Bloglander

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Three strangers bought coffee for the person behind them in line today. Two people burst spontaneously into song and at least one opted to wait for his drink outside, “in the suh-un!” Every spring, the delightful and varied Spokanites shed their bleak winter cloaks and get wild. In our northern climate, the winters take a very real toll in the form of seasonal depression. Washington residents have, unsurprisingly, a rate of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) seven times that of Florida. But fear not, SAD’s less clinical cousin has arrived this week. Commonly known as spring fever and bearing symptoms from heightened energy to enhanced sex drive, the phenomenon has been observed for centuries by poets and, more recently, by scientists. Despite content that is notoriously dark, Emily Dickinson wrote, “A little madness in the spring/ Is wholesome even for the King.”

Starting with the first big surge of the falls and lasting through the early backyard garden harvests, spring in this region more than makes up for the long and often emotionally challenging winter. The old is rotting while the new bursts forth from every place it can. Get out there and enjoy it however you like over the coming weeks; here are a few great places to start.

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Taylor Weech

Green starting to overtake brown in Palisades Park.

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Taylor Weech

Local poet Mark Anderson enjoying a little mist and madness at the falls.

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Taylor Weech

One of the many resting nooks along the Centennial Trail with great sun and river access.