Is it Spring yet!?

I’ve heard a few folks of late comment that it seems like it has been a long winter.  I confess, I am among those so commenting.  “Winter” seemed to start the end of October after a glorious Fall season.  Now, don’t get us wrong, we are more than grateful for the much prayed for moisture, but beware, coming to a neighborhood near you, if you live in La Sal environs, mud season will be here any day.  And, it is going to be a spectacular one this year. 
Nonetheless, events have been and continue to take place in the village.  Yesterday, or maybe the day before depending on when you read this, it was Pie Day or more correctly Pi Day.  This has become an annual event.  It all started at 7:00 p.m. at the community center.  It was a bring your own pie to share.  
Happening each Thursday night through the winter and on into spring is Teen Night.  This is the brain child of Kristl Johnson, as are most events that take place in La Sal including Pi/Pie night. There are quite a few teens in our little town and they come together each week to visit, have fun and especially learn.  They’ve had presentations on such topics as Adulting 101, balancing a check book (does anyone use a checkbook anymore?).  Well make that money management skills.  Those are still vital.  They do have fun as well.  There is a basketball night every now and then too. 
Not to be outdone, the all ladies of La Sal have a monthly slate of activities.  The first will be March 28th, learning about finances and investing.  You are never too old for that.  This will be at 7:00 p.m. at the LDS Church.  Next month will be fire prevention taught by members of our local volunteer fire department.  Oh, and hurrah, in May a Spring topic – gardening.  Perhaps it will be spring by then. 
Don’t look now, but speaking of springing, this weekend we “spring forward” or in other words, we lose and hour of sleep Saturday night.  This will take some adjusting as Daylight Saving Time begins. 
Several folks mentioned another “spring” happening – moving cattle down the road as happened this last Saturday.  It’s something we encounter now and then in our agrarian community. There is an etiquette involved when you encounter such a mob in your travels. 
In the old days, when I lived with a cowboy*, there were two distinct kinds of reactions folks had to meeting a herd of cows in their travels.  Actually, I’d like to have a nickel for each photo taken when people thought they’d encountered shades of the old west.  Those were the nice folks.  
Then there were the ones who felt put out and were very rude in displaying their feelings. They would holler and bang and make other disturbing noises, all of which did not in any way help the situation.  A cowboy* I know was not shy about taking his lariat off his saddle and whanging it on the hood of the rude person’s vehicle while issuing a lot of “cow” words.  Not a good situation. ‘Course he did this one time and found himself looking down the barrel of a rifle held by someone who should have known better – an old, retired cowboy himself.  The next day, the ”shooter” came by cow camp to apologize.  He did so by leading with his chin.  “Right there, put one right there!  I know better!”  Apology was accepted and the friendship restored. 
Here is the proper way of navigating through a bovine herd in your travel space.  If they are moving toward you, just patiently wait until they pass by.  You can even creep very slowly through the herd as well.   
If the cattle are moving in the same direction move slowly and the cattle will usually part for you creating a travel path.  If you are lucky, some nice cowboy will come by and lead you through the mob.  Bottom line:  be patient.  Are we really in that big a hurry?   
*Name withheld to protect the guilty.