Springtime for ... Tulsa

It has been a rough stretch of road weather-wise in Paradise for the past few months. An ice storm in December shut the city down for a week, destroyed trees throughout the northeast part of the state, and caused an estimated $150 million in damage. We still have broken limbs hanging from our four Ponderosa pines that I can't get to, and don't have the $800+ to hire someone to come clean them up.

We had a day in February when it hit 81 degrees, and a stretch in late March where it didn't get out of the 20s. In the past couple of weeks we had a hail of a storm, with flying chunks of ice larger than golf balls pounding away up and down our street. Both of our cars are more than likely totaled, and I am sure I will need a new roof. And with the hail came inches of rain that have left parts of Green Country underwater.

So with temps in the low 80s both days this weekend, and no rain, snow, ice or hail, Tulsa got out of the house and headed to ... LaFortune Park. At least it seemed that most everyone in Tulsa was there tonight.

I am making it a habit to go walk on the three mile trail around LaFortune on Sunday afternoons, followed by an hour or so in the prayer room at Believers Church. It's a great way to conclude the week and get the next started right. Normally I don't have to search for a parking spot late on Sunday. Today, however, was the most crowded I have ever seen the park.

Walking through the playground and picnic part of the park was like walking through the Woodland Hills Mall the day after Thanksgiving. There were birthday parties and picnics going on in every square inch of space. White, black, Hispanic, Asian all mingled under the budding trees. Kids waiting in line for slides. Small-scale soccer games were going on. (I made a nifty save on a ball kicked into my path. Nice return kick, if I say so myself...)

After I waded through this throng and was past the play area, the crowd thinned out a bit. But it was still crowded around the track. Runners, walkers, people walking their dogs, dogs walking their people. Many--like me--had white earbuds trailing from their ears. (I was listening to a mix that included Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Johnny Cash and the Doobies among others.) Usually when I pass another runner/walker on the trail I will nod a greeting. After all, this is Tulsa. It is almost a crime not to greet someone with a friendly Howdy or head nod. But to do this today would have made me look like a bobblehead doll.

Anyway, it was great to experience a great spring day with others, even if the only things we share in common are gladness that this winter is finally over, and a sore neck from all that nodding.