is it spring already?

The mean temperature in these parts at this time of year is 31F, with the average high at 40F and the low at 22F. This is far, far milder than our previous domicile, and though I hear my neighbors complain all the time about the cold, to me it's pretty comfortable.

This season it has been quite a bit warmer than the means and averages. Right now it's almost 45F. On New Year's Day, we took a walk on the beach with friends to the tune of about 63F. Later this week we'll be reaching the sixties again.

The Shasta daisies are starting to come up, and I believe the rudbeckia is doing the same thing. I'm not worrying about them. They'll be fine regardless of what happens. And if I play my cards right in managing my time, I might even be able to get in one more hot tub cleaning/refilling before winter weather arrives to stay, if it's going to. That's a good thing: we had a mob of people soaking this past weekend, and have been using it ourselves a lot more than in the summer and fall. I love a squeaky-clean tub, and always make sure it's that way for guests, too.

My hands will chap horribly and my back will be a bit sore from emptying and scrubbing the tub. I'll have to drag a hose out of the garage for the refilling. And I can't think of anything I'd rather be doing. Now if I could just be hypnotized to believe that every other chore that needs doing appears to be the hot tub duty...