And in comes spring

Apparently spring isn’t the annual event I considered it to be.
As it happens, spring, which comes regularly enough in other parts of British Columbia, has never trod upon Maple Ridge.
Tucked along the Fraser River, nestled quaintly between Mission to the east, and other, larger cities to the west, this community has quietly and uncomplainingly gone without spring.
But in 2007 spring came knocking, and the citizens of this fair community were more than willing to answer the door.
This is the only possible scenario I can come up with to explain the phone calls that have been pouring in through the editor’s desk this week.
On Wednesday morning, I ambled into the office, and as like any morning, the first task is to drink coffee. The second? Check the voicemail.
No. 1 on the voicemail was a sweet sounding man who called with breaking news: “I’ve got a beautiful azalea bush blooming right against the side of my house. It’s just gorgeous. Someone ought to get here quick to take a photo,” he said, listing his address, phone number and name.
The following day, a Thursday and production day here at the paper another kindly sounding man called up.
This time it was a wisteria bush. And golly was it amazing.
“Come and see for yourself,” he urged, further warning that it might be difficult to shoot the brilliant petals, not because they’re bashful, but because they’re mauve. Mauve, the gentleman warned, is probably a difficult colour to capture on film.
Hmmm, never thought about it.
When I asked him to take the photo and send it in he declined. This one, he said, was better left to a professional.
Finally, on a brilliant Friday morning, I ambled in to the desk once more and this time opted to check the email prior to checking the voicemail. A girl’s got to switch things up.
There, staring back at me was a lovely picture (above), submitted by a very nice looking woman who is, as she ought to be, intensely proud of her bush.
Spring has sprung folks, and I can’t wait for harvest season, when the giant potatoes, tomatoes, watermelons and sunflowers will be pouring in.
Now if only a sow could deliver a two-aheaded piglet, my life would be complete.