No matter how busy I am, I insist upon taking my daily walk, as I find so much joy in experiencing the great outdoors. I have many doubters question my stubborn observance of said ritual during this particular time of year, when Old Man Winter does his best to keep the outdoors inhospitable. But inhospitable or not, it is precisely during the latter part of winter that I will most object to skipping my walk. For soon it will be time to start keeping an eye out for the first pussy willows, harbingers of spring. Pussy willows, although covered as they are in a strokeable, downy fur, nonetheless are surely thorns in the side of Old Man Winter. Or perhaps they just tickle him to death!

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