Does winter ever end in Alaska?!

I think I've reached the saturation point where gloomy, snowy, cold days are concerned! We started to have actual 40 degree temps and sunshine for about a week; and it was glorious! Our yard was even visible, bits of it peaking out from remnants of dingy icy snow. I was daydreaming of potting soil; trips to the nursery; maybe even trying to start some tomato plants from seed! (Last year's attemt in Valdez at tomato cultivation was GRIM. 20 plants; a total of 6-yes-6 tough cherry tomatos! ) I was becoming delirious with the prospect of dirty fingernails, muddy knees and half-wine barrels full of colors and home-grown veggies! Then; BAM! Old man winter rolled over and dumped on us again: five inches of new snow, two more days of cold and gloom; and three more inches of the retched stuff. Now the temperatures are back in the teens and twenties. Blechh! I never thought that I'd become sick of snow...More on my manic moods later.