In Pennsylvania, we've been feeling smug because every serious
snow storm has diverted around us and clobbered either New England
or the South. Rained like hell. Mud. But cold has been accompanied
by clear skies.

We've had a couple of close run ones--- one in January which dumped
a bunch of icy slush on us. And one last week which turned the
roads into a mass of miniature ball-bearings. (I drove all the
way home in 4WD on ice tires, avoiding populated roads and
kind of enjoyed it, truth to be told, especially after I heard
about colleagues going 4MPH on the highways and I was going 40).

And some sort of ice-storm thing last December--- too far back
to remember.

Haven't got to run the snow-plow on the tractor since 2006-2007.

That's kind of a disappointment, because I like putting on my
'Carharts' and plowing out the road with a 50-year-old machine.

I figger with all this smugness, it has to end soon. Some Alberta
Clipper or Nor'easter is going to come ripping down on us in March
or early April and dump four feet in as many hours.

I've got the blade on the tractor, but haven't put the 85# each
side chains on, and the differential brakes are none too great,
so I'll have my proverbials down.

Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, so supposedly it could happen.

Still, I found myself today planning our first kayak trip of the
season down the Neshaminy and realistically hoping for a 60F day
(we've had several in the last few weeks) to allow it to happen.
I was looking at the boats today, up on the sawhorses and gathering
dust in the shadows of the barn, and feeling that itch in the
pectorals.

If it's a sign of Spring, the crop of pot-holes is bumper this
year. Thank goodness for big 16-inch (ID) 32-inch (OD) tires on
steel rims. BOING! Oh, was that a New Beetle down there?