spring - or almost - the time of the year we here in most of the United States set our clocks up an hour to have more daylight in the evening. Of course, it's darker in the morning. When we walk Bogey, our standard poodle - talk about springing forward! - it's eerie to see school children standing at the bus stops in darkness. I never thought that was a good idea. That's probably one of the reasons most mothers are lurking nearby in a car or under an umbrella. It is Spring, showers and flowers and all that.

When I was in school I never liked the idea of going to bed when it was still daylight. We had April and May to get through before summer bedtime hours kicked in.

Now that I write and promote my works all day and play golf when I'm not writing or promoting, I get tired and sometimes lay my head down early. Today it will be dark; tomorrow it might be light. I can't go to sleep in daylight. My brain says nap, which I don't do. But, should I need to rest my eyes during the day, I wake in an hour's time. But once in my pajamas, book marked, teeth brushed, computer turned off, blinds drawn, I don't want to wake up in an hour, I want to get at least six hours of sound, soul-replenishing sleep.

I'm not going to grumble about kids outside tossing balls, roller-blading and screaming their lungs raw while I try to sleep, because that's as natural as sunrise and sunset.

Daylight savings, they say, saves electricity. I don't know. I have never slept with the light on.