Today, I'm going to talk about the weather.

Around New Years it was so cold and depressing, I didn't talk about it much. I got back to work on January 3rd - right into a very busy, high-pressure season. Those cold, dark days of early January made a stark background. It always froze for about two and a half weeks, reaching minus double digits several times. Yes, this is Canada, but it's the west coast: winters are generally mild here. Normally, it's above zero during the day even in winter.

Well, I don't know what day it was, but the weather broke maybe around the fifteenth. I remember that Sunday: the glorious sun finally burned through the cold, thin clouds. I was outside in a t-shirt, soaking in the rays. The temp was maybe 8 degress, but it seemed like 20. The ground was still frozen, but the point was made: spring was coming. That day I watched the sun disappear behind the mountains at exactly 4:30.

Since then, it's been mainly gray and rainy as spring slowly takes over. It still freezes some nights, but we're back above zero most of the time, and daily highs have been 7, 8, or even 9 Celsius. What a change not to feel cold all the time! This is the true west coast winter: spring weather can come suddenly. It might go away again for a few days, but then it returns. When those sunny spring days start to come in a row, spring is near. The official start - from my point of view - is the first day we get plus double digits and sun. At this time of year, it's easier to get plus 10 and rain, than plus 10 and sun.

Most days now, we get clouds and rain, but the sun comes out once or twice during the day as well. This morning, a cold fog has been lurking out there; the sun poked through around quarter to ten. We've had a lot of rain lately - well, this is a rainforest, after all.

Today's drawing is by personal request. Of course, he's Michael Grant Terry. Hope you like him!