HARBINGERS . . .

 GROUNDHOG FORESHADOW ?

HARBINGER noun . . . something that foreshadows a future event; something that gives an anticipatory sign of what is to come   

The mammalian weather prognosticator aka  "Weather Prophet Extraordinary", (among other titles), Punxsutawney Phil rendered his shadowy prophesy for this year.  When he left his burrow, he saw his  shadow and we are in for six more weeks
of Winter. Phil's batting average for accuracy over the past decade or so is a mediocre 40%.  That was in Pennsylvania and here's hoping that his jurisdiction does not extend to North Carolina where everything was gloomy and overcast. As it happened, there was no prediction from our  state's groundhog, Sir Walter Wallie. After several years of forecasting, he has          decided to retire.                                                        

         Winter around here has generally been 'mild', no snow, no ice, with few mornings of scraping car
windows.  Elsewhere in  the US, other kinds of weather  have been the norm.  Pictures of pre- Christmas monster snows in northern states and more recently ice-storms in the mid-west appeared frequently on tv. The calendar indicates about six more weeks before the equinox occurs at 21:25 (9:25 pm) on March 20 and Spring officially springs.  Even so, the myth of Phil's status as a harbinger of Spring's advent still holds sway for many.  This year that could mean bad news. There was a FB meme going around showing a female groundhog, Phil's ex-wife in Florida, who left him because he was allegedly
an habitual liar.               

Walking through our yard and a nearby vacant lot  last week, I spotted another kind of harbinger.  Remember the saying "If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind," ? Right in the midst of dormant bushes and trees, these beauties and those below foretold warmer, more colorful times :

Soon, the drab grayness will be replaced by a riot of   colors.

     Not only  does "Winter" occur as a calendar Season but for many it is a "season" of their heart, of their spirit, of their emotions.  Not surprisingly, harbingers of hope and relief are eagerly sought.  
Likely, these will not be found in the "shadows"; rather, more likely in either "bright spots" and sometimes in unexpected times and places like these flowers.

Satchel