Spring

Apparently, three robins were lost this morning. They were sitting in a tree near my parking lot, basking in the glow of the overcast skies and 22 degree temps. There woudn't have been any reason for the birds to be on the ground -- good luck pecking through the frozen grass to find worms.

Robins in Iowa are generally a sign that spring is on the way. Since our winter weather came late and with a vengeance, robins seem out of place at the moment. For many Iowans, spring is the favorite season. Snow is replaced by rain, brown grass by green, tulips and daffodils make their appearances ... it's a grand show. The doldrums of winter, which include weight gain and a certain level of depressions for many, give way to cheery greetings, new diet and exercise programs, and outside activity (minus the snow shovel). Turning the page to March also signifies that the baseball season is just around the corner, and the Iowa Farm League player draft.

As the co-founder and commissioner of the league, one of my duties is to round up all the other team owners and herd them towards the New York Life building on the last Saturday of the month. Its on that day that we sit in a conference room for five hours and craft a dozen fantasy teams that consist of 23 professional baseball players from National League rosters. This is our 11th year of existence, with a gap of a couple years in there.

Baseball is just one sport that comes around in spring. Golf is another. I plan for this to be the year that my kids accompany me to the golf course and begin to learn the game. I'm looking forward to teaching them how to stand improperly, grip the club improperly, swing improperly, and then question why the ball doesn't land where it is supposed to. Ah, good times.