5 Spring Things You Can Still Do In Kensington

KENSINGTON, MD – Did you forget about spring in Kensington? One would be forgiven for the oversight, considering the cold snaps and snowfall in the northeast and midwest. Also, the fact that everybody’s calendar might as well just replace the dates with “Coronavirus: TBD” has made spring an afterthought.

The official start of spring fell on March 19, which doesn’t feel right, but it is.

As befuddling as the concept of linear time might seem after five weeks of quarantine, the tilt of the Earth on its rotation around the sun means the changing of seasons remains, literally, an unstoppable force of nature. In defiance of the pandemic, spring has sprung, and it’s worth remembering that you can — and should! — do things about that in Kensington. Just keep your social distance and be safe.

Here are some things:

1. Pack a picnic: Ideally, springtime should accompany the simple pleasures of preparing a basket of food, picking a grassy patch of park and unfurling a blanket under the sun. But even during a quarantine, you can do all three, and remain socially distant! Check with your local parks department; they’ll likely have advice on the least-crowded areas and guidance on staying healthy while you nosh on sandwiches. Or take the picnic basket to your backyard or balcony instead. Sip wine and eat cheese on your fire escape, call it a “rustic wine jaunt” or “stationary hiking.” It still counts. A spring picnic by any other name tastes just as sweet.
2. Get cultured: They may be closed to their normal crush of spring visitors, but your favorite museums and zoos are still the treasures. While you’ve been binge-watching Netflix, they’ve been building virtual institutions and features, like this incredible 360-degree virtual tour from New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art or the numerous live cam options offered by the San Diego Zoo. Take an afternoon to digitally replicate a stroll through your favorite art gallery or check in on your favorite penguin, who probably misses you and wonders if you’re doing okay.
3. Donate Blood: The United States is facing a serious blood shortage, and the FDA is calling the need for blood and plasma "urgent.” The good news is you can help save people’s lives for the low-low-low price of your very own blood. Think of it as a spring cleaning for your circulatory system, and hey, you’ll probably get a cookie and juice out of it. The Red Cross website will get you set up an appointment.
4. Explore Montgomery Parks from home: Did you know you can explore Montgomery Parks while in the comfort of your home? Simple visit the parks' Facebook pages or website and explore virtual activities, exercises and local history. Check out the Explore From Home experience for more.
5. Go for a hike: Take advantage of more than 250 miles of trails throughout the Montgomery County Parks system while remaining socially distant. In addition to its trails, Montgomery Parks is expanding its open streets initiative to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to use parkways on weekends in order to allow for 6 feet of distance between people. These sections will be closed to vehicles Friday mornings at 9 a.m. through Sundays as 6 p.m. Learn more here.

So, there you have it. Despite everything, it is spring, and we might as well enjoy it. According to official but as-yet unverified reports, summer begins June 20.