Baseball season may not start until April, but Thursday felt like a regular practice day to Eric Perrault and Hal Landers. They took their off-season training outdoors behind Salem High School, where fields were as muddy as they usually are in early spring preseason.

"I'm not cold at all," said Perrault, who had to take off his sweatshirt because he'd worked up such a sweat.

As the pitchers played catch in just T-shirts, others walked their dogs, went for runs and let their children play outside this past week as temperatures averaged 11 degrees above normal for the first four days of January, according to the National Weather Service. Once again today, temperatures are expected to approach 60 degrees.

The warmer temperatures are good news for those indulging in warm-weather activities more appropriate for fall or spring than January.

The Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill usually closes for the season around Thanksgiving, because the course becomes unplayable with just a small amount of snow, according to membership director David Gunas. This winter, golfers are still swinging away.

"Yesterday, we probably had 25 cars in the parking lot," Gunas said yesterday. "The members are ecstatic to be out there."

Windham, N.H., recreation director Cheryl Haas said, unfortunately, she closed the skatepark and tennis courts earlier this winter, because last year an early snowfall came before the skatepark was winterized.

But, she said, this year everyone has been fooled, because winter still hasn't arrived and the facilities would be getting a lot of use if they were open.

Students in Danville, N.H., keep trying to take their coats off at recess this week, Assistant Principal Nancy Barcelos said. But because many of them got new coats during the holidays, it's been easy to convince them to keep them on to show off their new clothes, she said.

Barcelos said she doesn't think students realize how lucky they are this winter, because they haven't had a dose of the real winter recess, when half of the equipment is off limits and they have to walk instead of run.

"It's really worked out wonderfully for our kids, because they are playing games they like to play in warm weather," she said. "It's been a nice extension for them."

Teachers at Burnham School in Haverhill have also been thankful for the warmer temperatures, according to Assistant Principal Judi Zaino. Ordinarily, students have indoor recess by January, she said, but staff members much prefer to get them out in the fresh air.

Higher-than-average temperatures this winter have kept the ground from freezing and icing.

Ellen Higgins and her purebred boxer, Katie, are both happy that they have gotten in their mile walk in Chester,, N.H., every day this winter. Higgins said Katie is too strong for her to handle in slippery conditions.

Fencing companies usually install fences year-round anyway, but Mike Olson, an employee at Fences Unlimited Inc. in Windham, said this winter has been particularly good for them.

"Snow is our best friend because it insulates the ground and keeps it from freezing," Olson said. "But we haven't had to worry either way, snow or cold."

On the other side is Michael Smolak, owner of Smolak Farms in North Andover.

"To say I'm not concerned would be an outright lie," he said.

Smolak said his real concern would be if there's a real cold spell, followed by milder weather again. That could mean his fruit trees would bloom and be in danger of losing the crop once another frost fell.

Smolak said he has seen some bushes blooming around town, but none of his trees appear to have gone into deep dormancy, which is necessary in their cycle before blooming.

There is no way a tree could have begun its deep dormancy yet this winter. Art Lester, of the National Weather Service, said December was the third warmest on record since 1869. And 2006, as a whole, was the fifth warmest year on record.

"So, the trend continues, as you can tell just by being outside," he said. "It wouldn't be surprising at all for us to hit 60 Saturday, but then we are going to get a light snowfall on Tuesday night."

That's New England for you.