We've advocated before for slow commuting, but amidst the rain and gust, it seems worth noting that when traveling by foot, the coming spring is evident.

As I try to do once a week to clear my head, this morning I left my bike in the basement and took the 30 minute walk from home to the MAX. I was greeted by my botanic savior, the early blooming daphne. You often smell the daphne before you see them, and their fragrance this morning reassured me that this punchy winter is on its last legs.

When we slow down we are more likely to appreciate subtleties in our neighborhood - and even in a our seemingly interminable winter.

Integrating a walking into your commute is a great way to get some exercise while enjoying your neighborhood or city. In the next week, we should see blooms on our native Red Flowering Currant and Indian Plum. And before we know, we'll see the sprouts of lettuce and collards in our neighobors' gardens.

Image courtesy of Stranges Garden Center