Spring is in the air and finally the bulb fields are blooming and sporting bright, yellow flowers which contrast against the backdrop of a vivid blue sky and Mount Rainier. I know I’m waxing poetic, but this time of year a lot of homeowners start making their annual treks to home and garden stores for supplies to spruce up their yards. I happen to be one of those homeowners.

You probably know that I’m kinda partial to local businesses when it comes to buying things or contracting for services. In Sumner, there’s Windmill Gardens, VanLierop Garden Market, Evergreen Flowers, Fred Meyers and my husband’s favorite, McLendon’s Hardware. They’re all a good reason to come downtown whether it’s for annuals, perennials, evergreens or just plain old dirt and potting soil. Sumner’s got it all without the drive.

And once you get started on your landscaping updates, sometimes you know it is time to muck out the inside of your house as well and update furniture, carpeting, and all sorts of other interior design elements. I think it’s the bright sunshine that puts a spotlight on some of those things we ignore in the winter months. The good news is that Sumner has a plethora of shops on Main Street that can help with interior design, carpeting and appliance stores as well as big stores like The Old Cannery Furniture Warehouse with furniture from A to Z, not to mention great fudge and lots of fun.

I’ve always found that excessive shopping makes me work up an appetite and guess what? Downtown Sumner can help you with that as well. There’s pizza, ethnic cuisine, sit down, fast food or old fashioned burgers and fries at the Main Street Dairy Freeze, it just depends on your mood.

A springtime tradition for some locals in Sumner is buying flower baskets from the Sumner Downtown Association (SDA) to hang on their porches and patios. Our baskets are known for their profusion of color and healthy plants that double and triple in size depending on how you care for them. I’ve heard that watering them regularly helps tremendously, though I have trouble following that advice personally. I am seriously green thumb challenged. It’s either feast or famine for the baskets at my house unfortunately. If you are interested in purchasing a basket, they are $30 each for SDA members or $40 for nonmembers. Basket order forms are posted on our Web site at www.sumnerdowntown.com and are available for pickup at Windmill Gardens the week of May 25.

So whether you want to work on the outside or inside of your home, grab a bite to eat or buy a hanging basket, I definitely recommend spending some time in Sumner in the spring.