Can We Just Skip Ahead to Spring?

January is finally coming to an end, but it looks like the disturbance in the polar vortex will continue to bring cold weather to the Midwest and beyond into early February.
Sacrebleu!

Although February is really in the very heart of winter, I always feel like spring is getting close. MLB teams are all in spring training camp by the end of week two, so it has to be close, right?

This stretch of cold weather has me a little out of sorts. I haven't even been reading much lately.
Maybe it has to do with the addition of snow cover that lasts for more than a few days. 
Maybe it is the extra nights of working.
Maybe I am getting too old for this cold weather crap and need to move to a warmer climate.
Maybe it's that SADD thing getting to me this season.

I'm not sure what it is, but I am ready for spring!

There is a part of me that wants to be present in the moment and appreciate the winter and what it accomplishes in the cycles of nature. But I am also very much looking forward to planting a garden and watching flowers grow. I don't like spending too much energy on the days ahead. It feels like I am cheating today by doing that. I can tend to my early plants and do things to prepare for the coming weeks rather than just wasting time thinking about it. 
I ordered some containers for tomatoes and have already started my tomato plants. I think I'll also grow peppers (also started) in containers and I bought some larger containers for potatoes and sweet potatoes. I'm wondering how that will go and also wondering how I will do on the crops that require more patience than some of the others.

This weekend marks eleven years since I hung up my headset and retired from the ATC gig. It is hard to believe that it's been that long. 
Talk about privilege! Wow!

Enjoy the remaining moments of January. 
Retirement in any month is better than going to work!

John