The newly renovated Friends Park in Forest Hill had several visitors by mid-morning Wednesday, from families playing on the playground and feeding the geese to joggers on that portion of the Ma & Pa Trail.
And who could blame them? With the sun shining, a spring-like breeze rustling through bare trees and temperatures climbing to almost 70 degrees on the first day of February, plenty of Harford County residents gladly shook off the mid-winter blahs for the outdoors.
For Lili Barocas and Becky Pensero, both of Forest Hill, the unusually warm weather allowed them to do things with their kids during this time of year that they wouldn't normally do. Pensero brought two children to the park, noting that February usually means more arts and crafts inside, trips to the bouncy place and to the mall.
In this weather, however, it means more outside time.
"They love it," she said.
Neither particularly missed the typical winter weather. Barocas said this warm break was a nice cure for cabin fever and her family has been spending more time outdoors because of it.
"There's definitely more to do when it's nice out," she said, adding that the weather was "beautiful."
The recent nice weather has allowed her to take her son bike riding, Barocas added, and go on walks herself, a change from their usual winter activities, like coloring and playing games.
Not everyone was overjoyed with the springlike temperature, however,
Even when it's cold outside, it doesn't stop Melissa Windly and her 2-year-old daughter, Jillyan, from enjoying the outdoors. They even miss snow, Windly said.
"This is beautiful but we'd like to go sledding," she added.
Wednesday was also the first time Windly and Jillyan had been to Friends Park since the improvements to the pond were finished, and they spent time feeding the geese and playing.
Her family spends time outdoors anyway, Windly said, but the warm weather does make it easier to take Jillyan out.
"It makes it more manageable for a 2-year-old who hates coats," she said.
A few miles north, Geneva Farm Golf Course was surprisingly packed for a mid-week afternoon, with the parking lot gradually filling up and golf carts zipping over the fairways.
The warm weather didn't a difference to Jerry Kulikowski, of Forest Hill, who said he plays regardless of the elements.
"As long as it's open, I'm here," he said.
Kulikowski sat outside the clubhouse with Jim Walls, of Street, and the two agreed they didn't want any snow. This particular weather is "good for golf," Kulikowski said, and they "want it to stay," Walls said.
Walls even went so far to say that Maryland is the "new south," as Kulikowski added that if people wanted snow they could go up north to New York and other colder states.
Getting into the club on such a busy day posed minor difficulties for Dana Lanchak, of Jarrettsville, but she and her son and his friend were able to get a spot and enjoy the weather Wednesday afternoon. Jared Lanchak, 13, and his friend, Owen Shertzer, 13, are both homeschooled, Lanchak said, and on nice days, she tries to get together with her neighbor to organize outdoor activities.
"My plans were to take them snowboarding but instead we ended up on the golf course," she said.
Although she called the weather "gorgeous," Lanchak did say that they missed the typical winter weather. Her family likes to ski, she added, and the Maryland ski season is already short.
She has been walking her golden retriever more as well, but even the dog misses the snow.
"Who would've thought we'd have this kind of weather in February," she said.
At Bynum Pond on Churchville Road in Bel Air, the parking lot stayed busy in the afternoon, as people came by to feed the dozens of geese, share a lunch or just enjoy a walk.
Liliana Stelmach, of Bel Air, brought her daughter, 4-year-old Roksolana, and 4-1/2-year-old niece, Sofiya Osheyko, to help throw scraps of bread to the ducks and geese clustered around them.
Stelmach said she works nearby and was using the opportunity to spend some time outside.
"Mainly we just go to playgrounds, so I just picked up my daughter from school," Stelmach said, adding she definitely enjoyed the weather.
"I love it. It's kind of surprising, that it's February 1 but it's so warm outside," she said. "You expect this weather in the middle of April."
"Yesterday we spent two hours outside and in the backyard, and we are going to spend more time outside," she said about her plans for taking advantage of the soaring temperatures.
Pattie Barbato, of Bel Air, was on the opposite side of Bynum Run Pond, and said the weather gave her a head start on coming to the pond to feed geese with her 4-year-old son, Dominic.
"We are very surprised," she said. "We usually don't get to start coming here until the spring. It's definitely like a spring day."
Barbato was more than happy about the weather.
"We had enough winter weather last year, so this is perfect," she said. "I picked him up from preschool and we will be here all day. It's just wonderful."
While everyone said they enjoyed the weather, some residents were also concerned about the implications of such a warm front in the middle of winter.
"I hope it's not a sign of something bad," Steve Deckman, of Aberdeen, said. "I don't know whether to let it scare me or not, but you can't help taking advantage of it."
He was walking around the path at Festival Park while waiting for someone at the library.
"I can't resist, it's so lovely outside. I am going to enjoy it," he said. "I just take advantage of the weather to do whatever."
Anthony Johnson, of Aberdeen, was also at Festival Park with his daughter, 4-year-old Maya, who was busy running around the playground.
"It's scary. It's never been this bad before," Johnson said about the weather, but added it was nice to take Maya outside without a winter jacket.
"I like it, but it makes you curious as to why, what's going on with the earth," he said. "I wonder if it's global warming."
Joggers and walkers were taking advantage of the beautiful scenery and gorgeous weather out on the Ma & Pa Trail in downtown Bel Air, too.
Karen Borzymowski, of Fallston, decided to work out outside instead of inside, "making good use of the nice weather."
Borzymowski said she already took her new puppy out for a walk and was sure her children would be excited to play outside when they got home from school.
Kingsville resident Ron Allen was also walking the trail in the "unusual" weather.
"It's almost scary," he said cautiously, explaining he was wary of the good temps, because nature has its way of making the seasons even.
"Temperatures tend to average out," Allan said, thinking of what Harford could experience during the rest of the winter.
"Oh my God, it's wonderful," Michele Stepanian, of Churchville, said of weather. "I dressed for winter, but I should've been dressed for spring."
Stepanian said she usually waits for warm weather to go out walking and wanted to take advantage of walking outside in just a long-sleeved shirt on the first day of February.
"It's been perfect for me," Paulette Jefferies said about the weather. "I don't like winter."
Jefferies, of Bel Air, was out walking with 1-year-old granddaughter, Aissata.
For the grandmother who doesn't drive in bad weather, Jefferies said she's been able to do more outside activities with her granddaughter, such as going to the playground and visiting the library — just "a lot of getting out."
Edward Whitaker, a Bel Air resident since 1969, brought his dog, RJ, to Bynum Pond.
Whitaker said he goes outside to walk every day "when the weather is decent."
"I hope we see this warm weather in March," he said.
Snow budgets hardly touched
With snow and cold weather barely making an entrance so far this winter, Harford County, for one, has hardly touched its snow removal funds.
Kenny Gemmill, chief of the county's highways maintenance division, said the department has 90 percent of its 20,000-ton salt capacity left.
The county has used 1,115 tons between October and January at a cost of $122,729.
"We have approximately $677,271.00 left in our salt budget," Gemmill wrote in an e-mail. "Last year… we exhausted our salt budget which $800,000.00."