Why I love this time of year.

[RedHatLinda]

I have to admit, winter isn't my most favorite time of year, but I still enjoy it. After the rush of Christmas, it's so nice to have time to think, you know? Just to sit and enjoy whatever comes along. I have a sunroom, with a swing and a rocker, and I sit there and read and look outside at the birds. We have lots of sparrows at our bird feeder, but also  many doves, cardinals, and bluejays. The cardinals and jays like to leave the feeders to the smaller birds and steal the corn from the squirrel feeders! The doves are too heavy for that, they just eat whatever falls to the ground.

From my rocker, I can see the north end of the flower garden I put in last spring. Not much is even green there right now, but there is one lone, scrappy hyacinth, pushing it's way up, and the narcissis are up too, hoping to bloom. I planned to put in a pyracantha but never got around to it, and it's the first thing I'll do this spring...so next winter I can watch the birds enjoying it's red berries.

February is my favorite month of the year... it's my birthday! But it's also Valentine's Day, and Mardi Gras! I love both the holidays. When I was young,  my mom always baked my birthday cake in a heart shaped pan, and put red roses on top and I thought it was so pretty. I usually don't get a birthday cake anymore, just sometimes. This year I may just go and buy myself one! Who says someone else has to do it! One weekend around my birthday, we always go out to eat with our best friends of 43 years...that's my official birthday dinner. We usually have a family dinner, that dinner and one just me and my best friend. As you can tell, I milk my birthday for all it's worth!!!

I love to take the grandchildren to the Mardi Gras parade in Shreveport. We always park in the family section, no alcohol, and it's a lot of fun. In past years, I've baked King Cakes and taken to the school for Mardi Gras parties for the classes my grands are in. They're not allowed extra parties so it's called a "Cultural Celebration"! I take them all beads and cups and tell them the history of Mardi Gras. I skipped last year, but I'm thinking I might just do it again this year.

If we have snow or an ice storm, it's almost always in February too. And while it's bad for the ones who have to be out in it, it's so beautiful. In the south, where we seldom have that kind of weather, it seems the world just stops and everyone who can stays home. Of course, sometimes we lose our power and have no heat, but it never lasts too long.

But after February, it's springtime here in the south. We have very short winters here, but it's okay. I love snow, but once a year is plenty. So for now, I'll just enjoy the cold, the time when all my beloved flowers are still sleeping in their snug warm beds, waiting for the warm sun shine of spring to bring them to life again.

I hope you're enjoying the winter too!

[kathie167]

Jan. 18, 2009 at 4:57 PM

no no ITS SOO COLD i PUT ON LAYERS OF CLOTHING !!! i REMEMBER PUTTING ON THOSE SKI LIKE LEGGINGS AND SWEATERS TWO LAYERS AND DON T FORGET A HAT ... GOD DID NOT FORGET US THIS YEAR EITHER--ANYWAY ITS WARMED UP TODAY 30 DEGREES .. THE SQUIRRELS ARE  HUDDLING AROUND THE  FURNACE PIPES ON THE ROOF THEY AREN T  PLAYING OUT TODAY . I PRAY THAT PPL HAVE ENOUGHT MONEY TO PAY FOR THEIR HEAT  I HAVENT LEFT HOME FOR A WEEK!!  i WISH I COULD ENJOY WINTER LIKE U.  GOD BLESS