I took another walk today, but it sure was not as warm and inviting as Friday’s adventure, and now that the big-time snow melt has begun, it is a mishmash of ice patches a’ plenty and puddles galore. Walking was tricky and the wind was gusty as well, so I’m sorry to say that Spring ain’t sprung yet folks, despite Friday’s sneak preview and the awesome 50 degrees projected for tomorrow. I picked the same path as the other day, but chose to walk in the street after alternately dodging ice patches and deep puddles on the sidewalk which was making for a slow go. Mother Nature sure has wreaked havoc with our streets. Though the salt-stained street was dry, it resembled a war zone, with hastily applied asphalt spilling out of craters the size of turkey platters. Great wads of Bazooka bubblegum would have probably served the same purpose, as this asphalt clearly was not helping to patch up the offending tire-eating potholes and deep fissures which cracked open large portions of the street. Traversing this battle-scarred street in two complete loops around Ford Park, I racked up another 2½ miles. I don’t plan to set any mileage goals this early in the year. I think, had we not had the wicked weather in the tail end of November and through December, I’d have reached my 500-mile goal, and then some, long before December 29th. If the weather folks and “The Old Farmer’s Almanac” can be trusted, we will be waterlogged this April and May with alot of rain to sog up our Springtime, then we will be suffering through a hot, dry Summer. Great … just great. Hopefully, when the cold weather finally leaves, I won’t be spending all the warmer months on the inside gazing out the window at the rain, then turning around and watering the front and back yards every morning all Summer. We shall see what Mother Nature has in the cards for us soon enough. I heard a rumor that many cities in Michigan may institute a beautification program, to eliminate the unsafe and unsightly potholes. Local mayors are asking for resident gardeners to volunteer in this effort, by using their green thumbs and imagination to plant posies in the nasty crevasses.