“A lot of people like snow. I find it to be an unnecessary freezing of water.” (-Carl Reiner)

Four seasons do it for me.

I like the variety of all the changes in climate, and I like living where we experience each one. But I do have to admit, North Carolina has what I call more “blended” seasons than other places where I’ve lived.

We get a beautiful burst of spring as early as February or March each year.

We get a long, flower-filled summer, and we definitely get heat and humidity in those later months.

Fall is stunning with the brilliant colors that rouse that time of year.

But our winter is “just enough” to do it for me: cold enough to enjoy sweater and coat weather, or to build a roasting fire in the fireplace, but not that long a season, and not cold enough to keep pansies from peeking up out of the ground. We rarely get snow, and if we do at all, it’s not typically that much. I do remember one year when he got 22” of snow, but that was extremely unusual, and that was some years ago.

Now, I love snow if I can enjoy it, and go sleigh riding in it, but to get out and have to dig my car out of it and plod into work on a freezing morning is not my idea of fun...I've paid my dues there!

I am always so glad when I see the cold weather is here to stay each winter, because for me, it means I’m home for the season. I recently realized I stayed in 65 hotels this fall, and so now my “hotel” is home, and I'm good with that!

“Weather is a great metaphor for life—sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, and there’s nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.” (-Pepper Giardino)