With Easter this past weekend and some lovely warm and sunny weather, here in Southern Oregon we’ve been relishing some of what makes spring such a delightful season. With my two young grandsons now living nearby, it’s even more fun to be able to share those experiences with them and see them anew through their eyes.

Last Saturday actually started out a bit drizzly, but, because this is Oregon, after all, that hardly slowed down the eager kids who showed up at the Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Rogue River Kiwanis Club. The junior high football field was roped off into segments to accommodate different age groups, and promptly at 10 a.m. the ropes were dropped and the kids swarmed the field, tailed by parents and grandparents snapping photos and videos. Less than 10 minutes later, all 120 dozen hardboiled eggs (plus some special plastic eggs which could be exchanged for special toys and gifts) had been scooped up. It’s always nice to take part in such community events. The Kiwanians host the egg hunt each year for free (although donations are accepted for the doughnuts, coffee and hot chocolate which they serve before the hunt begins), one of several events they sponsor in support of children.

The next morning, after an early Easter Mass, we held our own private Easter egg hunt in our backyard, this time under sunny and warming skies. At almost 5 and just 2 years old, my grandsons proved adept at searching out the eggs we adults enjoyed hiding as much as they enjoyed finding them. The rest of the day found us enjoying time visiting with family, a big Easter lamb dinner and playing with the boys.

Later in the week we took in an all-American pastime as we watched grandson Sean play for his Little League team, the Red Sox. He’s been swinging the bat since he was 2 and had no intention of playing T-ball so long as he could play on a rookie Little League team. For sure, he is both the youngest and the shortest player on his team, but he has a strong arm and a sweet swing and loves getting out on the field to play. It’s great to see how patient and kind the volunteer coaches are with their eager if sometimes inattentive charges, and from week to week we can see the kids gaining in confidence and skills (while still being easily distracted by a plane flying overhead). It’s also clear that the “fans” — parents, siblings and grandparents of the players — who populate the stands enjoy visiting with each other, another opportunity to stitch the ties that strengthen a community.

Yes, the season is giving us many excuses to get out and enjoy the new growth, the fine weather and each other’s company. Here’s to spring!

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor