Spring? Winter? Sprinter? Wing?

Yesterday I was out front talking to one of my neighbors and as I was looking around the 'hood I noticed these funny little bumps on all the tree branches. Huh? Buds? In January? I brought this to Bob's attention and he to said, Huh? Yep, end of January and the trees are budding. I saw this happen a couple years ago. Then a freeze hit and killed all the buds. Then it took forever to get some green on the trees. I just looked out the window and there are green patched showing up in the yard where the dog "fertilized" it. Come on freeze. I really don't want to start mowing in February. I sold a car last fall and used part of the money to buy a garden tractor. A garden tractor with a snowplow on it. It currently sits, unused, in the garage.