DATE: Friday, March 21, 1997                TAG: 9703210669

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY KENNAN NEWBOLD, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   42 lines

SPRING, SOFTLY

So far, 1997 has been a year of timid seasons in Hampton Roads.

Following the 20th warmest winter in Norfolk, spring tiptoed into town at 8:55 a.m. Thursday under gray skies and mild temperatures.

Its arrival was so discreet that many didn't even notice.

``I had no idea,'' said Cory Davis, 17, when told what day it was. Many others on the Maury High School boys' soccer team were oblivious to the fact that winter had officially ended.

A group of kindergartners at First Presbyterian Preschool in Norfolk knew what day it was, though.

They'd spent all morning learning about the spring equinox in school.

But even after being told about the day's significance, this group of 5- and 6-year-olds had their doubts. Thursday just didn't look like spring.

``It's not sunny,'' said 5-year-old Graeme Benson.

``It's supposed to be warm,'' said 5-year-old Thurman Kelley. ``And you're supposed to wear short sleeves,'' finished his twin brother, Collier.

``Spring means going to the pool,'' said Tessa Boutwell, 5. ``I don't think I can go today, though.''

Even those blessed with green thumbs stayed indoors. Several of the local nurseries were relatively empty.

Joe Carr, owner of Gardens in a Flowerpot on Little Creek Road, said most of his customers did their spring shopping last weekend when it was warmer.

``There's nothing special about today,'' he said. ``Because the whole month of March has been nice.''

Neil Stuart at the National Weather Service in Wakefield said it's going to be a ``variable'' spring - some warm days, some cool days, but nothing extreme.

``You probably won't even notice,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: [Color photo]

BILL TIERNAN/The Virginian-Pilot

A giant sunflower bloomed in Fountain Park in Portsmouth on the

first day of spring Thursday. Actually, the sunflower was on what

used to be a basketball backboard.

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