Spring in February 2017

I'm sure that the Piedmont in NC is setting a record for several weeks of warm weather in Feb. I'm accustomed to the odd day of warmth here and there, but not a string of them. This morning I noticed my forsythia is already sending out green leaves. Normally, the forsythia peaks in mid-March. I also have daffodils blooming a month ahead. Let's hope we have something left to bloom in March. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the spectacle of my neighbor's tulip magnolias against the forsythia. I knew the lady who planted the magnolias, Patsy Chambers. She left us a beautiful legacy. Here's a follow up on the weather from a CNN story: "What Happened to Winter?" Over 4000 record highs have been reported. Some say that Spring has arrived three weeks early. I agree.