Life as we know it...for now.: Bye-Bye Boots.

February & March. Ugh. Bane of my existence as far as months, weather, seasons go. We're in the thick of it right now. Meanwhile, my inner soul itself yearns for sunshine and warmth on my pail, unfreckled skin. For meals on the fiery grill on a bright summer evening, and fresh tomatos, herbs, and peppers from the garden. For early morning runs as the sun comes up when it's even too warm for a long sleeve tee. It's a need for new life, new beginnings, new motivations and agendas. Put away the firewood and ginger bread cookie scented candles, & enter Freshly Cut Grass home fragrance & Cilantro-Lime candles. Hide the heavy, winter down comforters & bring on the light weight quilts. Purge the ol' closet and rediscover last year's warm-weather faves from the attic. Bye-bye boots (which kind of upsets me, actually), but hello SANDALS!!

February and March in Baltimore can be super unpredictable. This past weekend it was 70 and we cruised with our windows down and hair in the wind! Then Monday night it snowed 7". Go figure. As much as I complain about the switch in weather patterns and how it's 'just a tease', I secretly LOVE it. It gives me new ideas, new excitements about the months to come. Makes me plan big outdoor events like the brunch in May we're throwing. Makes me imagine our garden and the tastings it will render this year. Or the massive ferns on the front porch we're going to hang for the first time in our new house (inspired by our road trip to Charleston, SC, last weekend --- high of 80 all weekend. Ahhhhh).

White wine. Light(er) beers (no, not Coors). Fresh salads, constantly. Late sun sets on our rocking chairs and porch swing after day light savings. Walks. Bike rides. Baltimore 10-miler training on Lake Montebello & NCR trail. Yard work, which I honestly love, followed by a cold beer and shower.

All of these things I so look forward to. Seasons change, and for us it's a wonderful thing. No matter if it's Fall for the festivals and scarves and BOOTS and foliage. Or Summer for out-back BBQs and longer days and crickets singing all night long and lightening bugs lighting up the sky. Or winter for the fires and good soups with dark beers on cozy, romantic evenings in my fave flannel Old Navy PJ pants.

Lets just hope that Punxsutawney Phil isn't foolin' us, and Spring really is less than a month away, shooing Father Winter away for awhile! In the meantime, I say take advantage of the energy & productivity these sporadic 70-degree days bring to our lives. Take full advantage -- it'll get you through to April 1st alive. :)

Or, if you're like me and can't endure, plan a weekend getaway to a place like Charleston, for instance. It's a refreshing, much-needed and well-deserved change of scenery. Get your digits done before your trip, then it REALLY feels like Spring. Featured here: Mint Candy Apple and a pink I forgot the name of but is super springy and fun!