Ah, what a beautiful day! The air has that magical quality it sometimes gets in spring, a caressing softness on the skin. The buds on the plum trees are swelling, and the robins have ascended to the tops of the trees, where they’re singing with abandon.

But… it is February. Today’s high temperature was 72 degrees, almost 20 degrees higher than normal and a new record.

At this time of year, the mountains surrounding my southern Oregon valley should be deep in snow. The high country lakes should be full, but frozen. The sky should be gray and, ideally, snowing.

Winter weather is th...