When April and May roll around I always say, “Ah, this is my favorite time of year!”  This spring has been especially lovely with the flowering trees, greening grasses and the plethora of blossoms of all shapes and scents.  The tulips and primroses have given way to roses and carnations, and my herb garden is blooming nicely now.

Early June is changeable with its warming days, coolish nights, and occasional thunderstorms.  This year robins pecked their way through the vent screening and made a nest in our attic.  The sound just about drove our Miss Kitty crazy – she could hear the babies but couldn’t figure out where their "chirps" were coming from exactly.  But the winged family is gone and we patched up the hole.  There is a limit to my hospitality.

I want to hold onto every fleeting day of June because July and August will be hot; the air conditioning will come on and I won’t be able to open the windows until one in the morning – if at all.  And as soon as the windows pop open, our Miss Kitty hops up to sniff the air and listen to the night sounds. 

Fast forward to September and October and then sure enough, I declare that this is my favorite time of year.  There’s nothing as breathtaking as the warm autumn colors clinging to the trees or the sights and sounds of Canadian geese flying overhead to their winter homes.  The hearty ones stick around to feed on the grass of our numerous golf courses and parks, and months later they lay their eggs along the river banks.  Spring comes, life bursts forth and the cycle begins anew.

Each season holds a place in my heart and I’m grateful to live in a region where I can experience the fullness of Nature’s loveliness all year long.  So here’s to my Favorite Time of Year!