Signs of Spring

It's a BEAUTIFUL day here is Eugene.  The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and the temperature is comfortable...in JANUARY!  What's going on?  I had to do a little walkabout in the yard to see how my gardens were faring.  This is what I found:

Daffodils in the front yard are already several inches high.

At the base of the Sweet Gum tree, last year's
snap dragons are volunteering for another season.

The ferns are unfurling from their protective layer of leaf mulch.

The peonies are covered in buds.

Even the pool looks inviting (except for the leaves in the bottom!).
Don't be fooled, that water is COLD! 

When we first moved into this house in 1976, Russ used to jump into the pool (and right back out again) every April 1st.  He hasn't done that for many years now.  The last crazy thing he did was stand out by the pool with no shirt and a towel around his neck last time it snowed (I'll spare your sensibilities on that one).  Never a dull moment!  Us old folks gotta take our fun where we can get it.

I promised Russ I would NOT plant millions of annuals this year.  I am trying hard to stifle the urge!  I just gotta keep thinking about traveling in Therapy.  But look at this little pansy.  It's trying so hard to survive.  The pot is full of grass that I need to dig out to give this little flower a chance at life.

So why am I so excited about this terrific weather?  It's almost time for us to "get the call" to go pickup the motor home.  I DO NOT want to do that in the snow.  The following pictures were taken on January 27, 2008.  This is more typical of January around here and I DO NOT want to travel when it's like this:

Rusty, Poppy and Donna in the driveway. 

We all enjoyed the snow.   I just don't want to travel in it.

No swinging today.

Care to go for a dip?

Rusty wonders why the pool deck is covered with this cold white stuff.

It was really coming down and getting deep (for Eugene!)

Poppy is taking a break under the patio cover.

So you see, I am enjoying today's sunshine and hoping it lasts....at least until we can get to California and back.  How is the weather where you are?