Winter takes a lot of hostages. It kills a few. It's the Bell Curve thing. It's not named after Dr. Bell, of course. It was invented by this guy, Carl Friedrich Gauss. But if you ask me, it could have been named in honor of the bells in the tall white steeples of New England churches that each autumn and winter ring for the ones who won't be here in Spring. But are they gone, really?

Buds are formed already on my forsythia bushes, ready for spring.

Winter reminds us that life is short. When I lived and worked in California it seemed to me everyone lived and worked as if life went on forever. In New England, thanks to Winter, we're reminded annually that time is running out.