Winter Here

Because I'm doing posts to make up for the last 2 years when I didn't, I have to include winter scenes which I constantly photograph so I remember winter---its harshness as well as its beauty.  Today in 2013, it's the first day of Spring (March 20) and we are in the midst of a severe winter weather advisory with snow and I'm sure ice (the worst part of late winter storms here).  I heard someone say that the robins have arrived (which they usually do by March 15) but I haven't seen or heard them yet, only the grackles/starlings (can't remember which is which yet without my bird book).  We've definitely had winter here this year unlike last year --- the year of the weird spring in which March 21 was almost 90 degrees and 2 weeks later is was cold enough for snow.  All kinds of bad things happened with frozen buds on the fruit trees to frozen strawberries and more.  I don't think that will happen this year because we've had a lot of snow, bitterly cold weather, some thaws, but gradually spring seems to be coming.  Yeah!!  A lot of people go south during the winter, of course, Florida especially, but I like to see the differences up close I guess.  The change of season is a celebratory time for me (winter to spring that is) and I also get a lot done in the winter while I'm snow bound---all I have to do is go out back to feed the birds and walk down the driveway to get the mail!