If this is February, can spring be far behind?

When I lived in the Northwest Territories, around the beginning of February my friends from southern BC would gloat about the daffodils popping up in their gardens, the buds forming on the trees, the snowdrops in full bloom…while I sat shivering in 40 below weather and staring at snowbanks five feet high.

Now that I’m back in southwestern BC, it looks like I brought the climate from the north with me. Here it is, Feb 1st, and I have a foot of heavy, wet snow clogging my driveway and no signs of spring anywhere.

The dogs and pigs have cabin fever. Scotch won’t even leave the barn – he mournfully grunted good morning and stared at me morosely until I brought him a new wool blanket and tucked him back in his bed. With a big sigh, he lay down, closed his eyes, and softly “oofed” his thanks.

The dogs don’t understand why we are not going for our runs on the dike or in the pastures. My aching back from slogging through the snow and hauling water to the barn means nothing to them. All they know is that it is b-o-r-i-n-g being stuck in the house for much of the day. The only upside is that they get a few more treats like bullysticks to occupy their time. At least, it occupies Belle’s and Charley’s time…..Caleb can consume a 12”, $5.99 bully stick in less time than it takes to feed the cat.

I remember once clipping out a comic strip – I think it was by Lynn Johnson – which defined February as “the four month period between January and March”. I thought it was hilarious at the time and aptly described life in the north.

It’s not so funny any more. Winter, scram! It’s time for spring!