Old barn in snow

With snow coming down pretty hard on the ridge, I checked out the official Groundhog Day website for the much awaited long-range forecast from the "Seers of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators," a.k.a., Punxsutawney Phil, the uber rodent with the penchant for predictions. Not surprisingly, Phil declared that winter was not about to make an early exit, and, to the groans of many in the Western Pennsylvania crowd, we were in for six more weeks of cold and snow. Given what was going on outside, that bit of seerage struck me as perfectly apt, and as if to say "Phil got this one 100 percent right," the snow turned to sleet, then freezing rain, then back to snow before ending with a cold snap. I shoveled up two or three inches of slush, put more wood in the fire, and then, with fresh powder on the ski track, headed out for some cross-country winter fun. I was all smiles. The only groans came from my joints.