Winter in the Northwoods does not leave quietly.

She fights.

We've had snow four days in the last week, temperatures below zero and many frozen tears. And May is a week away.

In addition to the snow, we've had ice-cold rain and I'm pretty sure some frozen boogers from the sky. The other morning my driveway looked like a huge sheet of apple crisp.

Yeah, gross joke. We've had an outpouring of those as well and when I write "we" I should change it to "me."

You see winter in northern Wisconsin is the bully of the seasons. Spring is the happy, naive kid promising all is well with the world. Summer is the salesman, saying "this is what I told you about." Fall, is the wise elderly couple, basking in warm days and cools nights.

Then comes winter.

"Are you looking at me? I heard you was talkin' smack about me. You got somethin' to say? How about this? Ten inches a snow -- tomorrow. With wind. It's gonna start with some ice so you ain't going anywhere. Call me in two days and then tell me what you got on me." (Winter sounds like Al De Niro.)

Then when you're looking forward to May 1, May Day, the Wisconsin governor's fishing opener here in Hayward, winter is like, "What, did you call me? Did you talk to me? Do you think you can't involve me? Oh, we got a little problem here."

Right now the temperature for the fishing opening is expected to be in the 60s but my knees disagree. You see, I can once again forecast the weather with my most-aching joints and they are telling me, "There's a guy in the weather alley who says he knows you and he wants to talk to you."

Peace and warmth -- sometime soon -- unto you my brothers and sisters.