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Spring is in the air. You can see it in the first green patches starting to appear throughout town and the dogs frolicking in the river.

The skis and snowboards are being put away until November, and bikes are getting tuned as people get excited to switch to their spring and summer toys.

The At Home staff is no different. We're already excited about a new season, with plenty of outdoor activities to wile away the longer days.

Outdoors-enthusiast Tom Ross has been busy scouting out new and useful gear for anglers and gardeners in the area (pages 68 and 78). And even though good spring fishing usually doesn't get going until May, he shares some spots to drop a line if you just can't hold off until then.

Newcomers to Colorado - and Steamboat Springs - often think they can't grow exceptional gardens in their yards. All it takes is a look at Yampa River Botanic Park to know that's not the case. Ross talked to the botanic park supervisor and other area gardeners to get some insight into the flowers and plants that hold up well in our sometimes unpredictable climate while still conserving water and looking great (pages 70-76).

If photography is your thing - or even if you know nothing about it - spring and summer is full of inspiration. Longtime Steamboat Pilot & Today photographer John F. Russell talked to three local, professional photographers about their secrets to capturing Steamboat's beauty (pages 82-91). Larry Pierce, Don Tudor and Jim Steinberg's flower photography made me want to run out of the office to record the first early blooms of spring with my $100 point-and-shoot camera. And in Steamboat, it really is possible to feel like a photographer with a cheap camera when you are surrounded by photo opportunities everywhere you turn.

We've also packed this issue full of interesting local people. Russell and Ross teamed up to document artists at work in their studios (pages 53-61). If you've ever seen an artist's work and wondered about the person behind the canvas or art piece, this feature offers a glimpse at some of the places where inspiration is often achieved.

Another local figure, developer Jim Cook, is making his mark on Steamboat Springs with residential and commercial projects throughout town. Whether you agree with what he is doing, the interview on page 30 is worth a read.

I hope you enjoy the other pieces in the magazine, and if there's something you'd like to see more of, give me a call. I'd love to hear your feedback.

- Allison Miriani, editor

Miriani can be reached at (970) 871-4238 or amiriani@steamboatpilot.com