Another sure sign of spring is when I sniff. I sniff in the morning and I sniff in the evening. I sniff at my desk at work and I sniff in the shower at home. I have what is politely referred to as "spring-time allergies" and my goodness do I ever dispise them. I can recall some years when I had to have Kleenex stuffed up my nose on many days, coming up for air on a semi-regular basis. I also remember not being able to work for a week at a time because the allergies would segue into a cold and back into allergies and then meander into a cold again. My little bout with spring allergies has always been quite the minor spectacle, to be honest.

This year I seem to be blessed. Well, if you look at me you might not think that, but if you could trade places with the me of springs past and the me of springs present you would definitely prefer the latter. Sure, I'm sniffling in the morning, at noon and at night, but it's not nearly what it has been before. So what's the big deal this year? My eye. My right eye, to be precise. It's lit up like a big red Christmas decoration, glowing at all who dare to come near. Drops, allergy pills, you name it, it won't do a thing. There are times when I can't actually see out of it, the swelling is so bad. Welcome to my version of spring bliss.

BUT. In and among the sniffles and the eye pain there is another sign that spring is upon us and they begged to be bought (just like the blueberries) at the market this weekend. They then proceeded to call my name from my fridge all day yesterday while I was at work (squinting at my computer screen). All the way home, walking in the late day sunshine, they called my name, asking me to cook them and eat them and enjoy them, in all their scrumptious spring-time goodness.

The gorgeous stalks of asparagus jumped out at me at the market. Standing there among their friends, waiting to go home with someone who'd love them, someone who'd take care of them and not simply allow them to rot in a darkened vegetable drawer. They whispered sweet nothings in my ear and promised me thoughts and tastes of spring when I carefully picked them up and placed them in my shopping basket. I didn't know how I was going to cook them at the time but I knew they would be delicious - I mean how could they not be?

On my way home from work I recalled a recipe I'd read not long ago - and knew right then that was what I would make for dinner. It was simple and light, just what I needed after a busy day, and just what the weather called for. I got home and opened up all the windows and the balcony door and cooked in my breeze-laden kitchen while S. enjoyed the smells emanating from the kitchen. We ate, enjoying the tastes and textures and the warm almost summer-like evening...it was absolute perfection.

The garlic risotto with roasted asparagus was delicious. My allergies even calmed down enough so that I could actually see the gorgeous green colour of the asparagus highlighted against the pale cream of the risotto. It looked beautiful but tasted even better. The creaminess of the risotto beautifully complementing the bite of the roasted asparagus. How much better does it get? I guess we'll just have to wait and see. There are many more warm spring evenings in front of us.