We have adjusted to life in a cold climate - Most mornings, we wake up to temperatures falling below freezing point outside. For example, the temperature this morning was 8 degrees Farenheit, which is equivalent to -13.33 degrees Celsius! I would never imagine this but a few days ago, my wife and I actually remarked what a good day it was - plenty of sun, no snow, no wind! Not until we realized that the temperature was still only 5 degrees Celsius! It dawned on us then that folks back home would think we have gone crazy describing a 5-degree day as a NICE DAY!
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From this, we can appreciate that everything in life is relative! Five degrees Celsius may sound terribly cold for someone who have been experiencing 30+ degrees, but to someone who had just gone through a snow blizzard with windchill temperature of -10 to -15 degrees Celsius, five degrees would seem like a jolly good day! So, if you have drawn the short straw in life, think of others who have it worse than you. Count your blessings.
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Anyway, winters here are stunningly pretty. Every rooftop wears a cap of snow. The serene stream on the right runs through Slab Cabin Run, a public park in Happy Valley. Whilst the winter here is cold, it not depressing at all! Unlike the oppressive grey gloomy winter we experienced during our 3-year stay in Manchester, England. Nearly every other day the sun shines in Happy Valley! In the evening, it doesn't get dark till 6 pm, or so. And when the cold starts to get to you, "there is the reassurance of knowing that a good hot summer is just around the corner" (Bill Bryson). Indeed, we received a nice e-mail (below) from our thoughtful landlady yesterday. It was a timely reminder that spring is almost here! Already, we have noted some stores selling outdoor garden furniture sets.
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Subject: Pre-spring in State College
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Toward the end of February and during March you can force forsythia (below left) branches to bloom inside for some color and a reminder that spring will, indeed, return to the yard. Check the 
messy bushes to the right of the cellar door (as you step out of the basement door) and the little one to the left of the carport door. When they have swollen buds, cut several long branches and put them in water in a sunny spot indoors. They will bloom! There are two sets of small clippers that will make this easier. At least one should be in the left-side cabinet under the counter/potting bench/buffet down on the patio.
messy bushes to the right of the cellar door (as you step out of the basement door) and the little one to the left of the carport door. When they have swollen buds, cut several long branches and put them in water in a sunny spot indoors. They will bloom! There are two sets of small clippers that will make this easier. At least one should be in the left-side cabinet under the counter/potting bench/buffet down on the patio. ....
As for other early spring bloomers, keep an eye out in the backyard for hyacynth (below, left). They bloom under the forsythia, along the house in that same bit of yard, 
and along the stone wall on the exposed part of the patio. I don't think the girls and I moved them last spring. They need to be moved and clustered, but by the time their foliage has faded and they can be safely moved, they're covered by other things, and I'm occupied with weeding, spring leaf cleanup, and all the other tasks. They can't be see from indoors very well where they are now, nor are they on the regular outdoor paths. Perhaps the previous occupants had different spring habits than we do. In any case, they're fragrant and pretty, and if you're not allergic to the scent, you should cut them as they bloom to enjoy indoors. The daffodils (below) stay mostly put in the front yard, but the crocuses (above, right) and occasionally the tulips get moved by the squirrels, so it's always interesting to see what comes up where!
and along the stone wall on the exposed part of the patio. I don't think the girls and I moved them last spring. They need to be moved and clustered, but by the time their foliage has faded and they can be safely moved, they're covered by other things, and I'm occupied with weeding, spring leaf cleanup, and all the other tasks. They can't be see from indoors very well where they are now, nor are they on the regular outdoor paths. Perhaps the previous occupants had different spring habits than we do. In any case, they're fragrant and pretty, and if you're not allergic to the scent, you should cut them as they bloom to enjoy indoors. The daffodils (below) stay mostly put in the front yard, but the crocuses (above, right) and occasionally the tulips get moved by the squirrels, so it's always interesting to see what comes up where! 
