Gosh, it’s a gorgeous day. The sun is out, the air is warm, and it’s enough to seduce you into thinking that it’s spring. I know it’ll be short-lived; even California can’t sustain this kind of weather so early in the year. But for now, I’m savoring it.
Maybe because of the weather, I was finally inspired to put away the Christmas cards that have been sitting in a basket in the dining room. I was a nice task, actually, not least because I got to revisit this beauty. It came from my husband’s college friend John and his family, who live in Japan:
This one just might end up in a frame.
I also spent an hour or so outside, pruning the rest of the rosebushes. It’s not my favorite task, mostly because I always feel like I’m messing up. Every year I cross my fingers that I’m not going to unwittingly submit my roses to death by a thousand cuts.  Luckily, every year my lovelies forgive me for the hack job and produce staggeringly beautiful blooms. Let’s hope this year is no different.
And after the rigors of a hideous, relentless stretch of grading, it felt wonderful to be outside again, breathing the smell of soil and savoring the mildness of the weather. It won’t last, I know — but for right now, it’s perfect.
