Love affair with mud season

Ah, mud season! That glorious time of year when muck boots become essential, kids and dogs are never clean, and semi-trucks drive 35mph. It’s a time that anyone who is a clean-freak must make a decision to either ignore their floors for a month or become neurotic cleaning them.

What’s not to love about mud season?!

No, seriously, it’s a great time to love. For a business owner, mud season signals the beginning of more business. Winter, which is slow for many local businesses, is beginning to wane, and spring is on the way. Every now and then, we can even throw open our doors and let the afternoon sun bake into our shops and offices, letting in some fresh air before the temperatures drop below freezing again.

Mud season is a chance to relax a little before spring cleaning. As a shop owner, it’s tempting to give up completely and just put up a sign that says, “merchandise is clean, the floor isn’t. Deal with it.” But that doesn’t really do much for winning friends and influencing people.

Mud season is such a great opportunity for business. Excavation companies get booked up quickly, as everyone wants to be on their schedule as soon as the ground thaws and dries. Garden centers open their doors with seeds, starts, and all sorts of outdoor whimsy. Restaurants start preparing their patios for outdoor dining, and retail shops enjoy scooting out winter clearance items and ushering in new spring gear.

Everywhere you look, there is change, movement, preparation, and growth. The air is full of the anticipation of warmer weather, more sunlight, and the boom of tourism. Mud season is indeed a thing to love if you remember what it’s preparation for.

Nancy Croll is a representative of the Bonners Ferry Chamber of Commerce and co-owner of Boundary Consignments.