We had a three day winter back in January. The temperatures dropped below freezing just long enough to nip back the accursed morning glory vines that try to smother everything. Now it is the end of February and I wear shorts, go barefoot, and run the fans. Everything is blooming. Redbud flowers dapple my car, bright red quince draw the bees, the Formosa azaleas work to bloom over the entire bushes, paper white narcissus send out their heavy scent, and shy violets are not so shy. To add to the beauty are the pats of butter fluttering by in the guise of Sulfur butterflies. Pipevine swallowtails dive and flutter, showing off their velvet black wings decorated with gem-like dots of blue and gold. Even an early Gulf Fritillary showed up and made me think of the Monarchs who will drift through later. Not bad for mid winter.