Winter again

In December, we had autumn weather at the beginning, winter weather in the middle, and then spring weather toward the end. We even had a taste of summer, looking at blogs like Leon and Sue's Melbourne — our home.

So now, what season is it? Winter has come roaring back. You'll tell me that isn't surprising when the date is January 3. But my head is spinning. And I'm shivering.

I like these old-fashioned logos on French shopping bags
and the papers meat and cheeses are wrapped in.

I'll tell you something I think is strange. It's snowing to the south of us. They're predicting several inches of snow in places like the Dordogne, the Charente, and the Limousin — all more southern than Saint-Aignan. Here in the Loire Valley, it's cold but we aren't expecting snow.

I have very little experience of living in a place where it snows to the south. It didn't happen that way in North Carolina or California. It takes some getting used to. I know it has to do, at least partly, with altitude and elevation. Still, it seems strange.

Maybe I'm jealous. A good snowfall would make winter at least picturesque.