Circle of seasons may start to spiral, but friends stay true
Julia Gregg  Although the limbs are still skinny sticks, the
first buttercup buds are up, fat and yellow. As always, the sun
brings a new world view. My brain comes alive, and a golden tint
spreads like butter over sleeping gray matter.  In more
scientific parlance, the return of sunny spring begins to
increase norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin, common
neurotransmitters involved in emotion, pleasure and cognition
that, up until now, in the dark of winter, have been in the
process of dying.  So, I hop on my new bike, roll up my sleeves,
slather on Hawaiian Tropic and sail down a steep paved hill.
When these blue shorts, white legs and blowing hair twirl around
the cul-de-sac at the end of the road, I imagine the scowling
neighbor, picking up broken branches in sweat shirt and hat,
must be thinking, "Doesn't she know how cool it is or how old
she is?"  But, of course, I don't care very much.  I smile at
the man, thinking of what awaits on this w