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I cheated. I didn’t wait until Sunday, 2:00 AM to set my clocks forward. I made the change at around 6:00 in the afternoon just to get it out of the way. That didn’t help me get a better night’s rest; on the night we change the time, it’s always a restless night. I wish they would leave the time alone!

            The time change forward always occurs on the second Sunday in March. That was made permanent by George W. Bush in 2007. It was also established that the first Sunday in November is the time to “Fall Back.”

            We spring forward in March, but that’s not the only thing that happens as the spring comes. I can look out my office window and the pink azalea bush is working overtime. It’s a little behind some of the other bushes that I see, but it won’t be long before it has done its thing. Ornamental pear trees are in full bloom as are the Japanese Magnolias.

            Along the road, the red clover is starting to look like strawberries in the wild and, pretty soon, the grass will be green and in need of cutting.

            Farmers are preparing their fields as quickly as they can and, although, it’s been planted, I don’t see too many rows of sweet corn popping up out of their rows. Just to think that it’s about two months away from being able to eat that great Decatur County vegetable thrills me.

            Our fig tree in the back yard began to bud last week and it’s only taken a week for the leaves to develop and soon the fruit will appear. The colors of spring are just as vibrant as they always are and it’s amazing to consider how resilient our earth is.

            Although last Tuesday was called “Super,” today is the day for the Georgia Presidential Primary. I think I will go out on a limb and predict that by the time you read the Wednesday edition of the Post-Searchlight, our choices will be the same as they were in 2020.

            There doesn’t seem to be too much excitement for the presidential election this year, although it will probably increase as we get closer to November. The lack of enthusiasm may be tied to the fact that our choices are the same.

            I looked up the census data for 2020 and saw that, in that year, the estimated population of the United States was about 335 million. Of course that’s just the number of those who were counted. It’s safe to say that 335 million is an “under-count.”

            Who knows how many people are in this nation of ours? Not only do we not know how many, we also don’t know who or where they are. And that’s a problem! The point is this, though. With that many people, why are our choices for the top job in the country, the presidency, the same as they were four years ago? And they have gotten four years older.

            The current president is 81 and, if reelected, will be 82 by the time he begins his second term. It’s not just his age that many people are concerned with, it’s his failing health, mentally and physically. His opponent is younger, but not by much. He will be 78 years old in June, but, to his credit, doesn’t seem to have slowed down by much.

            Still, the job of the presidency is very taxing and I think the nation would love to see someone younger. But, as the saying goes, “it is what it is.” About all we can say is time will tell. Now, is that Daylight Savings Time?