We were awakened in the wee hours of the morning by the sound of ice pellets hitting our windows and roof.  Wow that can be a loud sound!  Then for the second time this year Jon decided to start the day by working at home due to rather iffy road conditions, and the ice continued to come down until about 10:00 a.m. when it turned into a really hard, pouring rain.  What was really striking about this morning's weather, though, was the return of thunder.  In this part of the country the first thunder of the year has the same kind of significance as the first robin, or the first tulip, and we figure that spring is on its way.  Of course, just as with the first robin or tulip, it doesn't mean we won't see any more winter, it just means that we can feel ourselves getting a toe hold on the incoming warmer weather, a hold we will be reluctant to let go of.  And the timing of today's first thunderstorm of the season can't be missed either, because it just drives home the old saying "in like a lion."  With that kind of literal translation opening the month we expect the end of March to be all fluffy and white this year.