Van Beek: Happy escape from Happy Valley
The excitement of spring comes from its many uncertainties … hot-cold, snow-sun, flowers-mud, skiing-sunbathing, fireplaces-firepits, slippery driving-slippery hiking, shoveling snow-planting gardens, and many more, leading one to acknowledge that spring is the most irrational season of the year.
Spring is a chance for Mother Nature to mess with us, and us to continue the delusion of mastery over our environment.
It helps to have a sense of humor as we navigate our sanity between seasonal adventures.
“Ski resorts in spring: Half the hill is icy, half is slushy, and somewhere in between is an unsuspecting skier doing a faceplant.”
“Wildlife seeing humans again after months of quiet: ‘Oh, great … you’re back.'”
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“Hiking in spring is an extreme sport. Slippery trails, hidden potholes, overhead snow threatening to take you on an avalanche rollercoaster, threats of both frostbite and sunburn, and most of all, participants with mental aspirations that their bodies can’t deliver.”
“A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.” — Steve Martin
“In the spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.” — Mark Twain
“Spring is the time of the year when it is summer in the sun and winter in the shade.” — Charles Dickens
Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, let’s party!” That quote also relates to wildlife awakening … hungry and ready to mate … party time!
In addition to humor, there are some practical aspects of this transition, as we take a breather between busy tourist seasons. Many use this time to plan family getaways. Here are some things to consider as we venture up the mountain and/or away from our happy bubble.
With mountain adventures, remember avalanche safety. It is also the time of year when wildlife is awakening, and they might be a bit cranky, as they are famished and food isn’t yet readily available. You don’t want to be on their menu.
We have bears, of course, but also raccoons, skunks, and various other creatures and insects emerging or returning home. Moose are roaming and as cute as you may think they are, they are also one of the most aggressive animals that you will ever encounter, so keep your distance.
While you may not actively seek to disturb them, many of the wildlife are camouflaged, which means that you could inadvertently get quite close and not realize it. Your proximity can be interpreted as a potential threat, and they are not feeling particularly patient, as they are on a mission of food and mating.
If you are planning a trip away from home, remember that while we are a close community, we also have those who may approach our “Happy Valley” with nefarious intent.
Announcing that you will be gone the first two weeks of May is a nice notice for those who will miss you. The photos of you scuba diving in Mexico are great fun. Posting them on social media while gone is an ad for burglars, saying come on by, take what you want, we won’t be home for weeks. Wait and make your online uploads when you return home.
Meanwhile, it’s helpful to let those passing through think that someone is at your home. A dark house with no variation is an invitation to mischief. Here are some easy to implement ideas.
- Lock all doors and windows, including pet doors, and the back door to the garage
- Unplug your garage door opener, which can be vulnerable to thieves with garage door scanners
- Install timers on light switches, preferably for different hours and in multiple locations around the home
- Consider installing a motion detector flood light around your home to discourage wildlife of all species
- Keep Alexa or Google playing music, preferably set to a talk channel like NPR, to simulate people in discussion
- Have a friend or neighbor come by, at different hours, and enter the home at least once every few days, to indicate activity and people in the home, and to bring in the mail and other deliveries
- Have a neighbor temporarily park their car in your driveway, indicating someone coming and going
- Continue your lawn and other home services while you are gone; these people can advise you if they see anything out of the ordinary, and the activity discourages intruders
- Speaking of gardening, bring in your potted plants. A dying plant is one sign that no one is there to care for it.
- If there has been a power outage, have a friend stop by to make sure the circuit breaker is back on and double-check the settings so that your lights and other things are back to working order
- Bring in your hide-a-key from that fake rock or magnetic holder. Thieves are very familiar with these devices and where to find them.
- While you may be tempted to close your window blinds while away, it is a sure tip that no one is home. Keep them tilted downward but open, so that it impairs a visual view across the room, but still looks like someone may be there.
- Whether you have a dog or not, you may want to put a “Beware of Dog” sign in the window, with a large dog bowl outside, next to a thick worn-out chain, to indicate the possibility of an unfriendly reception if someone attempts to enter. I’ve also been told that there are available motion detectors that trigger an aggressive bark.
It’s spring break for children of all ages. Remember the safety advice you give your kids and adhere to it yourself. Have a blast!
