Should We Set Up Table And Chairs On The Porch?

We are having January 28 and if it wasn't for the calendar showing it, I wouldn't believe it. The thermometer is jojoing up and down and right now it's waaay up at 6C. Needless to say, there is not one tiny little bit of snow left on the ground. I am just back from a walk down to the ferry landing, which happens to be right down below our property, but one has to kinda make a loop to get down there. All in all not a lengthy walk. I was wearing my usual light sweater and a winter jacket, but had to unbutton the jacket halfway to the beach. Dixie enjoyed our little walk and was eager to "clean up" the ditches along the way. This has become quite the habit of her to find empty cans, bottles and other trash. If she finds it near the road she picks it up and dumps it again in a "suitable" spot. However, arriving at the beach she found a "delicacy" of an old rotten fish, which she started to eat from. Before I noticed what was going on, she had taken a good mouthful. I had to pull her off it otherwise she would have gotten herself quite the meal there. Yuk!

I had used the mild temps for splitting some firewood I had dragged out of the woods yesterday and the pile is now waiting to be stacked for drying until next winter. By the way it is only 144 days until the beginning of SUMMER! Yahoooui....

So, yes, winter has been quite friendly so far, though there have been times when the mercury seemed to disappear in the bottom of the thermometer. I can handle the cold, but snow has to be shoveled or pushed and I just hate that. Also, I can't really do up more firewood, when there is a pile of snow everywhere. 

The pictures of our icicles were taken only a few days ago, now we are looking at our bare lawn.  

 And after the walk we need a good power nap. Live is good!