Springtime in Georgia

It’s spring! Just when you thought it may never really warm up…it’s in the 80s every day. At this writing, it is only supposed to get to 78 degrees today. But, it’s not the afternoon temps that were worrying me a little…it was the cool mornings.

How do you dress? For the 40-something degree morning, 70 degree afternoon, or 55 degree evening. I guess that’s why we have sweaters and jackets.

I have really enjoyed the warmer temps though. Now I know how to dress in the morning. I’ve even been able to walk in the morning without my sweater. However, it’s really scary since it’s only April and it’s already mighty warm for enjoying the great outdoors in the afternoon.

I worry how warm, I mean Georgia hot, the summer will be. As I age I tend to like weather extremes less and less. Give me spring and fall…and I guess Georgia winters cause lately they have certainly been mild enough. But those 100-degree days are a little much for me. I truly appreciate air conditioning, I assure you…and wonder how we ever lived without it.

I’ve commented many times that I don’t remember being too hot or too cold when I was a child. We didn’t have air conditioning, I’m sure and I’m equally sure we did have heat.

I do remember how much we enjoyed a thunderstorm. I distinctly remember how much we enjoyed running around the yards (ours and the neighbors) when a storm was brewing. The wind was so invigorating, and we ran around like crazy.

I think it’s probably because it was a break from the heat, but I still don’t remember being particularly hot.

One thing I look forward to each year now is the opening of the Market on the Square. It’s so good to see the familiar faces and welcome new ones. And, there may or may not be much fresh produce at first, as it opens this year on May 21, but it will come. And in the meantime you can get some great canned foods, handmade items, and more.

The down side of spring is it’s also budget time for local elected entities such as Monticello City Council and Jasper County Commission. I typically spend a lot of nights reviewing budgets for each as I try to inform the public of what is going on. After all, those decisions affect each property owner, and most likely the renters, too. If property owners pay more, they will pass it along if it’s a big change.

As such, the county commissioners had their first look at the budget numbers Monday evening, and learned again how much Jasper County is growing. Besides inflationary growth…where the values of property here have become so much higher, there is much real growth, which mostly is the addition of homes where there was raw land.

And the nice weather sure has been nice for the builders…it’s moving right along…quicker than I thought. However, there’s still plenty to go.and we’re about to enter the decision making season…what color, what type light fixture, which floors, carpet, cabinets…you name it. Ahh the joys of homebuilding.