Entirely out of keeping with the season, I’m thinking of spring. Save for houseplants, the Vermont world is entirely without a single leaf of tender green leaf — in utter hibernation — but the days are lengthening.
Groundhog’s Day holds no suspense here — that garden-eater always turns around and burrows back down for more winter. In the meantime, a spring haiku.
The spring breeze.
Being pulled by a cow
To the Zenkoji temple.
— Issa
Stony Soil Vermont 
They are sugaring this week, so my mind wandered to spring all week!
Already! That’s a great sign of spring.
I know, January sugaring doesn’t seem right. But I know it is an illusion and we’ll be shoveling snow again soon!
Here in Montana, I’m ready and waiting for spring too! We’ve had a mild winter (after an Arctic “fall”) and I just keep waiting for the descent of the next subzero front …
Maybe the subzero just might not appear this year. I’m thinking it might pass over Vermont…
i can’t say i would complain … last winter was brutal!