These were taken by Albus and Apple-Apple in our backyard after school one day this week, when the weather was gorgeous and balmy. We'd noticed purple and yellow flowers sprouting from several neighbours' yards on our walk home; none were coming up in ours, but even the slimmest green stem pushing through dead leaves is cause for celebration at this time of year. We awoke to a skiff of snow on the ground this morning; these pictures remind me of what awaits.