Cold Weather

Last week, we FINALLY had a few cold days. Well, cold by Southern California standards anyway. The high temperatures were only in the mid-50's, and the lows actually got below freezing for two nights in a row. They have something called "Frost Warnings" where we live. The weather man on the news reminded us to take care of our 3 P's; People, Pets & Plants. That's right, here in So Cal, people go outside and wrap their plants in burlap and take other precautionary measures to try to save their precious foliage. What? My fellow Californians will have to forgive me for a moment as I sit here laughing my head off.

I was born just outside Chicago, and spent the majority of my childhood living in Colorado. Winter was all about cold and snow. Much of Fall and Spring could be counted on for it too. We didn't just tolerate these conditions, we coveted them. We belonged to a ski club so we could spend large portions of every weekend playing in the winter wonderland that we called home. When school was called off due to weather, you could bet our entire family would be found outside shoveling off our walk, and helping our neighbors when we could. I would have never admitted it as a kid, but some serious family bonding happened over those snow shovels.

I must admit that I miss that wintry weather from time to time. I don't miss having to bundle and un-bundle five kids every time I need to head out somewhere. I don't miss having to scrape ice off my windshield and trying to navigate the icy roads. I don't even miss shoveling snow. I do miss waking up to a peaceful word, blanketed in white. I do miss being the first one to make tracks in the freshly fallen snow. I do miss the satisfying sensation of the warmth seeping back into my body after playing outside in the snow for hours. Mostly, I miss my friends and family that live far away in those colder climates.

We have a very nice existence here in our cozy corner of the country. It is "pool" weather more often than not. We can grow just about anything, and sometimes even get two harvests before the growing season passes. Sun, and a little rain, rarely make the roads very slick. Most of the time, a jacket isn't even necessary, but when it is, a light one will do. We are nestled comfortably between the mountains, ocean and desert. Drive a hour in any direction, and you have reached your desired terrain. We may not bond over snow shoveling, but a good round of group pool cleaning from time to time does the trick.

As much as we enjoy our cozy abode, a little variation is nice now and then. One dissatisfied local resident gave a very accurate quote to one of the local news channels last week. "We had Summer, Thanksgiving, then Winter." She was absolutely right. We had a scorcher of a Summer this year, and we were still getting high temperatures in the 90's throughout November. I, for one, was ready for a change. I reveled in the opportunity to wear my warm, cozy clothes last week. Even the kids seemed to enjoy the need for a jacket in the morning before school. Grace had a ton of "winter" clothes, just waiting in the drawer for some cooler weather. You can bet I took the opportunity to see her, in all her cuteness, in her new clothes. I even found a minute to snap a couple pictures.

For what it's worth, our cold spell has passed. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the park yesterday (without jackets), and clear skies and temps in the mid-70's are predicted for the rest of the week. Welcome to Southern California!!