The cycle just keeps cycling.

Summer is by far my favourite season and winter my least. But I find that spring and fall evoke more emotions in me simply because of the anticipation they carry.

In this area of the world fall is definitely the shortest season, sometimes only lasting a couple of weeks. By the end of August the leaves start turning and rather than enjoy the boundless beauty God displays, I am instead filled with dread at the coming winter. If we get a couple of good wind storms the trees can be stripped naked by the middle of September. And then everything is just dull brown and grey laying in wait for it's white winter blanket. It depresses me.

And then winter comes. And I swear that every winter I have experienced as an adult is a record setting winter in one regard or another. Each year customers come into the store saying how this is "the coldest ever," "the most snow I remember," "the greenest," "the warmest," "the windiest" etc. This year everyone swears there was 10 times more snow than we've had in decades. Well actually I have pictures from last March that show the snow deeper than it was this year. Does anyone remember? No. Because while in the moment, we are certain it's the worst ever.

Spring arrives to remove the blanket of white and leave a dull brown film of sand and salt from the streets and rotten grass and leaves and the stench of defrosting doggy doo. And ahhh, this dirty brown state that I find depressing in the fall is now almost intoxicating as I anticipate flowers and leaves and greenness, and motorbike insurance. And then that first time you look out and realize there is a green hue to the poplar and birch on the hill you can't help but do a little happy dance and throw your poor little bedding plants out to be nipped by the frost that is still certain to appear each night.

It happens every year.