Across the street, the bands of trees have changed color. The buds are swelling!! My bulb foliage has broken ground, too.

The mares are starting to come into heat, and the white hair is starting to shed out. The brown hair takes a few more weeks.

Nancy

We have had a brutally cold and snowy winter here in Chicago. Today hit 42 degrees. I opened my windows :-) That ought to tell you something!!

We added 19 inches of snow last Thursday. We've had over 65 inches so far this winter. When I was shoveling the 2 inches that fell Saturday, I could hear birds chirping and thought "how odd to hear birds and the scrape of snow shovels together."

After the freezing rain stopped this morning and the temp hit about 40, the day seemed almost pleasant. A warm up will help melt the piles of snow that are so high it's difficult to see to pull out of driveways or some side streets.

I don't like winter in the best of circumstances. I'm really tired of it this year. So, no concrete promises of spring here but each day brings me one day closer.

This morning we had pouring rain, thunder and lightning. The thunder was so loud it is all over the news. It literally shook buildings. The lightning made you think a transformer had blown.

That has moved out and now it is sunny and bright. It is 45 degrees at the moment and a high of 46 predicted tomorrow. The mountains of snow are melting. I hope the inch of ice on my sidewalk is melting, too.

It will be another six weeks before we get reliably warmer weather. Once the snow melts maybe we will see daffodils coming up. It's hard to believe anything -- plant or animal -- could survive this horrendous winter. It will be interesting to see what is under the snow!

Enjoy the warm up!

House has been open all day...mid 70's and sunny here in Central AL. We had more days and nights in the teens this winter than ever before. Our heating bill was higher from Dec15-Jan 15 than it has been since we bought this house in 2002. It has been a crazy severe winter. We had 5 " snow on Mar1 2009 !! So who knows. But today it is gorgeous and I will take it. The birds are singing and the buds are bursting forth. I wish for Spring for all of you. c

I hope we see some signs of spring soon, but we're still in a mess. While we are above freezing for a few coming days, it's been raining and foggy and really unpleasant. We'll be back in the freeze by Monday, and we are under so much snow it'll be a long, long time before we have a shot at seeing buds in the ground.

In Bpt, their normal is about 19" of snow and already they've had 52" and winter isn't over yet.

I'm also in the Chicago area. After two sunny days in the high 30's -low 40's, I caught a tiny peek of some muddy grass under a picnic table where the snow didn't get too deep. It was a good reassurance that the grass really is still under all that snow and eventually spring will come. For me, it can't come soon enough! Tonight and tomorrow will bring heavy rain, which on top of all the snow will be nothing but ugly. Oh come on warm sunny weather!

Ded, the spring after we had 58 inches of snow down here was beautiful...or maybe we just thought so because we needed it so badly. It will come! :)

A frozen Northerner counting the days til 90's at the beach.

It's been above freezing for a few days so some melting. However 6-10 inches of snow coming later today and subzero temps by morning. So there is no promise of spring going on here in MN.

Its 40 and rising here in south central pa.. there are still 7 or so inches of snow after a couple of days of temps above freezing. Roads are wet and we are expecting a couple of days of rain.. BUT the light (even amid the snow storms) is spring light-- it has a different character than winter light. I know spring is going to come with a vengeance.. but not before freezing temps next week.

sign of spring- I've been hearing lots and lots of frogs (toads?) out there. Sounds like there are hundreds, and they are incredibly loud. Reminds me of a Stephen King story where they invade someone's house!

We had signs of spring the last few days with highs in the fifties and even sixties, but today started out with freezing rain, sleet and now great big fluffy snow. I love it! Everything looks so pretty. Ruin my plans of getting my hair cut today, but that's okay, I'm sitting a cozy house with lovely wintery views out my window. The only reason it's not upsetting is that I know, like the warm weather of the last few days, this won't last. Tomorrow with the forecast of 50ðF and sunny, most of this will be gone.
Our winter has been bitter cold, but we've had very little snow. Not that this little will help the farmers much, but it's better than nothing.

Crazy isn't it? A week ago we had 6" of snow. Today it is in the 60's and may hit 70. Hellebores have blooms, the early daffodils are coming up and some have buds, and the tulip magnolia looks like it wants to burst with buds. The birds are going crazy and the finches are regaining their golden yellow color.

Yes it is crazy. Here's a view I took from our front porch this morning. I was too lazy to put on boots, but you get the idea.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our neighborhood 2-20-2014

Well we had 2 days in the mid 40's this week, but now we are under a blizzard warning until noon tomorrow. 12-14 inches of snow and winds 30-40 with gusts 50+ mph. So the next day should be interesting. We are in Rochester, MN and have doctor appointments at Mayo. Glad we drove up last night and now only have to walk across the street from our hotel!

Oh my goodness Just! I am glad that is not my view today.

We topped out at 74 earlier this afternoon. Very cloudy now and breezy with the threat of thunderstorms through the night. We will be cooler again next week and of course we still have Blackberry winter, Dogwood winter, etc., etc., etc. BUT I think (hope!) the worst is behind us and the cold snaps will be shorter and shorter . . . .

Remember I work on a college campus and getting out today I had to laugh at all the shorts/tees/tanks, etc. so many of the kids had on.

tina

While its warmer today, about 40, its going back to cold soon. Its the most depressing winter I have ever experienced. My 84 year old mom said its the worst winter she remembers since 1940.

75 here yesterday, today & tomorrow. Just beautiful!!! It will get cold again and even a chance for snow on 3/1 but nothing like the ice storm we had last week. We were without power for days. Our roads are full of debris to be picked up. Looks like we had a hurricane. Guess we have to take the bad with the good!

Was one of those persons riding with convertible top down today! Yay! I got my top motor fixed over Christmas, and I have not been able to put it down since.

Crazy that last week we had nearly a foot of snow/sleet.

I think we are supposed to get thunderstorms in the morning.

Our daffodils are starting to come up.

DH and I had a "porch night " tonight !! Still feels like Spring here at 8 PM. I cleaned leaves off of the roof and cleared 2 azalea beds to get them ready for Spring mulch. I am SO ready for Spring . We are due for huge rain storms tonight too...but they are taking their time making their way across MS. I hope those with storms of all kinds are safe. c

Spring Training!
Go Royals!!

We have had rainbows nearly daily here in PNW, very encouraging!