photo by Jonathan Schechter,  Timberland Lake, Oakland County, Michigan

Winter never arrived this year, at least to southern Michigan. Sure, we had a few snowfalls but

each time Mother Nature teased us with a taste of winter it melted a few days later.Small lakes
 did freeze partially over, but now in the second week of March the ice is out, making warning
signs for foolish humans like this one at Indian Springs Metropark, (photographed on Saturday)
so very unnecessary.

What does this new weather pattern mean?

Time will tell, but I wonder about the the wood frogs and salamanders that snuggled down under logs

for the winter, but never had lasting insulating coats of snow over those logs.

And time will tell if our little 13-lined ground squirrels that nap the winter away underground like their

much larger woodchuck cousins have been affected by this skewed season.

And I wonder about the spring peepers that emerged today to sing to to the overcast sky as the temperature flirts with 60 degrees. And I wonder about the killdeer that already run frantically about the
edge of my gravel drive announcing their presence with their shrill call as I type from my screened porch,

 suck down coffee and watch a rabbit nibble boldly in daylight under the bird feeder.

What do I think?

I think that those creatures that can adapt to change survive and pass on their gene pool.

Those that do not die. For that too is nature's way.