Today is Imbolc, a cross-quarter day, the Celtic day for estimating how soon spring will come and when to plant the crops.  It might be counterintuitive, but an overcast sky is a good omen, a sign of coming rain, when fields would thaw and become ready for planting.  And a clear sky is a sign of more cold weather.

Stormy Marmot makes a winter forecast.

Following age-old tradition, I ventured out at sunrise to see how the season was turning out.  It’s seasonably cool, although not terribly cold, and the sun broke the horizon.  There was little doubt that I could see my own shadow this morning.

Today may not seem much like it, but I have this gut feeling that we haven’t seen the last of winter.  Something tells me that a storm is coming.  Much as I like to frolic in early spring grasses, I have to stay with tradition and make a call for six more weeks of winter.