seasons | Designer Sophisticate

What do March showers bring?

Yesterday’s Word of the Day was flora which means, “the plants of a particular area, time, period, or environment.” They say April showers bring May flowers, but what brings March and April’s flowers? Aside from climate change, that is. The big Bradford Pear tree in my front yard is almost entirely leafed out, my azalea bushes are starting to bloom, and my peonies are beginning to come out. It isn’t even Easter! I’ve noticed over the past few years, trees leafing out earlier and earlier, to say nothing of the daffodils and irises I’ve seen dotting people’s yards. I love Spring flowers as much as the next gal, but I don’t want Spring happening 10 seconds after we put the last of the Christmas decorations away. Let’s work on having four distinct seasons, each lasting about three months.

Look at the beautiful autumn leaves.

Posted on October 15 by Beth

Yesterday’s Word of the Day was foliage which means, “the leaves of a plant or of many plants.” This is really the only time of year you hear people use this word, and it’s always in reference to the beautiful color changes we see on the various trees in our area. Where I live, we’re just starting to see some color change. Our Bradford pears haven’t started turning, but a lot of the oaks and maples have started their orangey march. It’s one of many reasons why autumn is my favorite season and undoubtedly the best time of year. Yeah, yeah, summer’s nice if you want to go to the beach, but I hate extreme heat. Spring is too damp, and winter (depending on where you live) is too cold. Autumn is just right. Consider it the Goldilocks season. LOL

Absolute perfection.

Posted on August 22 by Beth

Sunday’s Word of the Day was balmy which means, “warm, calm, and pleasant.” For me, the perfect weather is a balmy 75 and sunny with a light breeze. Not too hot, not too cold. Though I’m from Chicago, I hate bitter cold (though I like it better than scorching hot), and despite living in the South, I hate the heat. It’s the reason summer is my least favorite season, even if my birthday falls during it. Autumn is my favorite season, not just because it’s football season (Go Pack Go) but because the weather finally cools off enough that I can open my windows and not sweat like a pig just walking to the mailbox.

When is it September?

Posted on July 9 by Beth

Thursday’s Word of the Day was dog days which means, “the hottest time of the year.” I’m not going to lie — I hate the summer. Aside from my birthday and Fourth of July fireworks, there’s nothing good about it. It’s hot, it’s humid, there are mosquitos and severe thunderstorms almost every day…I hate it. Give me autumn with its crisp mornings and evenings, crunchy leaves, football games, Thanksgiving side dishes, and comfy hoodies. I know it’s easy to complain about the weather, but still. I hate it. LOL

Just in time for spring.

Posted on March 18, 2022 by Beth

Today’s Word of the Day is nascent which means, “recently formed or developed.” This is the last Friday of winter (HALLELUJAH!), and pretty soon, if your flowers haven’t started blooming…they will be soon. To me, that’s always a joyful sight because it means I can finally open all my windows and turn the heat off for a few months. In fact, there are some nascent buds sprouting from my peonies as I type. For today’s Musical Interlude Friday selection, I picked a song that always reminds me of spring, and I hope it gives you the same feelings. Here is “Grazin’ in the Grass” by Hugh Masekela. Enjoy!

Spring has sprung.

Posted on March 21, 2021 by Beth

Yesterday’s Word of the Day was equinox which means, “time when day and night are equal length.” I forgot to post this yesterday, so I’m taking care of this now. LOL. My two favorite seasons of the year are spring and autumn, and that’s because in both instances, it’s neither too hot nor too cold. I don’t mind being cold, I can always put on another layer, but I hate — absolutely HATE — being hot. I can never cool off unless I’m standing underneath a cold shower, which isn’t exactly convenient. Thank God for central air conditioning. This time of year is particularly pretty because flowers are blooming, as are the trees, and the Bradford pear tree in my front yard is finally budding, so the white flowers are showing. Which equinox do you prefer — spring or autumn? I suppose that will depend on if you’re a cold-getting-warmer or a hot-getting-colder kind of person.

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 3

Posted on March 4, 2021 by Beth

Day 3 — A song that reminds you of summertime

This might seem a bit odd to you, but whenever I hear this song, no matter what time of year it is, I immediately think of summers growing up in Chicago. Not because the song itself has anything to do with summer or Chicago, and the artist who performs it isn’t from the city either. However, the oldies station when I was growing up, 104.3 WJMK, almost always seemed to play this more over the summer than during the rest of the year, so I began associating one with the other. While it’s not summer as yet, where I am right now the skies are blue, the sun is shining, and the weather is divine. It’ll do until summer really gets here. Here is “What Does It Take (to Win Your Love) by Jr. Walker and the All-Stars. Enjoy!

Lovely, but too damn hot.

Posted on August 24, 2020 by Beth

Today’s Word of the Day is estival which means, “of or relating to the summer.” I hate summer. I know that seems rather harsh, but aside from my birthday, I dislike the months of June – September. I don’t like being in any kind of heat, as it takes forever me to cool down and get comfortable. I’d much rather be cold because I can always throw on a hat, a scarf, and thick gloves and warm up. Once I’m overheated and sweating my ass off, you’d have to shove me into a meat locker to cool me down. With everything going on this year on top of my usual summer complaints, it’s felt interminable. I always look forward to autumn because that means Green Bay Packers football, and right now I’m not sure there’s going to be football this year, which sucks. Then November 3 looms after that, and I’m scared nearly shitless by the thought of…no. I won’t say it. I won’t speak it into existence.

Do you guys like summer or are you like me and an autumn/winter person? Autumn is my absolute all-time favorite season. Crunchy leaves, hoodies, my apple cinnamon air freshener, football, chilly mornings, pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, etc.

Happy Spring! I guess.

Posted on March 19, 2020 by Beth

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Today’s Word of the Day is viridity which means, “the quality or state of being green.” Kermit the Frog did a wonderful song about how it’s not easy being green, and it contained a wonderful message about learning to accept who and what you were, particularly at a time when it was difficult for a lot of marginalized groups to do that. It’s also, as my blog title alludes to, the official First Day of Spring, not that anyone’s allowed outside for long to appreciate it. I hope wherever you are in the world right now, you’re safe and you’re healthy. I know I’ve been absent from the blog all week, but I really haven’t had a whole lot to say, since I get tired of reading/hearing/talking about COVID-19. It’s starting to make my anxiety worse, which frankly, is not something I need.

So please, take care of yourselves, and I hope my blog can be a place you can come to for silliness, for good music, and for the occasional sarcastic rant.

You can’t really predict this, people.

Posted on February 2, 2020 by Beth

Photo by Gantas Vaičiulėnas on Pexels.com

Today’s Word of the Day is prognosticate which means, “to predict or foreshadow.” Today is, of course, Groundhog Day, a day otherwise sane people stand around in the cold to watch two clowns in top hats disturb a sleeping animal in order to find out if spring is coming any time soon. What a uniquely (and stupidly) American invention. Spring will get here when it gets here. You can’t rush it. It depends entirely on the speed of the Earth’s orbit around the sun relative to its axial tilt, and a rodent in a hole can’t affect that. So, please. Leave the poor animal alone. All he wants to do is sleep in his little groundhog nook and enjoy his hibernation period. PETA can be incredibly obnoxious and ultimately, detrimental to their cause, but where are they for this? They’d actually come in handy here.