Seasonal Orinthology

Easter has come and gone.  And soon so too the snowbirds.  In fact, many said farewell this past Sunday.  Season is drawing to a close.  It won't happen overnight.  It takes several weeks to unwind.  But by mid-May it will be "just us chickens".

I always have very mixed feeling this time of year.  I will miss the full pews.  I will miss the classes that I teach every week during season.  I will miss the faces, the words, the interactions with so many of the folks heading to Wisconsin or Illinois or Pennsylvania or New England.  But I won't miss the traffic.  And I won't miss the non-stop nature of season.  I'll appreciate getting into my favorite restaurants without having to wait for a table.  I'll appreciate easier access to my doctors and massage therapist and so many other things.  It is, indeed a time of mixed feelings.

I've not done a poll of fellow year round folks, but I know many feel the same way.  I know many will be relieved when things slow down for a bit.  I know folks are tired of running full tilt.  But I also know we'll all be delighted to see the snowbirds come trickling back in come October.  It winds back up the same way it winds down.  Rather slowly at first, but then with a great rush.

Every life, I guess, has its seasons.  Its times of plenty and its time of want.  Its times of growth and its times of contraction.  But here on Sanibel it is so very visible.  Every year there's a time for coming and a time for going. 

I have heard more than one old timer say of visitors, "Glad to see 'em come, and glad to see 'em go."  And I guess part of the pleasure in seeing them go is knowing they'll be back.  have a good summer, snowbirds, us chickens will be watching for you in the fall!