Spring has sprung
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on March 14, 2012 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/ALLISON CARTER
Bryleigh Long, 6, plays on the jungle gym at Herman Park. Warm weather lured many local residents outdoors Tuesday, and many said they are looking forward to enjoying spring temperatures with their children -- and pets -- for months to come.
Rachel Riley's secret weapon has been revealing itself, in spurts, for weeks now -- a bloom here, a chirp there.
"It makes my life so much easier," she said, looking across Herman Park at her 8-year-old son, Brandon. "It's not so fun to be punished when it's like this outside."
So every winter she bides her time -- coping with the tantrums and back talk.
She knows something her little boy doesn't.
It will only be a matter of weeks before nature comes in for the save.
"When it starts warming up, it's like magic," Rachel said. "It really is like night and day. If he starts acting up, all I have to do is threaten to ground him from going outside."
But the mother and son were only a few of the people who took in an afternoon at one of Goldsboro's parks Tuesday.
Molly Hinton spent more than an hour jogging throughout the recently revamped green space along Ash Street.
"When it's warm like this, I feel like I could go all day," she said, moments before she, again, took to the trails. "For once, I'm glad I worked the morning shift."
And Edgar Fairchild was at Stoney Creek Park, too -- taking a "light stroll" with his best friend, Felix.
"This is the perfect temperature for him," the 73-year-old said, looking down at his 6-year-old Labrador. "He'll start fussing as soon as we get back inside."
A father takes his daughter's hand and the two head for the open field located in the middle of Berkeley Park.
"We thought we'd come out and throw a ball," Danny Abrams said, leading his daughter, Monica, to the "perfect spot."
"I'm gonna throw it," the 5-year-old said, gripping the baseball with two hands before failing in her attempt to reach her dad's glove. "Oh, man."
Danny smiled.
"We'll keep working on it," he said. "Mommy won't have dinner ready until it gets dark. Trust me, we've got all the time we need."
He knew that now that spring has, at last, come, it would be hours before the light would finally fade.