Hedgehog Day

I almost accidentally created a new blog, blogger. Just so you know, I'm probably your bestest tester - I will PROVE to you beyond a shadow of a doubt that if you try hard enough (or don't even try), at least one user will wind up with a thousand blogs simply due to inability to tell the difference between new post and new blog.

Anyway, today is Groundhog Day. Or, if you're my daughter, Hedgehog Day. She asked me this morning if you rubbed the hedgehog if you'd get a better result. Ahhh, no. What I didn't tell her was that rubbing for a good result usually only works well if you're holding onto a magical lamp or another person. Clothing is optional, though not recommended.

What was I saying again?

Oh, yeah - six more weeks of winter apparently. Whatever. It usually takes a while for spring to break winter's back anyway. And you can't be sure it's happened until you smell it outside. The world always smells subtly different when the seasons are changing, but if you smell it you know. Winter smells cold and sharp and icy whether there is ice on the ground or not. Spring smells like just a hint of sweet and warmth tinged with ice. Summer is sometimes dry and dusty smelling, though usually in St. Louis it smells hot and moist and sultry. Just outside the doorstep you're surrounded  by the scent of our star magnolia (aka, the soaptree). The fall is rich, cool and mossy-wet, like decaying leaves crunching and smooshing under your feet.

I miss summer. But until it comes, I will just have to steam the bejeezus out of myself at the YMCA when I work out. Then in July, I can steam the bejeezus out of myself by running outside. It's win-win.