A lot of attention has been paid to the winter in Washington DC which has created a prolonged snow-bound situation. Here in central Florida, the effects of winter are a little less severe, but evident nonetheless.
A series of frosts/freezes has played havoc with the local greenery. Many cold-sensitive plants have simply withered and disappeared as brown husks. Of course, not all of the effects are bad. Reports of invasive Asian pythons dying off due to the cold have been greeted with general approval.
For the "snowbirds" who seek refuge from the cold of northern states during the winter, there has been a sense of disappointment as recent temperatures dipped into the 30s and low 40s. It's great to wake up to the sunshine streaming into the room, but when you step outside in a light jacket or sweatshirt to begin a day of outside adventure, the first reaction is "whoa! This is not what I expected." Still, by early afternoon, the temperature has risen to the upper 50s or lower 60s and all is well.
... unless you are trying to play golf on one of the local courses. Then you see the effects of this severe winter. No, the colors in this photograph are correct. The putting greens are indeed a grayish-brown and the fairways are a mixture of thinning grass and sand. To say that the courses are fast is unnecessary. It's like playing on the floor of your local WalMart. The good news is that you can forget about chipping to the greens. Simply putt from 20 yards out on the fairway.If anything, this winter has been amply evidence that so-call global warming has paused... part of a 15-year "pause." Those of you who are concerned about the effects of a slightly warmer climate should look around you. If this is "pausing," there is much to fear from "cooling."
Meanwhile, our government continues to blithely ignore all of the new evidence that so-called global warming has been nothing more that a giant hoax played by those who want to siphon off billions of dollars for their personal gain. This to be followed by the next logical step: Cap and Scam.