Trying some new looks for 2012, playing with colors, backgrounds, and format.  Snow on the porch at 5:30 AM............about 1/2 inch but enough to make roads slippery.  Yesterday the wind gusted to 25 mph making 40 degrees feel like low 30's.  Just a few days ago we were outside in t-shirts in 65 degrees.  Today may reach 34 and by Friday we should be close to 60 degrees again.  With such wonderfully mild temperatures, my spring day lilies are confused and have sprouted up through the blanket of dead leaves.  We're depending totally on the new wood stove with this cold snap and it's toasty warm.  This is the first chance we've had to use it day and night.  Last night Cliff filled the firebox with logs, got it rip-roaring for 20 minutes, then closed the air thing, vent, whatever it's called, and let it slowly burn through the night.  Now at 9:15 AM, with the sun out the temp is only 20 degrees!  The birds are fighting over the feeders and I've added warm water to their baths twice.  They drink often in this cold.  This morning we've got juncos, a variety of woodpeckers hanging off the suet and the feeders, cardinals, NC chickadees, titmice, goldfinches, sparrows, or as my father called them, sparrels, and Cliff's favorite, the "tree-walkers" or nuthatches.  Haven't seen the deer in weeks and no bear sightings lately.