Not too many people probably have much good to say about February. Although the hours of daylight continue to lengthen a bit each day, even without the help of Daylight Saving Time, it's cold, it's bleak, and we're tired of waiting for spring. This year our second and shortest month is a bit bleaker than usual, with political storms brewing over budget plans, the stock market dipping, layoffs continuing, and stores closing down. But I leave all those worldly cares to another time, because...
...some good things can be said too. February is short, but contains three fun celebrations - Groundhog Day, Valentine's Day, and Washington's Birthday. For my wife and me personally, there's a fourth, very important one we mark on February 28 - 26 years since she quit smoking. The best (last but not least) is shown in the picture above. It's the first flowering in the garden; far ahead of daffodils, crocuses, or forsythia, and more reliable in its appearance than Punxsutawney Phil, our witch hazel blooms like clockwork in early February, no matter what the weather. It's not as showy as some others, but it's a cheering sight nonetheless.
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