Winter?

(This is a warning. I am preparing to whine.)
Winters in Columbus Ohio have become as frail as a doddery old lady; as meek as a kitten; as, pathetic as- well, you get my drift. Sure, there have been symptoms of winter- the ponds and river froze, but only on the surface and totally unsafe for anything like ice skating. We did have one snowfall (I think?) back in December where the snow actually covered the grass, but the next day the temp rose into the 40's and it all melted. Mostly this winter our back yard has been muddy because we have had a lot of rain. As you can see in this photo of the Olentangy River, the rainfall was enough to raise the water level to areas that are usually dry. And this morning, on the winter day of February 5, 2008, we had a THUNDERSTORM! That's right, thunder and lightening and a balmy temperature of 54 degrees.
What's a winter loving person to do?? I love ice and snow. The feel of arctic air on my face is exhilarating, and the thought that it will come again is what keeps me going through the hot, sticky temperatures of July and August (and last year September and October!), which I endure, but don't enjoy. It's hard to believe this isn't the effect of global warning. If only the current threat was a coming ice age!
So, on this Tuesday morning, I set aside my previously chosen winter work clothes, dug out some scrubs, and Birdy Beetle and I went forth onto the dark and shiny rain covered roads. Sigh...