Barbecue!

One recent weekend when the sun shone and the temperatures crept above 50, I decided to engage in one of my spring rituals: sweeping the mounds of sand that have collected throughout the winter on our garage floor.  The sand had been a blessing when it was needed, for it made it easier to navigate in and out of our garage onto the icy, north-facing driveway.  Now, it was simply a mess that seemed to get tracked in and out of our house with every footfall.  So, I pulled the cars out, lugged out the garbage containers and the few other items stored in the garage, and swept with vigor.  There was so much sand that I was certain I could have created my own beach.  Afterward, I rewarded my efforts with a walk in our neighborhood.  Others had the same idea, for there were countless individuals of all ages running, raking, walking their dogs and playing in the yard with their kids.  As I approached one block, the whiff of that all-important scent of warm weather, the barbecue, tickled my nose.  A clean garage floor, a brisk walk among others enjoying the fine day, and the aroma of a barbecue grill made me grateful that April had arrived.