ts spring time -

Its spring time - Onset of spring in Toronto and in NE USA

By Abida Rahmani • Apr 26th, 2014 • Category: Features • No Responses

After a long lingering harsh snowy winter, finally we are on the onset of spring weather in the southern part of Canada and the NE of USA. What does a spring means to the inhabitants of this zone is unimaginable for the inhabitants of other warmer zones. The harsh, biting cold, chilly weather is over now and masses are out of their hibernation.

So they try to enjoy spring and summers to the utmost outdoor activities. Walking, jogging, biking, skating, picnicking, swimming, barbequing and one can name all other outdoor sports and activities get start with a Zeal and bang. It seems like a lively hustle bustle in life has started all over again and a new chapter is opened with incoming spring.

Tulips, daffodils, irises, pussy willow, forsythia and all the early bulbs and flowers are peeping out. Most of the gardeners planted these bulbs during fall season or they were lying there from previous season to see the blooms in spring.  Soon after the Mercury gets above zero, these start popping out. Barren trees which almost seemed dead now are showing lots of signs of a new life with fresh leaves and buds. Most of the trees are flowering trees with white pinkish bunches of flowers look amazing in blooms. These trees apple, apricot, pear and so many first bloom with flowers and later on get leaves when the flowers are thwarted. How can one forget the fabulous sight of Cherry blossoms, a typical plant of Japan but abundantly grown in USA’s 1600 Pennsylvania AVE Washington DC and High Park in Toronto down town. A gift of Japan some 50 years ago, it’s a wonderful sight to watch and enjoy the blooms. Japanese adore this tree religiously and call it Sakura.

Lots of beautiful birds are chirping in, building nests and flying around, Squirrels and rabbits are hopping to enjoy the weather and find new food. People are busy in racking and cleaning their yards, Buying plants, soil, mulch and fertilizer. The BBQ grills are cleaned up and the aroma is spreading around.
Flights after flights the Canadian geese are thronging back home.

So are the snow birds (term used for those who spend winters in warmer climate, especially in the warmer parts of USA) are landing backing home.
All the big stores have set up big garden centers all of a sudden selling out lots of flowers, pots, garden decor, soil and other accessories. Everyone is so crazy about plants and gardening.

Everywhere the spring cleanup has been started, so is the repair, paint work of the houses, buildings, roads and highways. Inside the closets, cabinets, dressers and ward robes the winter clothing has gone behind. Everyone is trying their best to be dressed up for spring. Even the cars are washed and a spring oil change is done.
During my first summer here, I was amazed to see people greeting each other “Happy Summers.” After spending lot many years in the sultry, humid and hot weather of Karachi, one could not imagine greetings at the start of summers. Summers of course are so horrible in Karachi and rest of the country. But now, I know what the importance of summers in Toronto is.  During summers here temperatures of 30c is an extreme heat alert.

The winters start here by the end of October. At that time all the outdoor activities are closed. The amusement parks and all outside recreation activities are closed down for winters, even the wash rooms in public parks are closed. It starts snowing in November which goes up to March or even early April. This year it snowed in third week of April. It is a beauty to watch the snowflakes coming down and everything covered in a white drape around. The evergreen specially Christmas trees carrying the snow beautifully and elegantly on their branches. That is simply majestic. I am so mesmerized with this sight. But going out and driving around is miserable in that weather. It is so slushy around with the mix of salt and snow melting materials on paths and roads. As soon as the snow comes down folks are out to clear their drive ways and paths with shovels. If not done then it becomes hard and slippery and very risky for breaking one’s bones. When it gets warm and the snow is melted down, again with the freezing temperatures that water is turned into ice. That is called black ice, which is very slippery and deceiving. The wind chill factor is kind of biting bones. Thanks to the weather channel updates which show us the temperatures with wind chill factor all the time. After watching that, you may go out after bundling up.

There are so many facilities to combat cold. Keeping in warm all the indoors, one should dress up in layers to take them off after getting inside. Folks are mostly involved in indoor activities and games. There are indoor basketball, squash courts, swimming pools, Hockey ranks, ice skating, gyms and now even soccer courts in some areas.

Here are some famous sayings about how impatiently people wait for spring here.

“To anyone who has spent a winter in the north and knows the depths to which the snow can reach, knows the weeks when the mercury stays below zero, the first hint of spring is a major event. You must live in the north to understand it.
Sigurd F. Olson

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant.
Anne Bradstreet

When March goes on forever,
And April’s twice as long,
Who gives a damn if spring has come,
As long as winter’s gone.
R. L. Ruzicka

Spring weather is like a child s face, changing three times a day.
Chinese proverb

we need spring. We need it desperately and, usually, we need it before God is willing to give it to us.”
Peter Gzowski

With the onset of spring a lot many showers and thunder storms come too. April Showers, bring May flowers. This area in fact is so much blessed with plenty of waters. That is the reason that we can see all the great five lakes around. There are so many other lakes, streams and rivers all over around.