Just as we start the second week of March, we are ready to plow out from another winter storm.  I'm looking at about a half foot of snow out in our yard.  It wouldn't surprise me at all to see more unsettled weather over the next couple of weeks.  It seems that the old season of winter is in conflict with the milder, new season of spring that will start on the 21st.  Soon enough, winter will realize it's futile to fight and will surrender to spring.

Iv'e been dreaming of pussywillows, forsithia, tulips, jonquils, and lilacs.  Easter is just about a month away.  I would love to spend tthat day at the beach just like my Mom did for so many years.  We would take our whole Easter Dinner of sliced ham, potato salad, baked beans and ambrosa salad and have an easter egg hunt with the children.  The kids always got kites in their baskets and the beach was the best place for them to try them out.

Today is a great day for a dinner of chilli and home baked bread!  I have the meat thawing already.  Time to get going and get some housework done.

I can see why the end of October is perfect for Halloween.  It rained yesterday as a cold front began working it's way through.  Last night was windy as is today and the temps have dipped into the 40s.  Many of the trees are now bare and the sky is grey and daunting.  You can almost feel winter's icy fingers approaching.  The day light hours are getting short and Saturday night we go back to standard time.

Despite the fact that I have no energy today and my whole body hurts, I want to bake some bread and make a hearty soup for dinner tonight.  I'm sure that will make me feel much better.

So, off I go before I lose this day all together.

It's no secret that my favorite season is Autumn.  I love the falling leaves and cooler weather.  But, last night reminded me why this season is so special.  I took Fred out on his leash and while waiting for him to do his business, it came to me....it's the scent of Autumn that is so intoxicating!!  The smell of the leaves on the ground mingling with the smell of wood smoke in the air was very comforting to me.  This feeling continued as I opened the door to go back in the house.  I was greeted with the warm smell of the chicken stew I had simmering on the stove, fresh cornbread baking in the oven and my pumpkin candle burning on the counter.

Today will be just about the same, except it is raining which brings out the scent of the fallen leaves even more.  I will be baking an oven roast of beef, acorn squash, boiled potoatoes and warm wheat bread.  Gosh, if it wasnt for the dog, who will have to go outside later, I would go put on my flannel nightgown and curl up with the dog lying by my feet, the ferret sleeping closeby in his cage, with the glow of the electric woodstove, my bear blanket wrapped around me as I sit back reading a good book and drinking hot chocolate!!!

For the rest of the week, it will be sweater weather with cool days and cold nights.  It would be sooooo easy to hibernate, but, then I would miss all the beauty around me.