by Shelley Patterson

Spring has arrived on Anarchist Mountain, bringing bursts of colour and life back to the hillsides. One of the most striking sights right now is the bright yellow Arrowleaf Balsamroot.

These sun-like flowers rise on sturdy stems, their large arrow-shaped leaves spreading below. Common across our dry slopes, balsamroot has long been valued by Indigenous communities for both food and medicinal uses, making it as meaningful as it is beautiful.

Closer to the ground—and easy to miss—is the delicate blue Sagebrush Bluebells.

I quite literally stumbled upon this one during a walk, thanks to a keen eye beside me. Its soft, nodding blooms add a quiet beauty to the landscape and provide an early food source for pollinators just waking up for the season.

Every walk now feels a little different—more alive, more vibrant, filled with the hum of bees and birds singing- the quiet surprise of what might be waiting just off the trail. It’s in these small, unexpected moments that I’m reminded why this place is so special.

Do you agree that here on the mountain spring doesn’t just arrive… it reveals itself, one beautiful detail at a time.