OUR TURN: How beautiful can a “real” winter be?

Yesterday, we passed along comments from readers experiencing
so-called winter below the Mason-Dixon line.

Today, some joys of winter from the north.

Herm Roach who lives on Newell Creek Road between Eldred and
Port Allegany phoned Monday to tell us two goldfinches have started
arriving at his bird feeders.

“The goldfinch showed up in winter plumage,” Herm said. “I got
the book out to look and it is a goldfinch. These are warm-weather
birds. They are getting here ahead of the crowd. There’s two feet
of snow on my deck and the birds are coming back anyway. To me,
it’s unusual to have these birds here now. February? I’ll have to
go out and talk to them.”

Herm goes through about 100 pounds of bird feed a month.

Meanwhile in Ridgway, Lil Wehler writes us Feb. 13: “Just wanted
to report the beautiful red male cardinals have been making an
appearance in my neighborhood here in Ridgway. Can spring be here
real soon?”

We got a photograph from L.J. Gorske of Johnsonburg, showing
daffodils starting to bloom. The shot was taken Jan. 17 – before
our winter returned to “normal.” “Hard to believe!” he adds.

Speaking of photos, we also got a shot we’d love to show our
readers but know full well would not reproduce on newsprint.
Charlene Irons passed along an “awesome” picture of a winter
rainbow.

Charlene snapped the picture at 7:40 a.m. Feb. 15 on Route 59,
Cyclone, about four miles past Bradford Airport towards
Smethport.

“Never saw a winter rainbow, nor had many of the people I showed
the picture to. Beautiful!” Charlene writes.

Finally for today, Linda Lamborn of Bradford responded to our
desperate plea for a list of “good things about winter”:

“1. Fresh snow covering everything with ‘postcard beauty.’

2. Skiing, snow-shoeing, snow-boarding, sledding, tubing,
snowmobiling.

3. Neighbors helping neighbors.

4. Cool, fresh air (no hot, humid miserable days).

5. Hot chocolate by the fire.

6. Steaming bowls of chili.

7. ‘Cuddling’ to keep warm.

8. Christmas, New Year’s, Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, Fat
Tuesday, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day.

9. Snow men and snow angels.

10. Cold, snowy days make spring flowers that much more
special.”