OK, are we ready for spring yet? I most definitely am.
Although I grew up Arctic Cat snowmobiling in snowy small-town Saskatchewan where a chinook was only a figment of my imagination (or maybe because of that?) I am one of those people who could handle a white Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – and that’d be enough of the frosty flakes. In fact, one of the selling points when taking a job here in Medicine Hat was the lure of the southern Albertan snow melting chinook (which I recalled from days living in Lethbridge when first out of school). Chinooks certainly didn’t in my previous stomping grounds of Regina.
So, I was happy with yesterday’s forecasts of thundershowers (even if there was a chill in the air). Hope was on the horizon! Blue Jays Grapefruit League baseball is in full swing and their young lineup with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio (and free agent pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu coming over from the L.A. Dodgers) looks set to play some meaningful games later into the season (and did you hear the legendary bat-flipper, Jose Bautista, is attempting to comeback as a two-way player and relief pitcher? Didn’t see that one coming!). Games are on Sportsnet all season long.
Another harbinger of warmer temperatures is the annual Sunshine Home and Garden Show this weekend. That starts Friday at noon at the Cypress Centre (watch for 102.1 CJCY’s iconic morning host John Carter broadcasting live on location, he loves it when you stop by and say hi) and continuing through Sunday afternoon. This is the longest-running trade show in the Hat, hosted by the local Chamber of Commerce.
The melting snow drifts also mean it’s time to get back into the running shoes and out on the city’s fantastic network of trails. Did you know we are blessed with more than 115 kilometres of pathways going through nine major parks and loads of other green spaces? Great for everyone from those looking to set personal bests while jogging – to the leisurely bird-watchers in search of a relaxing early morning in the great outdoors.
And this weekend brings later evening sunshine with the return of DST (Daylight Saving Time, not Daylight SavingS Time, right? What do I know, I hail from non-clock-changing-Saskatchewan.) Don’t forget to “spring forward” as clocks will skip from 1:59 a.m. to 3 a.m. in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The debate rages on over whether we should even bother with the time change in this day and age – but if we ever do ditch it, I hope we go with the year-round later sunsets. So much better for backyard chillaxing or that post-work round of golf before the sun sets.
By the way, Sunday is International Women’s Day! We’ll be honouring the occasion on both 105.3 Rock and 102.1 CJCY and we hope you do too. Now, if only the first official day of Spring would hurry up and get here. It’s still two weeks from tomorrow (but who’s counting?)
Trapper John is on your radio weekdays from 3-7 pm at 105.3 FM and 1053rock.ca
