I say that that to myself frequently these days. Not only has it been cold here, but it's been cold and gray. But! We had a morning of sunlight yesterday and even though it was super-cold a friend and I took our kids for a walk. We walked slowly around a big field, soaking in the sun while the kids ran back and forth, stomping through ice puddles and looking for "dragon eggs" (or quartz pebbles.) If I hadn't been walking so slowly I might have missed this:

They blended in so well and were right in the middle of the field, but they are definitely crocus buds! I can't tell you how happy it made me to see this little clump of white, green and purple. It seems especially hopeful because as I write this the snow is blowing and falling outside. 

Also, do you make cascarones at Easter? They are hollowed-out egg shells that are filled with confetti. The open end is covered with tissue paper. We hide them like regular Easter eggs and then instead of letting a bunch of hard-boiled eggs sit in the fridge for ages, you throw the cascarones at each other. It's a great way to liven up Easter brunch! It's a family tradition in my husband's family, one we've happily adopted. I usually start saving eggs at New Year's, but it's not too late to start saving some. 

To save the eggshells, when you tap the egg a bowl rim to crack it, tap the narrow end and instead of cracking the egg in half, just break of the "top" of the egg. Then rinse the egg out and set aside to dry. I'll do a tutorial soon so you can make cascarones too!