Of course I’m talking about this weather!  As I look out the front window while I type, I see bare trees but blue skies and kids in tee shirts!

Last year at this time, I distinctly remember posting photos of various snowy sites around Brookside.  This winter, not even an inch of snow yet–not in this part of town anyway.  Now there are many people very happy about this warmer weather–myself included, to a point.  It’s been great for showing buyers homes in the area–no cutting cold winds or crunching down snow to make it to the front door of the house.  Don’t have to have the heat cranked up to keep the house warm.  We’ve been grilling on the  patio just about every weekend!  But in another way..I miss the normal winter weather…

January 2011 in Brookside

It’s fun for the kids to have that unexpected snow day…seeing them watch the crawl on TV, anxiously looking for their school name to pop up on the screen.  I love looking out the windows at night, seeing a ‘freshly fallen silent shroud of snow’ (thank you Simon and Garfunkel, for that lovely phrase).  Last year when we were snowed in, we had a pot luck dinner with our neighbors–no one was driving anywhere, everyone was home early from work and we threw together a tasty feast for our two families. Bundling up to go out and shovel snow–good exercise!  Watching the Brookside youngsters sled down Suicide Hill is a joy.  I like throwing on the flannel pj’s  and  burrowing under the down comforter to watch a movie while sipping hot chocolate, enjoying  the blissful cocoon of security inside while Mother Nature storms outside. Will any of that happen before spring 2012 hits?

Experiencing the very distinct change of seasons is one reason I couldn’t move out of the midwest. It would be boring to me, always having the same weather year round. So while I am grateful for this warm spell, I am hoping for a real midwest snowstorm soon, before the lilacs start blooming outside my kitchen window!

(Thanks to my daughter Siena for inspiring this post!)