Daylight Savings

That hour of sleep I lost last weekend was great, pholks.

Springing ahead one hour as early as March 9 is “phantastic.”

Arrival of spring is always great, but having Daylight Saving Time moved up several weeks as it has been for a couple of years makes everything even better.

It's taken several days to adjust to the delay in morning sunshine, but now I'm well-adjusted. Afternoons and evenings are so much better and everything will be even better once baseball season officially starts for keeps.

If you pholks haven't taken time to notice, just look around and you'll see more smiling faces, despite the horror of ever-increasing gasoline prices and home mortgage nightmares. It's because of Daylight Saving Time, I'm convinced.

Just like there is no holiday for the “Springing Ahead” thing, just like there wasn't for Leap Year's Feb. 29, doesn't mean we all should not celebrate. I would gladly give up Groundhog Day and Columbus Day in exchange for Spring Ahead Day. A nice little parade or even some simple block parties or “White Legs Contest” would do just fine. No gifts or greeting cards would be necessary. Why have to go shopping on such nice pre-spring days? A romp through a field of wild flowers or a romantic picnic or a game of catch certainly is more enjoyable than the pressure of shopping for a gift or browsing through the greeting card section of a local drug store or discount store.

It's the thought that counts, so just tell those with you what you are thinking. It is lots cheaper and more meaningful.
If you are one of those pholks who just love yard work, “Springing Ahead” is just for you. Not only are there more things to get done, but you have more hours of daylight to get it done and at a pace which allows breaks, a nap on the lawn loungers or yard swings.

If you're mechanically minded and like to tinker, tinkering is better when you have more tinkering time with the mower, the edger, the needs-to-be-sharpened Hula Hoe and the dull trimmer, long and short handled hoe, and the electric or gasoline powered weed whacker or leaf blower.

If you've got a pool, you can work around it, even if you have a pool service. You don't want the pool service pholks to arrive the first time and see how neglectful or lazy or careless you've been all winter.

“Springing Ahead” is good for your vehicle or vehicles. More daylight means more car washing in the driveway, front lawn or curbside.

Even with the official start of spring a few weeks off, yard sales spring up everywhere. You can sell lots of stuff you don't need or want any more and make enough money to buy more stuff – sometimes even at other yard sales. Of course, that doesn't make much sense if you stop and think about it, but it's a cultural thing.

So even if you aren't a farmer, it is great to “make hay while the sun shines,” whatever your hay might be.

Miles can be reached at mshuper@valleyvoicenewspaper.com