The days are short and the nights are long in our Minnesota-part of the hemisphere.  After a stretch of sub-zero days, and the prediction of more to follow, yesterday was a breath of warmer air.  Our highs reached into the 40’s and brought people outside as if it were late springtime.  I was at Como Park to enjoy the late afternoon and watched this couple as they lingered over the early sunset.  The shadows ran long across the snow but their spirits were high as they laughed and encouraged a man who was drilling holes in the ice for fishing.  The sun set quickly, darkness took over, the wind picked up, and as predicted the temperatures fell to subzero overnight.  Our respite was short but gave us the hope of warmer days in the distant future.