The past few days have been great, weather-wise, and seem even more special after the non-stop rain last week.

The rain was starting to get me down until I realized that the cherry blossom trees had bloomed to life. As I have learned during my time in Seattle, the cherry blossom trees are the signal that spring is here.

One of the things that takes some getting used to about living in the Pacific Northwest is the rain. While it is better that having snow all winter, the constant grey skies can get to you, especially after six straight months. There is a line from the movie “The Crow” that I always think of around this time of year: “It can’t rain all the time.”

I moved to Seattle one September and when I arrived the weather was perfect. My friend told me to enjoy it while it lasted so we went swimming in Lake Washington, hiked Tiger Mountain and went to a Mariners game. By the time I moved to Ballard, the rain had already started.

When it finally let up the next spring, I noticed two things: the cherry blossom trees and how beautiful Ballard was. I already thought Ballard was great due to all of the cultural activities, amenities and access to downtown, but then I got to see the view from Sunset Hill Park and to hang out at Golden Gardens in the sun.

I’m sure that anyone who has lived in Ballard for a while knows all of this, but if you’re a newcomer, it bears repeating: spring is here, summer is coming and the wait is worth it. Yes, it really will be like this except it will be warmer and there will be even more plants in full bloom.

If you’re new here, it takes some time to become acclimated during your first winter, especially if you haven’t experienced what the Pacific Northwest is like when the weather is nice. You don’t know how long it is going to rain for and it seems to go on forever.

I grew up in a place that has four distinct, but harsh, seasons and somewhere in between there was one to two weeks of the perfect weather that the Pacific Northwest enjoys all summer long.

Sometimes it's funny to see people shivering in temperatures that people where I grew up would consider T-shirt weather but then I remember that winter around here is a different kind of marathon. It challenges you in a mental kind of way that a winter full of snow does not. The reward, however, for making it through the winter is the best summer weather in the continental United States.

The sign that this perfect summer weather is coming is the cherry blossom trees that are no doubt blooming on your street or one very near you.

Spring is finally here. It’s time to soak in the beauty of Ballard by taking a walk to your favorite park, going on a bike ride, or just sitting on your porch with the beverage of your choice as you listen to a Mariners game on the radio.

While you’re doing that, you can engage in another great Seattle pastime: planning all the awesome outdoor activities you want to do this summer.