Awaiting Spring (with winter holding on)
Barb and I had a very enjoyable time on our trip to Maui, Hawaii visiting my son Mark, daughter in law, Diane and their family. Their
 grandchildren, Owen, Madison, and Damen are entertaining to watch and play with.
We attend a First Friday Food and Funfest and the Whale Watch day at Kehei while there.  We hated to leave and come back to the snow and cold.
Today, February 24th, we have a forecast of low 20s during the day and single digits this evening. That big Polar Vortex they talk about on the weather channel certainly has effected our weather.  I am patiently awaiting the arrival of spring and a lot of snow melt and yard cleanup. The winds and snow have a way of loosening every weak branch on the Sycamore trees and each spring I spend several days pulling my small trailer behind the John Deere lawn tractor picking up the leaving from winters snows and wind. I do push myself to bend, squat and swivel myself around, to pick up this and that such as blew in or dropped during the winter.  Each time going around cleaning up seems to get a little easier as I work out the kinks developed by having my legs up in the recliner during the winter.
Age milepost has begun this month with my oldest son, Craig having his 50th birthday celebration. Barb's daughter Shannon will celebrate next year. Wow,
how the years go by.  Even though Barb and I have done a lot of traveling and are still quite active, we have to admit we are not spring chickens.

We are looking forward to a Road Scholar event the this spring island hopping off the coast of Georgia. Road Scholar is the new name for Elderhostel.

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WHAT A WINTER (and it not over yet)
Here it is, the 3rd of February in northern Indiana.  We have had a record snow fall this year.  Right now the snow is taller than the mail box along the street and it is knee deep along the driveway.  I will say I have had my winter exercise this year, either pushing the snow off the drive and walk or using my Cub Cadet single stage snow thrower.  The Cub Cadet really throws the snow over 25 feet which helped with keeping it from building up along the drive and walkways.
Barb and I will be visiting my son Mark and his family soon.  They live on Maui, Hi.  Oh, Yes, I will miss dealing with the snow and cold....I forgot to tell you part of our challenge this winter was -18 below zero temps. along with the accumulation of snow. 
We got to see a many different birds feeding and of course the squirrels wanting to take over the feeders.  I have a pellet rifle and put just enough pressure on it to sting them when they get greedy.  That is a show in itself, them seeing me opening the door and trying to scat off the feeder before they get their behind burnt.