Here: Alternately cold and mild. A number of trees have delicate little blossoms all over them, eagerly embracing December as if it were spring. In Canterbury Cathedral's leaf-cleaned courtyards, I can almost believe it is spring too.

Des Moines: 13-15 inches of snow, with gusts and drifts. Many places are shutting down, closed against the increased challenge of traveling in the weather. The roads are slippery. The airport is closed.