Just like that...

...although spring up here is different from spring on the coast, all of a sudden I can feel that spring has begun. It is still white, everywhere you look, and we had snow last weekend; but it has warmed up and as soon as it hit -8, the roads turned slushy and you could start to see pavement. By the time it reached -2 the roads were all either slushy or just wet, depending on how much traffic drives on them. By +4 there were some dry, bare roads; some that were under a lot of water and my road, which hasn't seen a plow for quite some time, which is just messy.

So apparently spring up here is a matter of road conditions instead of garden growth - but I'll take it! It was warm! Warm enough to be outside in my shoes and sweater instead of boots and a parka! Warm enough to go outside and feel the sunshine; instead of having to feel the sun through the window. I am certain we will have some winter-like weather still; but spring has started, now it is a matter of weeks instead of months