Were it March, today would be described as a raw day; showers are threatening, the afternoon temperature is hovering in the low-mid forties (F) and a gray overcast shrouds the landscape of central Missouri. However, since it's late January and today's weather arrived on the heels of snow and frigid temperatures, this mid-winter thaw seems mild by comparison.
In fact, the relatively mild conditions coaxed us down to the Forum Nature Area in the Hinkson Creek Valley. There we completed a two mile circuit through the preserve; unfortunately, pockets of residual ice on the muddy trail forced us to pay more attention to the path before us than to the surrounding winter landscape. When we did stop to peruse the scene, little activity was noticed though the calls of blue jays, crows, flickers and Canada geese echoed through the Valley.
Nevertheless, this March-like interlude was more than welcome and, according to the current forecast, we can expect another by this coming weekend. Of course, the battle between winter and summer will continue over the next few months and our definition of "warm spells" will change as the season advances.
