Ozark Living

By Erin Rowe It's easy to let a new season begin and with the busyness of life to coast right through it. I've compiled a list of reasons I love spring, to keep my heart and head in the right place as I embrace and celebrate this new season. Life is full of nuances and subtle changes. Maybe you have a few new reasons to be grateful and find contentment this time of year. Coming out of winter, we see a new perspective and certainly new flora and fauna. But spring need not represent only the visual beauty of flowers blooming and trees budding; it can also mean new beginnings for us personally. Make your own list this spring and put it on the fridge or mirror to remind you of all you have to be thankful for. As Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you just might miss it." 1 Being Outdoors - Northwest Arkansas is replete with outdoor adventures and opportunities (most free!) if you just take a moment to explore. e longest epic paved and mountain bike trails trace through our towns and woods from Bella Vista to Fayetteville. Bikes are available for rent (even electronic bikes) from spots in Bentonville, as well as purchasable from the plethora of bike and outdoor shops we have all over the area. You'll want to be outfitted properly with a helmet and correct bike for your needs, but once you're geared up the trails are not hard to find or access. Many have restaurants and drink stops connected along the way! It makes for a fun outing with the family. Also, hiking, kayaking, bird watching, and great places for rock climbing all abound in this little pocket of the world. One doesn't have to drive far to find solace in the woods or by a river. Even your own backyard can become an adventure if you let it. 2 e Good Earth Provides - Robert Frost said it best, "spring's first green is gold." Flowers like yellow forsythia and daffodils/jonquils are the first to "pop up" come March and April around here. ey remind us of true beauty and hope as the winter landscape fades from its grays and browns into fresh green and goldenrod. It's enjoyable to just drive around Northwest Arkansas this time of year to see all the new flowers starkly contrasting with the once-muted landscape. 3 Eating Fresh & Garden Goodies - e garden turns up not only flowers but spring's first vegetables like asparagus and lettuces. It's such a nice season to return to eating fresher ingredients, be it from your newly sprung-up garden or the farmer's markets that restart this season. Even the grocery store may have new offerings in the produce section that haven't been seen all winter. Restaurant menus, when seasonal, should reflect this change. A change in our diet is certainly something I enjoy with springs lighter offerings, as compared to the heavy diary and meat-laden dishes of winter and the holidays. 4 New Beginnings for YOU - Springtime landscapes and menus need not be the only place that represent change and rebirth; you can also make new goals and take up new hobbies (particularly out of doors) come spring. It's a new season, literally and symbolically, if you will let it show you a place you'd like to adapt, grow or change. Pick something to improve about yourself and set Eats 10 reasons to love spring Continued on page 17 OZArK liViNG • April 2022 • 15

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