Contributed by Susan Webb

The end of winter is near. We’re counting the days until spring (as of Feb. 27, there are 20). By now, most of us just want winter to be over with, kind of like that nasty virus that’s been going around.

So what do we do about it?

As residents of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, we are all within a snowball’s throw of a decent sledding hill. There’s Soldier’s Memorial, where a ride down the steep hill launches riders all the way to the parking lot. There’s the elementary school, where recess is punctuated with shrieks of joy as sledders burn off energy until the school bell sends them back to class. There are backyards and farm fields.

How will you spend winter’s last breath of cold air? Will you hide under a blanket until the daffodils bloom, or will you get outside and embrace Winter 2013’s (hopefully) last hurrah? And if you do happen to brave the slopes, will you tell us your favorite sledding hill?