SpringfieldNewsSun.com

URBANA, Ohio — There are many ways to tell it is spring. The first is, of course, the calendar. This year the calendar showed Easter in March. Many people complained about Easter being too early; it didn't feel like spring or Easter on March 23.

There are natural ways to tell that spring is here. The appearances of tulips and daffodils are a sure sign. Other floral indicators are violets and dandelions. I know floral doesn't usually match with dandelion.

The greening and growing of the lawns has started the first round of the lawn mower

cantata. This song starts with one mower early on a morning. A chorus of lawn mowers echo as that day progresses. The

sound changes from an early morning roar to an afternoon hum.

Other signs of spring are human triggered rather than nature triggered.

The start of the baseball season is usually a good sign of spring to my Detroit Tiger-rooting family members. Root seems to be the appropriate word so far this year. The Tigers and roots are both in the basement.

The surest sign of spring last Sunday was in Rock n' Robin's parking lot. Art's red Isetta made its first appearance for this

year.

The Isetta is a car, manufactured in the 1950s in various European countries. The Isetta could make the Mini Cooper seem like a stretch limo. It has one door at the front. It will hold two passengers.

I saw an Isetta in the late '50s. Its owner lived in an apartment complex near our house. The neighborhood children learned the Isetta's owner was as prompt as a Swiss watch.

One child acted as lookout, standing at the edge of the street, about 5 p.m., looking south for the car. When the car's unique shape was detected, the lookout would shout, "The Isetta's coming! The Isetta's coming!"

All would rush to the street and jump and wave at the red compact. We were rewarded with a "Beep. Beep." mimicking the cartoon Road Runner.

The childhood joys of the Isetta were forgotten until I recognized the shape last summer.

I quickly learned who the owner was. I shared with him the childhood routine with a similar car.

I settled into a booth for breakfast when two friends entered the diner commenting about "the cute car." One, I'll call "D," had a unique way of expressing her admiration.

It matched her red slacks. She had to have it. It would be the perfect accessory.

"D" ate her breakfast and went on to her day's activities. The other friend received a personal tour of the car.

Now, if there are women waving and jumping and shouting,

"The Isetta's coming! The

Isetta's coming!" It's neither "D" nor me.

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