Is that...the...sun?

Yes indeed ladies and gentleman - the sun has appeared in South Bend Indiana once more! The snow is melting, birds are chirping and the first signs of spring can be seen just behind the 12ft mountain of snow and ice in the car park. It is a welcome sign for Jennifer and I after a long and hard fought winter - with flooding and car accidents behind us - and having lived in a state of denial for 3 months - it will be a welcomed change to be able to leave the apartment with skin exposed. And with exams now behind us - it seems the mood is infectious - with hundreds of students setting out on runs through campus to take advantage of the sun and blue sky. It is indeed a unique experience to be walking in 10C/50F weather and contemplate the virtues of summer - relishing the tropical nature of such temperatures. In celebration of living in an environment that truly sees the four seasons (and in slightly less celebration of the fact that I walk through the same doors each morning) - I have been taking the same picture of the North Quad each morning for the past 5 months. This minor tradition I am hoping to maintain for the next couple of years - before compiling the photographs into one of those very nifty animated time-lapse videos. While the snowman from last week remains the highlight so far of my north quad pictures, it has been none the less interesting to look back and contemplate some of the horrific weather conditions that failed to keep me from arriving at my office...Nerdom: 1 & Coolness: 0.

Pictured: The beginning...middle...and end of our first winter.