no more leaves
All the leaves outside my window are bare now. Not one single leaf left. No colors. Boo...
However, this means we may soon see light dustings of snow delicately covering the bare branches. I love that.
In fact, winter in Chicago is generally wonderful to me, much as I do not like freezing weather. As usual, I connect what I love now with my rosy childhood memories. Every winter, specifically in December, mom would take us downtown to look at the story-windows at the State Street Marshall Field's. This year is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - very cute! We would then enjoy roasted chestnuts, one of my mom's favorite things, while watching the snow lightly fall among the sparkly light-covered trees. Beautiful! We often went into Marshall Field's and delighted in the pink frosted sugar cookies mom got for us, along with some Frango mints. YUM! On our way home, we would drive through Sauganash, a Chicago neighborhood known for its over-the-top Christmas light decorations. I can't imagine what their electricity bills are like, but it sure is pretty!
Mixed in was usually some kind of sledding or ice skating at an indoor rink where I took lessons. I loved it all and am quite nostalgic about it now, especially looking ahead as we plan for children.
I do not, however, love the frigid temperatures that come with the snow. But you gotta give and take, right?