CONSERVATION -- Workers from kids to senior citizens gave up the first beautiful Saturday of a soggy spring to pull weeds, build trail, obliterate unauthorized routes, groom a native plant garden and pick up trash during the community work project at the Dishman Hills Natural Area today.

More than 330 people volunteered to help.

The event was sponsored by REI and several outdoor groups, who served a pizza lunch to the throng after the work. 

Then I noticed quite a few people slipping off into the hills to enjoy the work nature had done.  The trails were quiet, that is until you came near a pond. Then the racket of chorus frogs -- some call them tree frogs -- would almost shake the trees.

Grass widows and buttercups were blooming. The buds of serviceberries are ready to pop open in brilliant white blooms -- just give them a couple warm weeks.  And arrowleaf balsamroots are showing their heads and ready to shoot up from the ground.