Spring Training

It will be just about a month until Spring rolls into Indy,

but Saturday gave us a preview in the form of sunny skies

and temperatures in the seventies.

People took every advantage of the unexpected warmth

by coming downtown to see the sights, to shop, and  to enjoy 

the company of other people doing exactly the same.

Whether it was folks people watching, enjoying their lunch 

or an ice cream cone on the steps of the Circle,

people took the time to speak with others.

They chatted with visitors from outside the city

while lined up on their Harleys near

the Hilbert Circle Theatre.

Others spent time practicing 

their skateboard skills on the plaza 

of the Regions Bank, watched by 

commuters waiting for their buses 

just across the street.

It may have been a month until Spring 

rolls around, but the people of Indy used 

the day well. I guess it could be 

called Spring training.

In a Hurry

A week ago, the weather was bitterly cold,

with temperatures that included 

the dreaded "wind chill factor."

Saturday was a pleasant surprise for all. 

People who had been huddled inside their parkas 

were now enjoying the sun, 

taking in the sights downtown and lazing around 

Monument Circle. Definitely, everyone is

anticipating the coming of Spring,

in a hurry for the flowers and sunnier skies.

Also in a hurry was this couple.

Evidently they were running late for some

event. The young woman had removed

her strappy heels in order

to improve her speed and to reduce

her risk of injury.

Smart woman.

Downtown Saturday @ 7 A.M.

It was all love Saturday morning as I waited downtown 

for the bus that would take me to swim practice 

on the far east side of town. The sun was rising in 

a clear blue sky, the air seemed clean and fresh,

and traffic was sparse. I had a few extra minutes so

I walked over to the Circle, where the lighted trees

curved around a giant heart on the side of 

the Indianapolis Power & Light building.

Icy Pterodactyl

Another storm swept through the area this evening, 

coating everything with a mixture of snow, 

sleet, and ice. The ice frozen on a neighborhood 

shrub looks like some weird version of a pterodactyl. 

Rising from the snow to soar in the winter sky,

the long-gone dinosaur might also be the mythical 

phoenix, this time reborn from winter 

to bring us spring.

Lacy Crystals

It's silly, but I can't help myself.

I walked down to the convenience store to buy a half gallon of milk.

Most of the ice that had formed during Friday's storm had melted.

All that was left existed in the shadows of the bushes that

sheltered it from the sun. In fact, the ice was the shadow, taking on 

the shape of the dormant shrubs that hovered over the

delicate crystals of icy lace.

Tiny Ice

A storm front went through overnight, bringing freezing rain, sleet and a bit of snow.

While not as severe as had been expected, the morning commute was

full of hazards for thousands of drivers. There was a light rain when I left 

the house later in the morning. The rain froze on reaching the ground, coating 

the plants and twigs with a granular pattern describing each drop.

  

February Recess

With temperatures in the mid-fifties on Monday afternoon, 

residents of my neighborhood took the opportunity to play outside.

A pick-up basketball game in the driveway of a nearby

home occupied the energies of a group of teen-age boys, while

a little boy left his bicycle to go join his big brother

in a game of softball.

The respite from colder temperatures was short-lived, though.

Before I got home later in the afternoon, the wind had picked up,

bringing with it cold rain showers that brought my little

spring fantasy to a halt.

This yard ornament on the porch of a Speedway home, 

brought a smile to my face. Costumed geese were rampant

some years back and, although they've since become a little outre'

I enjoy the damn things and applaud the people who

maintain their geese in appropriate holiday gear.

Although Valentine's Day passed without a nibble,

I still hold out hope, even if it is a goose in a red dress.

Anyway ... be mine?