Cabin Fever Weekend Prescription

Hooray! Daylight Savings Time kicks in this weekend, giving us 60 minutes' more daylight before the sun sinks below the horizon. Better still, it's a milestone that advances us further and further toward the warmth and vitality of spring.

Flowers are just beginning to wake up; as are songbirds; as are calendars. If you are in The Pursuit of some ways to spend that extra sunshine, Montgomery County has numerous options.

Friday, March 7, stroll around the shops of Keswick Village at the monthly First Friday event. Parking is free, music is plentiful and there are steep discounts to pick up. A First Friday flier brought to A Taste of Philly, for example, gets you a free pretzel. The Keswick Card and Gift Shop will not only give you a free card with a purchase, they'll also invite you to enjoy their refreshments. Penny's Flowers is BoGo for fresh cut flowers, the perfect way to bid farewell to dreary Old Man Winter.

Keswick Village

March 8-9 is the closing weekend for the Dutch Country Players production of The Jungle Book. This classic children's story centers on Mowgli, a small boy raised in the jungle by a pack of wolves. As the boy grows, the Bengal Tiger Shere Khan (who hates all men) is made aware of Mowgli's presence in the jungle and vows to find him before he has a chance to reach adulthood. The strong-willed Mowgli and his friends face grave danger as they try to return Mowgli to the man-village.

Historian Mary Miley Theobald presents her lecture series, Death by Petticoat: American History Myths Debunked, at Pottsgrove Manor on Saturday, March 8. The subject is myth-busting, but the focus is fashion. For example, Theobald will explain the reality behind the phrase "mad as a hatter," which stems from the neurological damage done to hat makers routinely exposed to primitive chemicals. Theobald's expertise led to her write a book on the subject of historical fact vs. fiction, which will be on sale and available for autographing.

Silhouetted against the deep pink of a March sunset, the sight of a regal flock of geese in military-style V formation, can be awe-inspiring. The Pursuit got the lowdown on many species of birds and their activity this time of year, including geese, through an interview that ran earlier this week. You can watch them on the move for yourself at the Waterfowl Watch at Green Lane Park on Saturday, March 8. The north-bound travel of ducks, geese and swans is an example of not only deep-seated instinctual patterns but also a display of color and grace in the sky. Bring your binoculars.

Enjoy a formal tea at the Historical Society of Montgomery County on Sunday, March 9, and encounter the "First Lady of the World," Eleanor Roosevelt. As brought to life by Rene Goodwin, attendees will gain first-person insight into Roosevelt's life from her 1860 birth to her first ten years of marriage to Franklin. These formative years for Roosevelt laid the foundation for her political climb and stature as a human rights champion. For a truly unique encounter, you can ask the former First Lady a question for yourself; the presentation includes a Q&A.

The feeling that Cabin Fever is melting into Spring Fever cannot be denied; however, our current discounts on attractions and accommodations are still in effect. Spring forward into action and save yourself some serious coin. As always, a Montgomery County weekend is always better when it includes a sleepover in one of our fine hotels or B&Bs. A full list of stunning options is on our website.