If there are two phenomena that signal the start of spring, it's these: the mowing of grass and the arrival of bikers.
On Friday, council staff were out cutting public space grass, around Lôn Parcwr, Glasdir, the Craft Centre and Denbigh Road. Ordinarily, this would be fine but, this year, the winter's been long and hard and the grass simply hasn't grown by now.
Given the conditions, if March 23rd seems a little early this year, there was grass cutting in Dinbych as early as February 13th (yes, not a type: February, not March). Pity that this action did not see the start of spring! Quite the reverse.
Meanwhile, the very last of this month's snow still hangs above Rhuthun/Ruthin around on the Clwydian Range, awaiting the return of winter over the forthcoming Easter weekend.
And, today, with bright, sunny conditions but with temperatures at no more than 10ºC—cold but oh such a relief given the harsh conditions to date—we saw the season's first influx of bikers ripping through the town and countryside. They bring with them their own brand of misery, while contributing little to our economy.
It's therefore official. Welcome, springtime! Till Easter at any rate.