Can you believe this fantastic stretch of spring weather we’ve been having? I can’t remember when the seasons have transitioned so delightfully. Except for the lack of rain and potential brush fire threat, the sunny days and cool nights are perfect.

Perfect weather for baseball! The Westfield Little League batted off their season last Saturday with their annual opening day parade and ceremony at the field on Cross Street.

There’s something about that day. The energy and excitement. The veterans marching at the head of the parade with the American flag. The politicians (like me, Mayor Boulanger, and Councilors Onofrey, Miller, O’Connell, and Morganelli) wanting to be seen with the kids. The green of the grass field, the brown of the dirt track, the colors of all the kids in their team uniforms. Parents with their Dunkin Donut cups, moms with their cameras, dads with their Red Sox caps, excited coaches anxious to get to it. It’s a big part of what makes Westfield such a great city in which to live, work, and play.

The Westfield Historical Commission and the Westfield Veterans Council put on another wonderful Patriot’s Day ceremony last Saturday, Patriot’s Day, at Parker Memorial Park. Dr. Jim Dowd was the emcee and led us all in a rousing chorus of God Bless America. John Knapik read excerpts from Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Shooters from the Westfield Sportsmen’s Club fired off a volley with their black powder rifles.

As Senator Mike Knapik once put it, “Parker Park is like Westfield’s own Freedom Trail.” The descendants of the families of Westfield’s patriots were on hand to place flowers in front of the stone monument listing the names of Westfield’s sons who fought in the Revolutionary War. It was a great day.

The good weather may break this weekend but it’s ok, we need the rain. Still, rain or shine, Sunday is the annual free Youth Fishing Derby at the Westfield Sportsmen’s Club. Lines go into th e water at 9AM. I predict first fish caught will be 9:03AM. It never takes long. So grab your kids, grab some line and a pole, and come up to the club. It’s on Furrowtown Road, just past Westfield High School. See you there!

If you’re looking for something to do now that the snow is gone and the trees are budding, call my office and come by to pick up a copy o f the Massachusetts Getaway Guide to sites and attractions all over the Bay State. Or, if the price of gas makes you want to stay close to home, you can grab a copy of the Pioneer Valley Guide Book full of activities and things to see in Western Massachusetts.

Call me or my Legislative Aide Sarah Latour at 568-1366. My district office is at 64 Noble Street. My website is www.donhumason.org.

Thursday was the annual Senior Options information and health fair, sponsored by the Westfield Council on Aging. Dozens of vendors, from Noble Hospital and Westfield State College, to the YMCA and PVTA, to Firtion-Adams Funeral Services and the Westfield Police Department, were on hand to provide information to the hundreds of senior citizens who attended the event at South Middle School.

Starting next Monday the House of Representatives will begin debating the 1500 amendments filed to change the House Ways and Means version of the state budget bill released last week. Press accounts say that the total amount the amendments would add to the bottom line of the budget if they were all adopted is over a billion dollars! That, on top of a budget already bursting at nearly $28 billion.

Many of those amendments will never see the light of day. As in years past the practice will be to bundle amendments and dispatch them in l arge groups. Exactly how many we get to debate remains to be seen.

I’ll be in Boston all next week. As Chair of the Aviation Caucus, I’ll be pushing to debate my amendment (amendment number 1!) that strikes sections of the Ways and Means budget that repeals sales tax exemptions on aircraft sales and parts. If we’re successful, we’ll be able to protect general aviation related businesses at Barnes and across Massachusetts. Good businesses, jobs, and revenue for our state.

Call Sarah in my office if you need to get a message to me about the budget. See you when I get back! Thanks.