Spring is upon us so soon?

It is hard to believe that as I sit here on this late February morning, the anticipated high for the day is a toasty 81 degrees.  Is it really time for spring? For those of you who have a backyard garden, and who are wont to start your tomatoes from seed, your sprouts have begun to spring.  But typically this is the time for heating pads and indoor growing lights, as ordinary February temperatures do little more than freeze your sprouts dead in their tracks.  Not this year. In fact, my tomato seeds sprouted several weeks back, and because of the temperate weather, I’ve been able to leave them outdoors to harden off a full month before the official start of spring.  Whether or not I like it, it is time to look forward to spring.

And the sam...