Like you, I’ve been following the horror stories of the historical snow event in Buffalo … and, it is still snowing. The first decade of my life was spent in Ontario in Canada’s snow belt – our weather mirrored that of Buffalo, with never-ending snow most of the Winter. We lived right on the bend of a cul de sac and some black-and-white pictures in the old family album will attest to those mountains of snow. There was my father’s VW bug parked in the driveway, looking like an igloo, awaiting dusting off – no, make that shoveling off, so he could make his long commute to work in Toronto. I don’t really remember there being snow days for work, or for school either, but I do recall layers upon layers of clothes to go out and play in the Winter time. That’s probably the reason I’m no snow bunny and dislike the snow so much now. I guess we have it easy here in Michigan, though, from the sound of this morning’s traffic and weather reports it didn’t sound so great outside here either. Leaves still litter the lawns in our neighborhood. No one wanted to rake in the blustery weather last weekend, and, after all, we had until Thanksgiving week to get our yard waste hauled to the curb for the season. The leave-raking expectations don’t look too rosy this weekend, especially if it rains or we have freezing rain. Nothing like trying to rake glazed leaves. My handyman was supposed to come clean the gutters yesterday but phoned to say that job would require a pick axe so he has to defer the visit ‘til it warms up a tad. I follow “The Farmer’s Almanac” on Facebook and their weather folklore prediction is “if on the trees the leaves still hold, the coming Winter will be cold” … what joy! And, as to outside chores … for years it was great to wrap them up and put a bow on them before Thanksgiving and have a few weeks to relax before the snow shoveling drudgery began. At least I wrapped up the outside faucet last weekend, amid some grumbling, frozen fingers and though it is on there a little cockeyed, I think it will do the trick to get through this interminable Fall-Winter weather. So, chin up everyone. This quote by Lilly Pulitzer says it best: “Despite the forecast, live like it’s Spring” … so there!