Well, what can I say? Everything here in our Butjadinger countryside is still very depressing. After so much snow and ice everyone surely longs for spring! Indeed: If I look out my window, I can see the first harbingers of the new season. Winterling and snowdrops have boldly brought the first splash of color into my garden. Since the snowmelt, the ditches in many places around here are close to overflowing. While the ground is still frozen the water can not disperse into the land and our meadows become flooded. Now it remains to be seen what the month of March will bring us - a few more stormy cold days for sure. Come Easter we will hopefully be through with the winter and Butjadingen will awaken once more from its long sleep!

Come to think of it, all of us should probably be quite content. When I think of the earthquakes in Haiti and now in Chile. The devastation, loss of life and human suffering ... That puts everything into a proper perspective. Let's admit it: Despite all our whining about the economy, fuel prices and "too much" winter ( the winters I remember as a child were all like this! ) we here in Germany have it good - and I mean - really good as compared to others! Although - the continuous snow-shoveling was rather getting on my nerves!