Spring time is finally here. There are dandelions in the grass, wood ticks looking for a host, farmers out seeding, and baseball is starting up.
First off dandelions and the green, green grass means allergies are finally here. Though the cold can be unbearable at times at least allergies and most bugs are hard to find in the winter months. It's one of the reasons I've come to love Canada, having spent a little time in Australia I've come to understand our winters are awesome because spiders the size of my hand don't exist here.
Yet, despite this major pro in the winter column, it is always nice for warm weather when it finally comes. That is even if it does bring little parasites who like to feast on your blood out of the woodworks, so to speak.
If these are the worst things we have to deal with for the warmer months in Saskatchewan, however, bring it on!
May long weekend for my sister and I was usually spent out at Lac Pelletier. It was the first weekend of work at Clancy's, which would be followed up with a full time summer job there.
Our parents decided they could spare us for those few days from seeding and we enjoyed the lake immensely. Not only would we get the first bonfires of the year, we would get to eat roasted marshmallows and bush pies. And, being crazy lake kids as we were, we would find someone to take us out on the water. My sister usually jumping in for a ski and I would follow for a wakeboard, but falling into the cold water was not an option as it was still next to freezing. A fire would always be going at someone's cabin though to warm up by.
On occasion if seeding was finished we would find my parents out at the lake as well, but this wasn't usually the case. They let us have our first tastes of summer as they finished up the work.
Other than that spring was filled with seeding. My dad in the tractor with the seeder, my Mom or sister cooking and hauling seed, and I got to use the land roller.
I actually came to love rolling. I'd get home, do my homework, and be off to the field. I listened to the radio and just made my way back and forth, jumping out to toss large rocks into the bucket whenever they appeared.
When we were little, though, both my sister and I got to play baseball in a town over. So, because we worked on a family farm I haven't actually played ball for a number of years. I think the last time was when I was 11-years-old and at that it was fastball. On occasion I got to play a little bit of slow pitch during the summer, but that too was limited and I haven't played for at least six years.
So, when someone mentioned the women's softball team here in Carlyle could use extra people I said yes on the grounds that they understand I haven't played in literally what feels like forever.
Apparently these many years and complete lack of knowledge of the game isn't blatantly obvious in my playing, or at least I hope it isn't. I'm told I have a good arm and, so far, I've been able to hit the ball when it's pitched.
Overall I joined to meet a few more people in the area, get some exercise, and spend some time outside. Therefore, I'm quite thankful that the others on the team have been understanding in regards to my complete lack of know how when it comes to the game. I'm quite a competitive person, so it's a struggle not knowing what to do or where to go and if I mess up it makes me feel quite bad because the others are very good. We had our first game the other day and one person even made a diving catch.
It's fantastic that they can be quite competitive and yet, be so encouraging to, virtually, a "newbie."
Something else I'm greatly looking forward to is my garden. I have no idea how to actually garden, but last year I managed to have quite a bit of produce by simply pulling weeds and watering. I guess overall the soil here must be pretty good as I had some giant plants.
I suppose it reminds me of farming a little and is a throwback to how I was raised. My mother was even calling me "Farmer Kelly" as I brought home bags full of tomatoes that we enjoyed.
Finally, time at the lake comes with the summer months and although White Bear and Kenosee aren't Lac Pelletier I'll be happy to put some time in at them. While typical lake activities are to be expected, such as reading on the beach, I will definitely enjoy myself on the golf course at any one of the fine courses in the area.
Though I do get outside during the winter, I especially like being outside in the spring and summer months.
I encourage everyone else to take in the outdoors this summer as well because being healthy and happy comes with being active and spending time outside, after all we soak in the happy vitamin (Vitamin D) through the sun.
