the year

January is ice outside, soup inside, long nights, long weeks, football.

February is purple fingers and toes, but red hearts, red roses and cherry cheesecake.

March is melty, windy, brighter, and (here in Illinois), actually the beginning of spring!

April is delicate blossoms, daffodils, misty leaf buds and Easter eggs.

May is when the flowers start in earnest, and I love it, everything building to the crescendo of the summer solstice.

June is almost as good as May, except that it's so near the end of the crescendo.  Sunshine, strawberries, peonies and the end of the school year!

July is hot and wonderful; zinnias take off in abundance, slightly out of control.  Fireworks, watermelon and home improvement projects.

August is beach vacations, sea shells and fresh peaches.  Yes.

September is apples, school buses, new crayons.

October is pumpkins, miles of razed corn fields, blazing treetops, and marching band.

November is fallen brown leaves, turkeys, and warm kitchens with their lights turned on.

December is secrets, snowflakes, peppermint, chocolate, Christmas trees and holly, twinkly lights.

And then we go again.