Finally, spring.
After what has seemed like the never ending winter, there are signs that spring may be here.
“I love this kind of weather,” Shaun Anders, Johnson City, said Wednesday afternoon. “This is my weather right here. I hate the cold.”
Temperatures did not make it out of the 50s on Wednesday but it was mild and there was plenty of sunshine for people to enjoy.
Anders was one of those people, as he got out to shoot some hoops at Old Kiwanis Park near West Main and West Market streets.
“It’s great weather after the last couple of weeks,” he said. “I’ve only been out once so far this year. And it’s great weather right now for it. I hope the weather stays like this for a while.”
According to the extended forecast from the National Weather Service, today temperatures will reach into the 60s. Rain will also come into the region for the next two days; however it will taper off by mid-morning Friday.
After that, we’re in the high 60s and lower 70s as far as temperatures go. Chances of rain are also scant.
“It’s past due,” Bob Rowan said Wednesday about the weather before playing tennis at Metro-Kiwanis Park off Knob Creek Road.
Rowan is sort of the leader, or establisher, of a group of about 25 or so tennis enthusiasts who play Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the park. They’ve been swinging rackets here about 15 or 20 years, Rowan said. The group plays year-round, weather permitting.
“Historically, we change at the end of March to start playing of the mornings, but this time it was so cold of the mornings that we put it off a couple of weeks to wait and see what happens.”
Most of the guys in the group are retired. Ten of them at least are in their 80s, said Rowan, who is 89.
He was looking forward to some morning tennis soon.
“Next week looks promising enough to play of the morning,” Rowan said.
Next week may be promising for tennis, but this weekend could be a pleasant weekend to plant a tree from the tree giveaway held Saturday at Metro-Kiwanis from 9 a.m. until noon.
According to the city, there will be 3,300 tree seedlings given away on a first-come, first-served basis.
This is part of a campaign to plant 10,000 trees in the city, and with Saturday’s giveaway, the goal will be reached with 11,400 trees given away since 2010. Tree varieties offered Saturday will include Winter King Hawthorn, Bald Cypress, Persimmon, Goldenrain Tree, Redbud, Hedge Maple and Trident Maple.
The program has been such a success, it will continue.