   When I went outside at 6:30 a a.m. to feed the horses, I was happy to see that it was one of those cold, crystal clear winter mornings when the stars are dazzling and the snow crunches under foot. Somehow the minus 20 temperature seemed easier to bear knowing that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. With February nearly over, can spring be far behind?
  I’m more than ready for spring. The recent February thaw is a reminder of how great it is to be outside when it’s not freezing cold and how nice it is to drive on roads that aren’t drifted. The thaw melted some of the snow in the ditches, so the roads have been much easier to travel when the wind blows.
    The road conditions, of course, will get tough again when the ground thaws. Then I’ll be battling, mud, not snow. It will be worth it, though, because the other glories of spring; green grass, blooming tulips and delicate lacy leaves, beckon.
