Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Mark Twain Spring Fever


The weather has slowly been turning warmer, and I found myself with a bit of Spring fever. I wanted to get out of the house, to take a drive in the country, or a walk in a park. And then, as I often do, I wondered where the phrase, Spring Fever, came from. I found out it's from Mark Twain. Photo courtesy of Library of Congress.

“Don’t you know what that is? It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want–oh, you don’t quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! It seems to you that mainly what you want is to get away; get away from the same old tedious things you’re so used to seeing and so tired of, and set something new. That is the idea; you want to go and be a wanderer; you want to go wandering far away to strange countries where everything is mysterious and wonderful and romantic. And if you can’t do that, you’ll put up with considerable less; you’ll go anywhere you CAN go, just so as to get away, and be thankful of the chance, too.”

So I put together an Mark Twain Spring Fever Etsy treasury in his honor. Today I'll go anywhere I can, and be thankful of the chance to.

6 comments:

  1. Yes, yes, yes, I have got it big time. Thanks Mark for giving it a name.
    Mighty and I are going on a picnic today to a lake in Arkansas that has a large population of Trumpeter Swans that Pat Arkansas told me about.
    I see Diamond mines and Garvin Gardens in my future. Isn't warm weather the best?

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  2. I am burning up with it- I have been seeing myself walking away and walking and walking and walking...

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  3. Hi Patti, thanks, trumpter swans, oh that must be heaven, what lake is that, we have travel fever here, 2/15 is supposed to be our last frost date here in this part of Florida, we shall see if it holds true. Have a good day.

    Hi Meredith, thanks, yes walking away and away, it has been so cold this winter; I have the windows opened up and am airing out the house this morning.

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  4. I definitely have Spring fever and am running away for the weekend, to spend as much time as possible, outdoors. Enjoy!

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  5. Hi Marguerite, thanks, have a good weekend, I am sure I will hear all about your escapades on your blog.

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  6. Have you got his autobiography that was released late last fall.. I believe 100 yrs after his death..?

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