First pussy willows

It wasn't too beastly cold today, but it was a shopping and errand day, so I didn't have much time to do anything more than work on work, work on the house, take a skiing break, and keep the stoves well-fed. Such is life, cut down to basics. My one walk took place late in the afternoon as I tried to negotiate a snow-clogged parking lot in Westerly on a trek between the supermarket and the drug store. I had the little weatherproof Fuji with me, and it once again proved its mettle. To mellow out the expanse of asphalt, the planners had planted a variety of hardy shrubs. One of the hardiest is the Pussy Willow, which, of course, is one of the ultimate harbingers of spring. These toughies, of which there are numerous varieties, wrap their flowers in fur coats so the blooms can get the jump on the season. The forecast for the next few days calls for some of the coldest weather of the season, but the well-jacketed willows are not bothered in the least. It's their time to bloom. They're sensibly dressed for the occasion.