After this dark, wet and snowy winter, cherry blossoms are one of the first cheerful signs of the fast approaching spring season.  Unlike last year's early bloom, the stars of the 2017 Cherry Blossom Festival should be arriving on time, right about now!

Vancouver's signature springtime event wakes the city up from winter hibernations with an explosion of around 41,000 blossoming cherry trees around the city. April marks the month of the blossom and will feature over 20 public, mostly free, arts and cultural community events.

So stuff your winter coat away and get out your camera because the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is here again!

Are mom-and-pop stores making a come back?  I hope so.  My wife and I live in Steveston and it's these smaller shops that draw us in on a regular basis. Whether it be Herringers - our favourite butcher shop, Steveston Bakery for yummies, or the Steveston Candy Dish for sweets.  You also have Village Bikes, Kisamos, Steveston Coffee shop and much more. In many of these shops, they don't only know us by name, but often they will know what we are looking for.  Nothing really beats that friendly, quality service that we have become so accustomed to in Steveston. 

Hopefully we are seeing a resurgence of these smaller  businesses, like the experience that Karen Hamill has experienced in this Vancouver Courier article.

Let's go back to good ole fashion friendly basics!!

Yes, Canuck the Crow is dazed, but OK, after being knocked unconscious by a lineman wielding a flag at a soccer game on Saturday.

The news spread quickly on Shawn Bergman's Canuck and I Facebook page which chronicles the trickster crow's mischievous  exploits for their 40,000 followers.

Bergman, who befriended Canuck when the orphaned crow was found by his landlord's son, put out the alarm at about 7 o'clock on Saturday night.

'I need your help', said the visibly distraught Bergman in a live Canuck and I Facebook feed.  "Canuck's missing right now. I'm worried. This morning while visiting a soccer tournament at Adanac Park, Canuck was blindsided by a gentleman holding a lineman's flag. From what I was told by a witness he just walked by and cracked Canuck on the head with his flag."

The witness told Bergman that the blow rendered Canuck unconsious for 10 to 15 minutes. The witness had to temporarily leave the park, and upon returning, was told that Canuck had flown away. When Canuck didn't return home, Bergman asked his Facebook followers to help find him.

Canuck returned home about an hour later. On Sunday, Bergman reported that Canuck has made it through the night and seemed alert. He took Canuck to a vet that afternoon.

By Sunday morning the video had been viewed 26,000 times. Canuck's fans live as far away as the Netherlands, London England, Moncton, New Brunswick and Nome, Alaska.

Canuck has become so famous that a documentary film is being made about him.

Car-lovers unite! The Vancouver International Auto Show rolls into Vancouver at the Vancouver Convention Centre and this year's line-up will not disappoint.

There is a lot to see, test drive and immerse yourself in, but if you're looking to see what's new, here are some choices:

*  Pioneer Cedar Rocket: this car set a Guiness Book world record for fastest log car in the world

*  Hot Wheels 'Bone Shaker': with a skull grille and injector stacks through the hood, this car is complete with a skull topped spine shifter and crossbones steering wheel.

*  First time Ford GT is in BC: enjoy a tour of the 2017 GT's bodywork, suspension, the cabin's teardrop shape and GT's flying buttresses.

*  Porsche Singer: check out this rare, highly customized 1991 Porche 911, restored by Singer, commissioned by Pfaff

*  Monster Energy DUB Show Tour: know for showcasing the world's most amazing custom cars, trucks and bikes.

This all takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre West Building from Tuesday March 28th to Sunday April 2nd. 

Another new revalation about the iPhone has been revealed. At least I have never heard about this one...not that that means much. If you have the Apple iOS 10 update, then your phone is designed to be used as a visual aid.  I have used it and it's amazing, especially for someone like me that doesn't like wearing their glasses all the time. And it's really easy to set up  to boot - check it out!

There is nothing quite like a good ol' fashioned pillow fight! When the feathers get flying, you know things are getting serious! There's also nothing quite like a flash mob, and Vancouver has become known for these entertaining acts of randomness.

On Saturday, April 1st at 3pm, we are all invited to take part in the next Vancouver flash mob: the always exciting celebration of International Pillow Fight Day. What's the best way to celebrate? With an epic pillow fight of course!

The Vancouver Pillow Fight starts at exactly at 3pm and runs for about a half hour. It is held on the Robson side of the Vancouver Art Gallery.  Make sure to bring along a pillow full of feathers - it's more fun that way. The idea behind the flash mob is to make it seem unexpected.

The rules:

* don't be in the location until the exact minute before it begins

* hide your pillows

* at exactly 3pm, rush in screaming "PILLOW FIGHT"

Most likely there will already be a big crowd of people milling around the specific location, so it's not hard to figure out where to go.

A few other things to consider:

* soft pillows only

* swing lightly, many people will be swinging at once

* do not swing at people without a pillow or with cameras

* remove glasses beforehand

This event is free and appropriate for all ages. If your idea of fun doesn't include swinging around a sleeping device, you can always hang back and watch the action from the sidelines.

The Vancouver Pillow Fight is part of the celebration of International Pillow Fight Day that will be celebrated in almost 40 cities around the world on April 1st. Have Fun!!