This marigold was growing by the Roanoke River. Courtesy of Ellen Holtman

Longer days. Shorter attention spans. Spring!

Yep, it sprang ’way early. Here, some bulleted bits from my rabbit-y, hopping mind:

n Sure, Mother Nature leaps at us (read on). But another trusty sign-of-Spring: Roanoke College students popping up to sun themselves on the ol’ house-roof at the corner of Clay and Market Streets.

Nearby, other collegiate merrymakers enjoy hearty rounds of volleyball. And shorts and bathing suits abound!

n Matching the shedding-of-clothes, ’tis the season for the shedding-of-the-cat-fur. (It’s also Spring Hairball Season, but I’m trying to be genteel.) Other felines are into serious stalking of wee wildlife, but mine seems content to stay inside and shed. Bless her happy little heart.

n Does the spring shift to Daylight Savings Time cloud your sunny disposition? Oh, I’m only cranky for a couple of weeks — though it does amuse me to adjust the garden sundial. Why can’t we just stay on DST? (OK, that might be at the bottom of my political wish-list — but it IS on there.)

n Folks have buzzed about the early blooms – and bugs and lush weeds; some varieties seem new-to-us. Gathering photos for this planned topic awhile back, I was delighted to receive one of a perky little yellow wildflower from Ellen Holtman’s volunteer tree-planting gig (March 23rd column).

Ellen added that she didn’t recall seeing the riverbank plant in Salem before this year, but it’s “pretty common now.”

Days later, what flower would grace page one of a local newspaper? Bingo! A marsh marigold. What, did the marsh marigolds hold a press conference beside the Roanoke River? I chuckled, being a fan of Coincidence / Synchronicity. (Still my fave incident: As I pulled into Charlie Phillips’ law office, the radio started playing Warren Zevon’s “Send Lawyers, Guns and Money.” Really.)

The flower-in-question sent my mind romping back to Andrew Lewis High School, and biology teacher Dorothy O’Dell’s springtime assignment: Collect and properly label (Latin was involved) fifty wildflowers.

Gee, that sounded like fun…. Until “suddenly” the danged thing was due! Man, what a panic to find flowers! In the darkening woods! A lesson — though I still goof up (and off): Do things now! Speaking of Latin, you know the ol’ line: “Carpe diem!”

Yeah, seize the day, gather ye rosebuds and smell the flowers.

Music writer Tad Dickens has the line-up in this post on his cut’n'scratch music blog.

TJ Witten shares these photos of the RVLA vs. Salem U13 lacrosse game on Wednesday, March 28.

Thanks, TJ! Share your sports photos by emailing news@sosalem.com or upload up to 10 photos at a time using the share tool at the right of this page.

Roanoke County is once again offering discounted tickets to Busch Gardens and Kings Dominion, usable on select days during the 2012 season. These tickets are non-refundable and available for pick-up in person only at Green Ridge Recreation Center. Before planning your visit and purchasing tickets, please verify your are visiting on a valid ticket date.

Click here for theme park tickets.

Submitted by roanokecountyva.gov

Ever wanted to build a trail, add lights to a playing field, or simply make improvements to a county park? Roanoke County has just posted the fiscal year 2012-2013 Capital Improvement Incentive Fund grant information, due back in late May. There’s plenty of time to plan your park improvement project! Click here for additional info.

Submitted by roanokecountyva.gov

The Salem Red Sox, Advanced Class-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox have announced they will be hosting Sox Fest, an annual pre-season fan celebration, at LewisGale Field on Saturday, April 7 from 10am-2pm. The event will offer several activities for children and adults alike, including an appearance by the Easter Bunny, a large-scale Easter egg hunt in conjunction with K92, stadium tours, face painting, balloon animals, inflatable rides and much more. Sox Fest is a free event, and will be held rain or shine. The Salem Sox, in conjunction with Valleydale Foods, Fritos, Flowers Bakery, Hersey’s, and Pepsi, will provide free hot dogs, chips, ice cream and drinks as well as a complimentary Salem Red Sox 2012 schedule poster.

“This will be a great afternoon at the ballpark to kick off the 2012 season,” said Salem Red Sox General Manager, Todd Stephenson. “Bring the whole family out to join us as we celebrate the start of spring and baseball season.”

The Salem Red Sox Kids Zone and Scotts Mini Fenway, Salem’s to-scale replica of Fenway Park, will be open throughout the day free of charge. Kids Club and Silver Slugger membership packages will be available for purchase and for pick up, as well as individual game tickets, Flex Plans and Season Ticket plans. A sidewalk sale selling new and classic merchandise and souvenirs will be held throughout the day.

The gates will open at 10am and Sox Fest will continue through 2pm at LewisGale Field. For more information on “Sox Fest,” call the Salem Red Sox at (540) 389-3333 or email info@salemsox.com.

To stay up-to-date on all the Salem Red Sox events, find the Salem Red Sox on Facebook. If the Sox reach 7,000 fans before their first home game on April, 13, they will randomly choose a Facebook fan and throw them and 19 of their friends a party in the Fenway Suite, a $600 value.

Submitted by Dave Cawley

Former Salem lawyer Steven Helm was sentenced today to two years in prison on charges of mail fraud and tax evasion.

Laurence Hammack of The Roanoke Times has more on this story.

Tom Houser and his staff are directing 11 camps this summer.

June 11 – 14: Timberlake Christian, Forest, Va. (Jonathan Willis directing)
June 18 – 21: Dan River High, near Danville, Va. (Jonathan Willis directing)
June 25 – 28: Magna Vista High, near Martinsville, Va. (Danny Miller directing)
June 30 – July 2: High Expectations at Virginia Episcopal, Lynchburg
July 6 – 8: Maximum Expectations at Virginia Episcopal, Lynchburg
July 9 – 12: Westover Christian, Danville, Va.
July 16 – 19: Roanoke Catholic School, Roanoke, Va.
July 23 – 26: Carlisle School, Martinsville, Va.
July 23 – 26: Patrick County High, Stuart, Va. (Beth Huus directing)
July 30 – Aug 2: Paul VI Catholic School, Fairfax, Va.
Aug 6 – 9: John Battle High, Bristol, Va.

If parents or players would like more information about the camps, it’s all on the camp website at www.coachhouser.com.  Registration forms for each camp are on each camp’s website as well. If there are questions, please email coachhouser@yahoo.com or find Coach Houser on Facebook.

– Submitted by Tom Houser

Gary Gallagher and Allen Guelzo will speak at Roanoke College on April 4 in an appearance that concludes Roanoke’s year-long commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.

Gallagher, who is the John L. Nau III professor in the History of the American Civil War at the University of Virginia, will speak on the topic “The Real Lost Cause: Union and the Memory of the Civil War.”

Gallagher serves as one of the leading historians of the Civil War. He’s also the author of numerous articles and recipient of many awards. His books include “The Union War” (2011), “Causes Won, Lost and Forgotten: How Hollywood and Popular Art Shape What We Know about the Civil War” (2008), and “The Confederate War” (1997).

Guelzo, who is a Henry R. Luce Professor of the Civil War Era at Gettysburg College, will continue the symposium, speaking on the topic of Abraham Lincoln’s Moral Constitution. He is director of the Civil War Era Studies Program at Gettysburg. Several of his books about Lincoln have won critical acclaim, including “Abraham Lincoln as a Man of Ideas” (2009) and “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” (1999).

The symposium, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Bast Center, is sponsored by the Henry H. Fowler Program and the Center for Religion and Society. Visit www.roanoke.edu/tickets to reserve free tickets.

– Submitted by Roanoke College