ROSE (roz) n. One of the most beautiful of all flowers, a symbol of fragrance and loveliness. Often given as a sign of appreciation.

RASPBERRY (raz'ber'e) n. A sharp, scornful comment, criticism or rebuke; a derisive, splatting noise, often called the Bronx cheer.

We hereby deliver:

• ROSES to the first day of spring! How can we resist giving this lovely rite of the season its annual due, especially when it arrives on a day as post-card perfect as Wednesday was, weather-wise? Spring's arrival signals that, from now on, we have more time after work for gardening, sitting outside, bicycle riding through an awakening landscape and enjoying the return of leaves and flowers.

So what if Wednesday's morning temperature dipped to about 29 degrees and you had to scrape frost off the windshield? We spotted people out and about in shorts and T-shirts, and we're not just talking about those cold-tolerant types who wear shorts and flip-flops even in December.

Spring is here. Can barbeques, boat trips, the sound of crickets at twilight, lilacs and camping trips be far behind?

• RASPBERRIES to another mindless episode of weekend vandalism downtown that saw drunken louts break windows and tree branches and generally leave the place trashier than they found it.

Along with the perennial unfairness of one person's out-of-control partying becoming another person's unexpected expense, this is the sort of behavior that moves us all closer to the day when video surveillance cameras are inescapable.

Who could blame downtown residents and business owners for going that route if it means recovering their repair costs and having the satisfaction of seeing the guilty required to clean up after themselves for a change?

And what if such videos could be broadcast on local access channels? Would it still be as much fun if everyone they knew could see these drunks in action? Just asking …

• ROSES-BERRIES to an innovative local celebration of March Madness.

It all began about 15 years ago, when Brady Sahnow's thoughtful father brought a huge tray of Tater Tots and corndogs to his son and his son's high school friends to enjoy as they watched the start of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's basketball tournament.

Aw … great male bonding. Roses to that, and to that fact that this combination of fast foods became the annual fare to mark the first Saturday of the roundball tourney.

Who knew that would lead to Shanow and fellow Corvallis High School pal Henry Otley founding National Corndog Day? The event now is international, with a big following in Australia as well as many U.S. chapters. (Details at www.corndogday.com).

So what if we don't even want to think about the off-the-chart levels of sodium, fat, bad cholesterol, mega-calories and trans fats in those tasty treats? Even responsible diets have room for the occasional indulgence.

But here's a question: Why is it that nobody celebrates sporting events by chowing down on mega-quantities of veggies and fruits? Why has no one invented a National Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts and Blueberries day? These things are tasty, too. So how come they just aren't trendy?

ROSES to the perennial kindness of people in Corvallis. When Gazette-Times readers learned Thursday of the unauthorized pruning of Jean Reiher's rosemary plant - and how it meant that a bride-to-be would go without the rosemary garlands she'd counted on to decorate her May 19 wedding - Jean's phone began ringing off the hook with offers to make up for what the felonious pruner had stolen.

By Thursday afternoon, 10 people had called the shop or come by; the folks at Nichols Garden Nursery in Albany and students at Philomath Elementary School all wanted to save the wedding day with their own offerings of rosemary.

Some people posted offers to our online blog site (gazettetimes.com under the "Opinion" link) in response to her letter. Callers also contacted Laurie Zink, who owns the Day Dreamers Bead Store, where Jean tends a garden of rosemary and other flowers and other greenery that grows in a brick planter.

"I want to thank everyone profusely," Jean said Thursday evening. "I just wanted to give "Roses" for all of this outpouring of love - and rosemary."

The plan now is to graciously accept all the offers received to date, which will more than provide enough rosemary for the bride's bouquet and centerpieces. The rest will be used to share rosemary sprigs with the wedding guests. How appropriate. An offering of rosemary signifies love, friendship and remembrance. No doubt this bridal couple will long remember our community's kindness.

• ROSE-BERRIES to that age-old situation: A few ruining a good thing for everyone.

The roses go to Allied Waste Co. of Corvallis for taking steps to return more convenient recycling to rural residents. Starting April 7, the company will experiment with stationing a recycling truck near the railroad tracks in Wren on the first Saturday of the month, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Wren has been without recycling since September because so many people were dumping trash there that it cost more to clean up the area than the money generated from recycling aluminum, paper, glass, etc.

The raspberries are to those people who apparently still don't know - or care - that recycling is intended to reduce the waste stream.

Taking a charitable approach, we can hope that the recycling experts that Allied Waste plans to post at the recycling center can help clear up any confusion about what can be recycled at the center and what can't. Because the recycling truck will only be present once a month, let's hope unscheduled and illegal dumping doesn't trash this worthy effort, as it has in King's Valley, Blodgett and Monroe.