The green has arrived, every shade an assault to eyes grown lazy from the fading browns of leftover winter. Early blooms bring a silly grin for the shock of color and the enjoyment of brisk days and nights.

The dutifull are busy trimming and plucking, convincing mowers to come out of hibernation with a cough and a choke whilst others say - it is only May.

Fickle weather prevents making do with any one wardrobe choice. A quick glace at any crowd shows that confusion abounds from the overdressed to too much free flesh.

Western Montanans have been living with climate change for years, including longer droughts, worsening wildfires and dwindling snowpacks. But they'll get a new perspective on global warming when a 40-print photo exhibit opens Thursday at the Roxy Theater in Missoula. The exhibit, which includes images of the grizzly bear, wolverine, moose and other species native to western Montana, is titled “Irreplaceable: Wildlife in a Warming World.”

It was the first opportunity this season for much of the local river community to run the Lochsa. A prolonged winter has affected water levels across western Montana. At one point, Lewis and Clark Trail Adventures owner Wayne Fairchild questioned whether the water in the Lochsa River would rise to a floatable level by the first week in May.

Nervous laughter and anticipation filled the morning air Monday as a swarm of hobby beekeepers and University of Montana researchers patiently waited for 1.5 million honeybees - yes, 1.5 million bees - to arrive at the designated pickup spot at Fort Missoula. Joe Dunn, a first-time beekeeper from Stevensville confessed he was a little intimidated about working with bees, but was looking forward to learning from his brother, Nick, who has spent the past four summers as a hobby honey farmer.

Downtown, which is known for its trendy boutiques, continues evolving. In fact, downtown Missoula was one of five “unsung shopping locales” featured in Lucky magazine last August. “It is still a rural place, but I think Missoula is becoming more and more cosmopolitan,” said Linda McCarthy, executive director of the Missoula Downtown Association.

Sometime during the January doldrums, we decided that a trip on the famed Smith River would be the proper way to launch spring. Our experience with the permitting process was that Smith River float permits for the middle of April are relatively easy to get, and two years ago an April float turned out to be a perfect time to be on the river.

“Come join the peace amoeba,” sophomore Joey Boid yelled to a few other students as the march moved across Brooks Street. He was not at Hellgate last year to take part in the first march, but said he had a lot of friends who did. Freshman Kailin Rine didn't skip class, but joined the march as soon as the lunch period started. She spent much of the first few blocks holding the front edge of a long “Mission Accomplished?” banner.

Dreamy and picturesque, Big Sky, Montana offers a variety of winter and summer activities from relaxing and enjoying the scenery to extreme adventure to somewhere in between. Here are the top 10 things to do:

Llamas, originally from South America, are a member of the camelid family. They’re used to guard sheep and as pack animals on mountain treks. Other owners breed and show llamas, train them to pull carts, raise llamas for 4-H projects and have them as pets.

“I always feel good about Special Olympics. I hope you all love it as much as I do,” Ask told everybody as the spring games of the Five Valleys Area Special Olympics got under way Wednesday. Ask, 40, is a bowler - that event comes Thursday - and he'll compete in power lifting at the State Special Olympics in Great Falls in three weeks.