There are only days left in the month of February and actually only weeks that will seem like months left in this winter. Yet another conquest as we move forward through this first year in a new decade. Time weighs heavily upon us as we clearly live in an era where the passage of time and the precision of time is not something we can let slide for even . . . well a minute. The pace of life here in rural Canada still is manageable but time and its complications is only ignored by those who can accept being valued less by others.

There is nothing idle about the seemingly empty country side around us. Preparations for the coming crop year are underway and the marketing of last year's crop is the main event for the six major inland terminals that are part of this community as each days the roads rumble with the sound of passing "B" trains and the railroads grumble as cars are spotted to take the bounty of this country to market.

A little fresh snow has been arriving bit by bit each day adding to the total accumulation that will nourish the coming year's crops and gardens and many folks are relishing in the snow cover as it provides them with a boundless expanse to compress time a little and traverse the landscape in their machines of fun and adventure. The remarkable weather of this winter has made snowmobiling truly first class.

Perhaps its a touch of cabin fever or Olympic fatique but I am looking forward to even longer days, warmer temperatures, puddles, fits of green and for a few more weeks we will swat no mosquitoes, cut no grass and not have to suffer the follies of the Blue Jays and the Stanley Cup playoffs that seem to last longer than puberty.