What an exciting day!! I woke to the faint sound of birds chirping, left for work without sensing even a hint of that “straight to your bones” wind chill, and then I saw it.  Not just once, but over and over.  Patches of dry crackling grass.  It was the loveliest thing I’ve ever seen – it’s varying shades of brown, intertwined with muddy beiges – simply beautiful.  

 

Anyone questioning my standards of excitement certainly didn’t spend the last three months living in Northeastern Ohio. It wasn’t always this bad. I swear.

 

I have photos of my childhood – they’re black and white and tattered but that’s irrelevant. In them, I had many birthdays – May 8^th to be exact, where I’m pictured always in a pretty little short sleeved party dress. What I’m wearing is in fact relevant because in the pictures, I’m outside. Romping with friends, blowing out candles, outside.

 

The weather back then was entirely different, as was the climate on Easter, when we all donned our Easter finest and egg-hunts didn’t entail a weather channel consultation and a parka. 

 

It gives the whole global warming theory a run for its money, in my opinion. At this rate, we may have to consider re-scheduling Easter and perhaps celebrate in the early summer, when the thermometer stretches all the way to the low 70’s. 

 

I think I’ll leave my birthday as is though – indoors, the shimmer of all those candles casts a flattering glow that takes off a few years.