What A Week!

By Ken DeLaat

“Today has been a day dropped out of June into April.”- L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Windy Poplars

Wow, that was one great Spring this past week. 70’s and even 80’s with people walking around displaying a good mood and some seriously pale skin.
It’s why we live here. Months of mostly crappy days are forgotten when the Mitten tosses out those spectacular days of sun and blue sky and ice cream shops opening.

LSC Lily and I hit the deck at the Driftwood Friday afternoon sharing space with what seemed to be a convention of bikers who arrived in groups of 4 or 5 to connect, tell stories of past trips and make plans on the day's next destination. Scott Faulkner was setting up for later on when he and daughter Carmen (aka The Faulkners) would be treating deck goers to some tunes and a group of kayakers dressed in tutus embarked from the shoreline below to head across the pond.
It was like summer had never left.

Soon the outside dining at Hit the Road Joe will be opening, patrons will be sitting in the courtyard at the Moon Dance and Brew Works will see their patio drawing folks to watch the occasional golfer take their hacks. Newaygo Brewery’s cozy little alley will see action and across the street awaits the return of the Newaygo social district that had a short term debut last year.
All part of the  outdoor fun, food and frolicking to be had here in the Near North.  

Of course now it’s Sunday night, the temp has cratered by more than 30 degrees and tomorrow has that post-March 4 letter word beginning with s on tap.
Like I said, it’s why we live here right? The variety of meteorological mayhem that can turn April from June to early November in just 24 hours or less.
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So maybe it was just a tortuous tease. A glimpse of what should be followed by a body slam of reality. But what a delightful tease it was. A spate of April at its very best. The mid-Spring days one always hopes for and yet seldom see come to fruition.
But it is also the harbinger of what is yet to come. Days of epic weather bringing people outdoors in droves to celebrate in ways  only those of us who spend most of the previous months fighting off the chill can truly appreciate.
Revel on, citizens. OUR time is drawing near.