When the silence of winter finally leaves us and we breathe a sigh of relief at the return of spring, people throughout our valley head outdoors to take in the warmth of the sun, the colorful medley of flowers, the trees and the grass at their favorite parks and gardens.
While on a stroll last week in downtown Amherst, Jeanne Baj, of South Deerfield, paused to take pictures of a yellow magnolia tree at Sweetzer Park. She said she was out for a walk and enjoying the day.
Jennifer Allen, of Hadley, was walking her dog, Mocha, on Sunday at Smith College.
“It’s one of his favorite places to walk and mine, too,” she said.
Also walking at Smith College were Clarissa Leight, a Mount Holyoke College student, and her father, Tim Leight, who was visiting from Austin, Texas. They paused to take in a hillside of blooming daffodils. Tim called the early morning 50-degree weather “cold,” a sharp contrast from recent 90-degree Texas weather.
At Northampton Community Gardens on Sunday, Brian Adams and Morey Phippen readied their three plots by weeding and mulching; they also planted some carrots.
“This is our second home during the summer,” Phippen said. “We’re here most of the day on a day like today. I feel connected to the earth in a really good way.”
Nearby, George Cosmo described how he weeds carefully to preserve the good topsoil.
“It’s a great way to relax. It’s so hard to beat,” he said.
Across town, Tara Balboni, of Russell, floated in a pedal boat at Look Memorial Park with her children Jesse, Cecelia and Leo. She said she hadn’t been to the park in a few years and with no work or other plans, she just wanted to enjoy the day.
Also at the park, Missy Novak, of South Deerfield, and her children, Ayden, 5, and Elliet, 2, met two English Angora rabbits, Snow White and Eva, owned by Angel Guzman, of Chicopee. Novak said she was there because “there’s sun” and called the park a good spot for the kids to ride their bikes.
Jerrey Roberts can be reached at jroberts@gazettenet.com.