End of Winter

A late winter day at the Tennessee Welcome Center.

I put on my winter gloves and the shell of my winter jacket this morning and was glad that I had both of them. As we left Mount Vernon before 7:30 a.m., I thought that the damp 19F cold would persist throughout the day. A new ice age.

Nothing remarkable about the first hours of our drive, except for the snow and frozen lakes in areas that had suggested spring only a year ago. We saw many red-tailed hawks, usually alone but sometimes in families roosting in trees, faithful sentinels of the highway, looking for the telltale tracks of voles under the snow.


A lovely spring day in Atlanta.

 

I was looking forward to the Tennessee Welcome Center where I had seen my first robin last year, chirping cheerfully among the daffodils and crocuses. The somewhat grumpy attendant told us this part of Tennessee usually enjoys 50F at this time of year, but many days below freezing may simply be grating on her nerves.

Finally we entered the Eastern Time Zone where we jumped an hour to 2:30 p.m., mid-afternoon 
already. By the time we got to Atlanta, temps had soared well about 50F, and we made it quickly through the downtown area in the HOV lane, a quick hop away from our destination for today, another Comfort Suites in Macon, Georgia. Same layout as last night's room in Mount Vernon; newer hotel.

We're tired but not exhausted. Looking forward to real warmth tomorrow.

Florida pics.