Eight days ago the so-called spring-predicting groundhog saw his shadow and went back into the ground for six more weeks of winter. I'd rather believe real observable facts. This maple tree next to the driveway at the Hideaway is blooming. Daffodils are blooming all over metropolitan Nashville. The lawn needs to be mowed. The iris leaves are more than 8 inches long. The daylilies are sprouting.

After today's cold start, there are no more freezing temperatures forecast for the next ten days. It may be that rural Pennsylvania will have six more weeks of winter. But it is looking more and more like it will be early in Nashville and much of the southeastern USA. Our nursery man warns that it is still possible for a hard freeze. However, in light of the evidence, it is a challenge not to get spring fever. Especially when the tree buds are exploding. This is a macro image that is larger than life-size.