Springtime's coming quickly; let's make the most of it

It’s that time of year when winter has ceased to be a novelty and those who don’t like complaining about the cold weather are finding it hard to stick by their convictions.

There is hope, however, if one knows where to look for it.

You’ll notice there are more hours of daylight after work, and if you listen closely, you’ll hear the burble of sandhill cranes heading south, following their celebrated reproductive activities in the Platte Valley.

We’ll boost that extra daylight officially in a couple of weeks, March 11, when we lose an hour of sleep for daylight saving time, but we should be taking other steps to make the most of the approaching warmer weather.

Bill Donze, McCook’s YouTube sage (donze52) with more than 14,000 subscribers and nearly 7 million page views, offered an example over the weekend, noting that an investment of $3 for tomato seeds could be converted into 12-inch tomato plants worth about $60 with a little time in a home greenhouse.

Even without selling the plants, ripe, homegrown tomatoes later this summer make that pack of seeds a great investment.

Don’t let your gardening enthusiasm get away from you by over-planting; make sure you’ll be able to keep up with the weeding, watering and harvesting when other summertime activities are more attractive — and think about how many vegetables you can actually consume if you have a bumper crop.

We wrote about planning your vacation earlier this winter, but think about what you’ll use for transportation; are the tires on your car up to snuff, and is the motor tuned up?

Does the RV need some maintenance before you head off toward Yellowstone Park?

Even if you’re planning a “staycation,” is your home ready for summer? How long since the air conditioner has been checked out? Are there some home maintenance jobs best completed in warm weather? Is this the year to expand that patio or build a fire pit?

The Olympics are over, so instead of binging your favorite night-time soap opera, how about investing the time planning summer activities?

Next February, you’ll be more likely to enjoy the fruits of your labor than looking out onto a gray landscape longing for another summer to roll around.