Spring.

I am so over this winter.

I am so ready for spring.

I never really appreciated the seasons until I lived in Michigan. I'm not quite sure what Michigan had to do with it, but that was where I learned to appreciate the seasonality of food. Prior to this, I'm not even sure I could have told you what produce was in season when. Now root vegetables and oranges and avocados mean winter and berries and grilled meats and basil mean summer. Fall means apples and pumpkin flavored everything and soups and stews. And spring...

I know that I have never looked forward to spring so much as after a UP winter. Even wandering through the slush under grey skies in my rain boots was a thrill after feeling cooped up indoors for months and months. I remember the first year I lived there on the first "warm" day in march when the thermometer hit something like 50 degrees, Kyle and I layered on sweaters and scarves and piled on blankets and went to sit on our front porch to read. And even though my fingers were still a little bit frozen holding my book open, it felt like heaven.

I am so looking forward to asparagus and all of the lemon flavored things I have pinned on Pinterest. I'm looking forward to Holy Week and Easter celebrations and ham and eggs and scalloped potatoes. And, oh my, Reese's peanut butter eggs and Cadbury robin's eggs. And the glorious feeling of not having to wear a down coat or let your car warm up. I'll be honest, I could do without all of the pastels, but I am looking forward to finally being able to wear cute not-so-warm shoes again, going without socks, and the feeling of the sun on my skin.

I pray, I pray, I pray that that groundhog doesn't see his shadow!