Spring in Costa Mesa

What really gets me up in the morning? Sure, coffee and - the scent of spring in the air here in Costa Mesa, CA.  So thought I'd put it out there - have any special rituals for greeting the spring season?

Sure, some parts of the U.S. are still seeing snow, but here in Costa Mesa, we've got blue sky, daffodils in gardens, and sunshine.

Here are some of the things I do to put the winter months behind me:

After work exercise. No more early morning sessions at the gym.  I can take a run along the sand at the end of the work day, with more daylight to guide me through the sunset.

Garage sale. Spring cleaning only sounds like a cliche, in reality one of the best ways to clean out the house is to get rid of unwonted items. Whether it's outgrown children's toys or that apple-baker your great aunt gave you, having an old fashioned garage sale is a great thing to do. Not only can it put a little extra cash in your pocket, left overs can be donated to a worthy charity or two.

Home maintenance. You don't have to go overboard. Just pick one necessary item and make sure it gets done. So whether that's cleaning out or replacing rain gutters, or replacing that leaky shower head, just do it. No procrastinating.

Finances. Yes, it's almost tax time. Spring is the time to get your receipts and your 1040's in order, whether it's you putting it all together or your accountant.

Recreation. Have you been longing to take up tennis again? Or learn how to surf? Or do you have a great Costa Mesa location you want to visit but haven't - like the Segerstrom Performing Arts Center or a family program at the Orange County Fairgrounds? Apply the same principle here as you would to chores - just pick something fun and do it.