My Favorite Month
Originally Written Between 2013-2015
My favorite month? I know! I know! It’s October. No, it’s June – that’s my birthday month after all. Now that I think about it, it’s got to be September. No….. wait! It’s July for sure. Of course, there are the beautiful wintry months of January and February but that’s all I can say about them.
Oh…. Okay. I have to admit it – every month is my favorite month – except for November. The leaves are gone, the ground is brown (or white if we get an early snowfall). It’s chilly – or downright cold. It’s depressing since it’s cloudy all the time. Yep – November is my least favorite month. Except…… Thanksgiving is always in November. I love Thanksgiving! Oh, the wonderful smells of the start of the holiday season. Pumpkin and apple pies. Turkey roasting in the oven. All the comfort foods smell so heavenly. Maybe November isn’t so bad after all. Too bad I have to wait until the last week of November to truly enjoy it. And….. another reason for liking the end of November is that it’s Norm’s birthday on the 20th. Something else to celebrate.
But, I’ve got to remember that I have to enjoy the month I’m IN – not the one coming up! Anticipation is fine – but what I think will happen doesn’t always occur. Such as this summer. While we normally get lilacs in May, it was well into June before they blossomed. June was cold and rainy. July got really hot around the 4th but the thermometer quickly turned downward for the rest of the month. It was so chilly in early August that I was able to talk Norm into taking a quick four-day trip to Las Vegas so I could sit in 101 degrees to warm up. Of course, it was a dry heat – only 6% humidity. Wonderful trip. We came home to the 70’s again and these last few days and this upcoming week is going to prove that Mother Nature just realized that when it’s Fair time, we have to have HOT weather.
It just dawned on me that whether or not I like a certain month depends on the weather. I’ve already discussed November and whether or not I like December is whether or not we have snow. I have a tradition that goes back almost 50 years. And that is: On the first day it snows, I make homemade beef vegetable soup. I spend a lot of time simmering the meat or soup bone with loads and loads of cut-up potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions – along with various herbs and rice or noodles – depending on my mood. I listen to a CD of Handle’s Messiah and sing along. Now, it may be December 1 when the snow comes. If so, I’ll put away the CD until it’s closer to Christmas. Christmas and snow are two reasons why I like December.
January and February are questionable months for me. Once Christmas is done, I think the snow should be done, also. So, those two months are just “bearable” for me. Nothing special – a good time for taking a long vacation in the Carribbean or somewhere down South.
March, to me, is sort of okay. Spring usually does sprout up and it’s great to walk around with just a light jacket and no boots. For my family, March starts the birthday and anniversary season with at least 2-3 celebrations each month until October.
Now, April. I love April because, to me, it truly is spring. It smells like Downy fabric softener and I love being outdoors in fresh air.
May brings Mother’s Day and the end of school. The start of vacation time and summer fun in June, July, and August.
I love the weather and smell of fall in September. Our wedding anniversary is September 18th; so that’s another reason to like September. Remember the smell of burning leaves? My kids and grandkids certainly don’t have memories of raking and burning the leaves. They just have memories of raking and placing in garbage bags. Somehow, it’s just not the same.
October continues the fall theme and this brings me memories of a 25-year tradition of Norm and I taking our family on a “Look at the Leaves” driving trip into Wisconsin taken on the first Saturday of October.
So – my favorite month? It’s really hard to pick. I guess I’d have to say…… that it’s the one I’m in.
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