I went out to take a quick look at things....

                       From the top:  Helleborus thibetanus, Adonis amurensis Primula sibthorpii

 ....because we're going to get between 5 and 18 inches of snow starting tomorrow night. At least that's what I hear. It's one of those systems that will form as it happens. I'm a simple man and it's easier for me to watch a big front sweep in from the west than it is to visualize the interaction of invisible meteorological elements and the resultant storm. We haven't had 2 inches of snow total in the past two years so many people are hungering for this. I generally say I hate snow but this one's okay with me. Of course I don't really hate it; it's beautiful and I'm not a hater anyway. I just don't like dealing with snow and since this one will be melted by the end of the weekend, bring it on!

I know, I know....I photograph this dogwood every winter

....and it's flashy, it's gaudy, it's, it's, it's....I don't know. I don't think it's vulgar or tasteless but I may be in too deep to trust my own judgement. I do know I love coming home in the evening down the street (from west to east) and seeing it lit by the setting sun. I bought it as Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter's Fire' and I expect that's what it is. The Witch hazel is 'Diane' which is one of my favorites not just for these incredible flowers but also for equally flamboyant fall color.

Winter is slowly moving out but that's okay. Last year we had no winter here and spring began just about three weeks early. I'm happy to take a slower approach to warm weather. It might be nice to stay out of the teens to conserve spring blooming camellia flowers but I'll take whatever comes. We can only hope that some of the lower temperatures we've had this winter had some degree of lethal effect on the insect, tick, etc populations.