This is CBS Eye on the World.

Here's John Batchelor.

On the eve of springtime in the North Temperate Zone,

I go to my colleague and friends, Simon Constable, in the south of France,

where he is advanced in the springable, in the south of France, where he is advanced in

the spring ahead of all the rest of us because he lives in paradise.

Simon, I announced that southern New England, where I am planted, is experiencing a transition

from that horrid February of ice storms and seven-degree Fahrenheit

mornings into springtime, which means lots of sunshine, the daffodils are advancing, the tulips

are up, although not flowering yet, and the buds are on the forcythia and on the pear tree.

I checked all of the trees this morning

and buds can be seen almost everywhere.

You, however, live well weeks ahead of me.

So give me a picture of the French countryside right now.

Good day to you, Simon.

Good day to you, John. Today has been lovely. A bit windy, but that's okay. Got up and it was 49 Fahrenheit. The high was 59. So I don't

think that's quite as warm as where you are, but it's warm enough here to wear shorts and go walk the dog and be very happy.

And yes, there are lots of buds around.

The grass is growing at breakneck speed at the moment.

So you can watch it grow.

It's that fast.

And it's really quite nice.

...