Well, hurray!!! It's a bright, sunny morning today - no clouds on the horizon even (although, this being Michigan, that could change . . . ) But even better than the sunshine, though, is the quality of the light. Here it is, mid-February, and It Has Happened: The sun has moved just that fraction enough to the north that everything is bathed in a springlike glow. I don't know what it is; I don't know why this happens; but every year, some time around this time, I look at the sky and I know that spring is just around the corner.

In a matter of weeks I'll be going for long bike rides, getting ready for PALM, and it'll be time to start thinking about planting the garden . . . Soon my garlic will be up. (I planted garlic last year for the first time.)

Oh, well, in the meantime there's lots more semester left, so I better get myself out the door to work. But it's nice to feel the seasons change, even though it's a while until they actually do change. I can use the shot of optimism!