A farewell to the snow????

I took these first two pictures a few few days ago when we got a surprise dusting of snow just before sunset.   I have been trying to savor every moment of this must unusual winter.

There have been few winters like this one, and I would count myself lucky to see another one.   I have truly enjoyed this  non-winter.  Not something I can truthfully say about any other winter.

It is too easy to think of how beautiful another snowfall might be, because snow can be beautiful until you need to go out side and navigate it.   Snow flurries , and especially individual snowflakes are beautiful, it is when they get into a big heap that they can get pretty much ugly and depressing.

While I was  working on the many and varied things that need doing every morning, I was watching out the window as the crocus and mini-daffodils slowly unfurled in the bright sun.

As the day went on I noticed that the buds were also unfurling on the lilacs, there were tiny leaves, appearing on the day after St Patrick's Day, a time of year when more often than not there is still dirty grungy snow  on the ground, and the flowering quince which is the first to bloom is still dormant.

With my favorite coffee cup by my side, I found a  comfortable spot where I could watch the sun go down.  The woods where  filled with the sound of birds,  courting robins dancing and calling to one another.  The sun sunk lower and as the chorus of birdsong grew softer, the chorus of peepers grew louder.