How The Countdown To Spring Began And Where It Is Going

Lawrence Leaf
Jan 2
4 min read

By: Lawrence Leaf Jr

When I left a robust city, with tons of winter events day and night, even in the coldest bone chilling weather in Baltimore and arrived in Ocean City, Maryland a summer tourist town that goes from 250,000 joint tourist and residence in summer to a mere 7,000 residence in winter, many who are hibernating or out of town it was a cultural shock to say the least.

In the winter of 2015 entering Ocean City, which was having one of their coldest winters on record. I like to walk, even during polar vortex’s, and found it amazing that in town so empty you could hear voices and sometimes words from someone a mile away. As the voices would carry across the frozen canals, waterways, and bays of this empty, sadly silent community, with many businesses closed for the season. If you did find a business open and bought just a small amount of items, the merchant was so lonely, they would start talking to you about everything, family, dogs, neighbors, the new stop sign, everything under the sun that is shining in limited hours, may I add. I was so lonely myself with no gardens to tend to and not much humanity. On lots of dark, frigid nights, I had to find some hope.

So my poetic and garden art personality decided to start a Facebook page, giving winter garden tips, counting down the days, hours, and seconds till spring, adding humor, and inviting whoever I could find. Call myself Lawrence Leaf - The Ambassador To Spring in the winter of 2016. Well, this madness started to work. Soon, I had thousands joining my page. I would stop in for dinner, and people would walk up and say how many days till spring. They would stop me on the street and say how many hours till spring. This was actually bringing them a sense of awareness and great hope that winter soon will end.

In the winters of 2023- 2024 and 2024-2025 Coins Pub And Restaurant was gracious enough to let me put up a part time Countdown To Spring Clock on their walls, which has wonderful movie artwork already in place. They even decided to have a spring party in honor of the Countdown To Spring sponsored by Ketel One botanical vodka on the first day of the Spring Equinox. This started to bring more awareness that winter is really a short season and flowers are to arrive soon.

Now that we are entering winter 2025 - 2026, a new partnership of 3 primary organizing

businesses mixed with 8 additional support businesses entered The Countdown To Spring. The primary business is myself, Lawrence Leaf, Pickles Pub, and HALO Hope And Life Outreach, bringing a much larger awareness of winters cold and of the soon emergence of spring flowers with HALO adding a charitable drive to The Countdown To Spring. Pickles Pub and myself would now start having some events

to directly to support HALO who has served over 1 million meals to the less fortunate and have a full tree of hope and started a second tree of hope, filled with pictures of great individuals who graduate from homelessness, learning to cope properly with society. Pickles Pub now has now become a drop off point for grocery canned goods, and household necessities, which my sister Greta Rolland and myself take directly to HALO.

To help support these events that will directly support HALO’s great community efforts, Pickles Pub and I realized we need other businesses to post on their social media networks and contribute to a silent auction, plus help bring other businesses in the silent auction, which will be at the spring party at Pickles Pub on March 21st. These businesses that care about the community are Bluebird Farms, Nori Sushi Bar & Grill, Old Pro Golf, Papi Taco Joint Ocean City, Senor Cigars and Premium Cigar Lounge, Thomas Gardens, and Wildwood Lavender Farm. Now we have some strong support to The Countdown To Spring's strong efforts for events.

The first event we had was on December 20, 2025, the hanging and starting of the Countdown To Spring clock, which was designed by Caitlyn Leaf. Greta Rolland, Caitlyn Leaf, and myself gave away over 40 potted Hardy Violas, gift wrapped in holiday colors, to the first guests that entered Pickles Pub from 2 pm to 4 pm FREE. This was also the official announcement of the HALO drop-off point at Pickles Pub.

The second event, which will be held January 3, 2026 a hard hitting happy hour with the Pouncey brothers presented by Codigo Tequila, J. F. Hayden’s, and Saval Food Service from 2:30 pm till 5:30 pm. The Pouncey twins are a truly amazing story ( Maurice and Mike ) were born July 24,1989 both former 1st round NFL draft picks, both played the center position in the NFL with 13 Pro Bowl appearances between them, making this a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet them. The Pouncey brothers will bring their signature J. F. Hayden’s mixer to market and a 4-course happy hour featuring Codigo Tequila and J. F. Hayden brand. A $10.00 portion of each ticket will go to HALO support their outstanding charitable efforts in our community. Purchase a ticket here.

This is our first year partnering together, and we are organizing a very festive Valentine's Event to be announced very shortly, and of course, the Countdown To Spring grand finale on March 21st to be announced shortly.

In the meantime, please follow us on Facebook and stop by Pickles Pub during The Countdown To Spring! Take a look at the clock designed by my daughter Caitlyn Leaf, brand marketing director and co-curator of The Countdown To Spring! And please remember, if you do drink this winter season, please do drink responsibly. If you wish, you can donate directly to HALO here.

Thank you for your time reviewing this information, and HAPPY SPRING!!!