It’s less than five weeks away now, by the calendar: the first day of spring.

The buttercups are blooming already, as are the azaleas and other beautiful flowering shrubs.

There’s danger in a cold snap killing them all, and smart green thumbs haven’t done their planting yet.

But let’s focus on the positive. It’s coming. Spring is coming. Sunny days will be here again – days that won’t require long sleeves or thick socks, days when the dwindling evening light pushes later and later by the clock.

Let’s talk about the newspaper’s special spring section.

Every year, I think, “What stories can we feature this year that aren’t just a regurgitation of past years?” I’m determined to keep this section as fresh as the springtime itself, to highlight different people and stories across Franklin County that will help us welcome the new season and banish the gloomy days of winter.

It’s a challenge, with the cold gray weather persisting and that first day of spring still more than a month away, but we’re already thinking about this year’s spring section.

In the 2021 edition, we had some great special features.

Fairy gardens, for one. This was an unfamiliar idea to me, but what a fun and special notion.

We also spotlighted Dianne Pace’s birding paradise in her beautiful outdoor spaces and showed off some of the lovely and inviting springtime-y front porches across Russellville. The special section was also full practically springtime tips, from refreshing your diet to working in your garden to spring cleaning your home.

If you think you have a good idea for this year’s spring section, we would love to hear it! You can contact myself or staff reporter María Camp.