It was a beautiful day around Metro Vancouver. The clouds parted and the temperature went up to around 6 degrees, although the wind made it feel cooler.

I took a break in the afternoon for some fresh air, and went for a walk in Surrey’s Bear Creek Park. The gardeners were out clearing away the winter’s debri. There were a few people wandering about, but nothing like on the crowds on weekends. In a few of the gardens I noticed crocuses poking their first leaves up.

There’s a stream and pond in one spot, with a bridge passing over to the other side. There were about 40 ducks in the pond, almost 50:50 female and mallard. They seemed to cruise as a group, with the occasional, argumentative chase between mallards.

Gardeners, crocuses, and ducks flocking together in pairs. Lots of signs of spring, but the one that stood out to me was a bed of heather surrounding a spruce.  Pretty much all the heather was in bloom, and there were reds, whites, purples, and greens all through the bed. This photo doesn’t really do it justice, but it gives you an idea.

I’m not sure what’s up with the spruce, but I guess someone thought it should be pruned into a spiral.

The next couple of months are my favourite time for photography. The smell and colours of new vegetation is fresher and much more intense than it is in the summer. It’s like the whole world wakes up, takes a deep breath and gets on with living after a long winter’s nap. Heh, for the most part, just like me 😉