Winter fades in fits and starts rather than ending on a single date.

The city quits maintaining its outdoor ice rinks after about mid February. Sometime in March we'll get a big thaw after which most of the snow will be gone. We'll still get snow storms but the snow will stick around for a fews days at most rather than weeks or months.

In April the city starts cleaning the streets and my road bike gets to come out of hibernation. The ice will disappear off the lakes, and the ground will start greening up. We'll have some 70 and 80 degree weather followed by another snow storm.

We've had a neighborhood Easter Egg hunt for the last 8 years or so. Sometimes the kids are in snow suits and sometimes they're in shorts.