CHRIS ARVIDSON

The snowiest February comes to an end in the next few days and I have mixed feelings about it. In general, I enjoy the winter storm warnings and the cold doesn't bother me -- I just get out the "Michigan" clothes and I'm set to go. And, unlike Michigan, at least the Traverse City-area I'm most familiar with, we do get a fair amount of sun popping out between the snow squalls here; sometimes it's snowing and sunny at the same time in the NC mountains.

So, I can't really blame the general funk I find myself in on the weather. I'm not seasonally affected or anything. I'm just in a rut that happens to fall in a more wintry-than-usual month.

What to do? Well, for starters, I'm going to break out of Ashe County on a trip with Henry to start March off. We'll drive over to the NC coast to Wilmington, where Henry is playing in a little joint called The Bottega Bar on Thursday night.

Friday we'll hop down to the village of McClellanville in SC to visit friends for the weekend -- something is always happening in McC and with Sam and Anne Knight. Doubtless the weekend will include a greasy and wonderful breakfast at the local diner, hopefully a cruise in the faithful old Boston Whaler on the intercoastal waterway, and a shit pile of both lame and erudite discussion on the weighty matters of the world.

Monday it's back up to Wilmington for Henry's appearance at The Juggling Gypsy that evening. We'll head west to the mountains and home Tuesday morning.

So far, our weather looks snowy between now and Thursday's departure. As I write this, we're yet again under a winter storm warning and expect another 6" or so of snow over the weekend. Early in the week lurks the possibility of yet another major snow event.

But, you'd best bet on Henry and I making it down the mountain - no matter what - Thursday morning. I think I'm ready to put February to bed and drive on out of my rut.

P.S. Click on my Home Page tab above to see the photo puzzle I posted this morning.