Thoughts about the Season after Winter
By Jeff Salter
Spring is on everyone’s mind this week, but I’m not certain winter is quite over … here in Possum Trot. So until I know whether spring has fully sprung, let me yak about Sprang Break for a minute. Then I’ll reminisce for a while.
Sprang Break
I use the non existent past participle of spring because I grew up with people who swore it was a conjugated word … and because many others pronounced spring as “sprang”. Whatever.
As a school kid, I don’t recall knowing much, if anything about spring breaks. I don’t recall that we even had enough days to go anywhere or do anything in particular. When we were younger, we probably just went to see our relatives in Biloxi and Ocean Springs.
Besides, the kinds of un-chaperoned Spring Breaks I’d seen in movies, like “Where the Boys Are” were just for Yankees or rich folks.
But since you’ve distracted me with that film, here’s the link for the best song in it, the title song, by Connie Francis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHa7awWAJJ4
The song in question involves the first 2:30 of a 12 minute clip. I wouldn’t waste any time on the other songs. [Update — 3-23-2016 — this link is apparently dead now. Sorry]
Springs Favorite Memories
Here’s a link to my column from about this time last year:
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2012/03/22/springs-favorite-memories/
It features a clip from a movie which (to me) embodies springtime — Walt Disney’s Bambi. Take a look.
Images from Spring
If you’re either bold enough or curious enough, I hope you’ll read my Spring column from two years ago:
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2011/04/21/images-from-spring/
It features a poem I wrote using imagery borrowed from nature.
Questions:
Did you ever go on an un-chaperoned Spring Break?
What’s your favorite memory related to Spring?
What image or images are certain to remind you of Springtime?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
Hmm. Just checked the on-line dictionary and NOW (evidently) “sprang” is officially a word.
Why did I think it wasn’t?
There was one verb which had a common usage past tense that no English teacher would allow. Wonder what it was?
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Maybe it was “dove” … as in dive, dove, diven
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HAHAHA!! Yes, I remember SPRANG but you’re right, no one used it. Sounded too weird. I’m curious too about that one verb. Wasn’t dive/dove/diven — you’re thinking drive/drove/driven but it doesn’t work with DIVE. Hmmm. BRING? bring/brang/brung — cuz it’s really BRING / BROUGHT.
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Brang & brung ! I think that may be it, Meg. LOL. Everybody used it and the teachers went ballistic.
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No,I never got to do Spring Break; my life has been complicated. However, back in the “Where the Boys Are” days when I was too young for Spring Breaks anyway,(my sister used ‘taking her kid sister to the movies’ as an excuse to see the Beach Blanket films). It wasn’t just being “Yankee” that made one privy to such shenanigans, I figure, but being privileged, yes.
Before I click on the link to Connie Francis,I expect to be able to sing along,(badly) with the words and even put that sob she sometimes has in her voice in the right places. My sister was too old for most kiddie games with me but before she took off big time as an older teen, she would consent to play “Connie and Connie” with me… I’d be Connie Francis and she’d be Connie Stevens and we’d be two up-and-coming stars who had adventures…and dated Elvis and the like.(I don’t remember who I’d get stuck with; not that it mattered.I really didn’t understand a lot!)
Hey ,Jeff, does : “I sprang from my bed from my bed to see what was the matter”…ring a (Christmas) bell,Jeff? Whoops, wrong season!]
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Connie F. had such a lovely voice. I understand she later had nose-reduction surgery which altered her vocal range. Of course, she also had other tragedies in her life.
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So many , so famous so young…life isn’t easy for most people, let alone the roller coaster of fame.
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I remember conjugation in 5th or 6th grade — our teacher was an old nun who fell asleep every afternoon in her desk chair. Due to my maiden name being at the end of the alphabet, I sat near the side blackboard and would conjugate verbs for everyone around me. LOL… I sort of remember those days… loooong ago….
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gosh, you started early. I don’t remember conjugation til early high school.
Ying Yang Yung
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Question #1: No, I never went on an unchaperoned trip during spring break.
Question #2: My favorite spring memory was being able to go outdoors without putting on a coat. FREEDOM!!!
Question #3: Cadbury eggs appearing in the stores tell me that spring is on the way. My son-in-law and I have contests to see who can consume the most in a season. He usually wins.
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LOL, Patty. I’d like to enter your Cadbury contest … but I’ve already got my Pro card and can’t compete with amateurs. Ha.
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You’re right, Jeff; it simple wouldn’t be fair…kind of like asking Santa Claus to a candy-cane eating contest!
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LOL, Tonette. Good simile.
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Your title reminded me of Latin class and doing all that conjugating! LOL! Loved the Connie Francis clip. Happy Sprang to you
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she had such a lovely voice.
In that film, she hardly looks like she’s out of high school, yet she was already a famous performer by then.
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She did have a great voice AND She looked young for quite a number of years – perennial youth.
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