Escaping Winter?

Tim and I have been enjoying our travels and our time in California but I have to wonder if we really did escape winter. We have been following the weather at the farm while we are gone and in some cases, with the exception of a week of snow and freezing temperatures, we have not escaped winter because it has not shown up yet.  Like I said yesterday, we do need the cold and freezing temperatures for the trees, garden and bugs.  This week it will be warmer at the farm then it will be here in southern California.  Borrowing a quote from one of my contributing editors,  "We have not escaped Winter but we have escaped Spring". Thanks George!