Bye Bye January...one month closer to SPRING!!!

I don't especially like winter. I don't hate it because there are some great things about it, but about this time of the winter I start looking forward to Spring. What do I like about winter...New snow on the trees and how it still looks light outside even when it is dark. I like the smell of wood burning fireplaces. I like seeing my kids get excited for snowboarding. I used to love to ski...hope to again when I get rid of more of this fat...hope I don't break something, but I am going to do it again. I love Christmas. I love getting together with family. I love Greg making his shopping lists and making sure we don't forget anyone. He is so good at that. I love hot chocolate and oh yes, the christmas lights! We have our favorite places to go to see them. One year we took all the kids on a carriage ride after visiting Temple Square. The streets were packed with snow, and it was bright outside, even though it was dark...just the way I like it. We went to Memory Grove in the carriages, and it was spectacular. It was the perfect night for taking a carriage ride. I don't think any of us will ever forget that night.
What I don't like about winter, at least here in Salt Lake is the inversion. Salt Lake has about the worst air quality in the nation. I remember bringing Doris here when she was frail with lung cancer. She had lived in Port Angeles with cloudy skies, but clean fresh air. I felt like I was poisoning Doris a bit, and it was quite embarrassing to have such horrible air. The entire family is fighting upper respiratory infections right now. We'd all get better sooner if the air would clear out! I don't like dirty lawns, that have junk on them the wind blows around, but it is too cold to clean them up. I don't like the mud. I don't like freezing hands, nose or toes. I don't like huge heating bills!
I keep seeing geese and ducks flying along the river...NORTH, and sticking around like they may be nesting...and that means that spring is coming.
I like Spring because...well first of all winter is over! Also because of the new flowers, baby animals, new beginnings, clean starts, motivation to clean the house and longer daylight.