On this date, February 15th and at this time, 10:45am, I would like to report current temperatures in the U.S. from several select locations. In Minneapolis, North Carolina it is 45 degrees F. In Minneapolis, Kansas it is 33 degrees F. In Minneapolis, MN it is 14 degrees F with a wind chill index of -3 degrees F. And finally in International Falls, MN, invariably the coldest spot in the lower 48, the current temperature is 6 degrees F, with a wind chill of -8 degrees F. In International Falls they are expecting tonight a low of minus 15 degrees F.

My point? It's still Winter, no way of getting around it. I would suspect that the folks who live in the northeastern U.S. could not be more ready for Spring. After Connecticut saw some areas getting around four FEET of snow a couple of weeks ago, the people in those areas of snow deluge have to look out over towering snow berms just to see the sky. They probably are ready with a passion for summer.

All I can say is hang in there everyone, Spring is coming and then the fun days of summer. And for us, here in the Phoenix area near the edge of the Sonoran Desert, it will be time for torture, although some may love it. Here are the averages for our area during the summer months: May-98, June-107, July-108, August-106, and September-102. Last August on one particularly hot day we recorded a temperature of 118 degrees F at our home location...but it's a dry heat, right?

Wherever you chose to live or wherever you have to live, try to make the best of the worst and enjoy the best of the best. Sometimes you experience those rare perfect days where the air is cool, the sun is warm and the flowers smell sweet. But whatever the weather, enjoy and revel in each beautiful day here on Planet Earth.