I woke this morning and started my day bathed by sunshine and warmer temperatures. The gauge in the car said it was 40-degrees, which in January 31st in Buffalo at 7:30AM, that is pretty darn warm. The weekend's snow accumulation was melting quickly as the ground hasn't been cold long enough to offer that protective layer of permafrost we normally have here in January. The warm air and warm Earth combined to create a spring-like freshness to the air that instantly had me craving something... well, something else.

I know those of you that live down south will say I'm crazy, but there is something about that spring thaw - that scent that made my mind wander to a different place and time this morning - that reminds me of a winter morning in Florida. Though I never see myself living there, being there this time of year is unmistakable. Mornings smell like sea water and sunshine. The fragrance of the topical flora. The day greeting you with sun, warmth and an eagerness to capture every moment.

Perhaps the lack of days like that here this time of year helps me appreciate them more when I do get them.

It certainly has me looking forward to having days like that here - which occur regularly from mid-May until mid-September.