Which Do You Prefer?

Not the pictures. The seasons. You can see that the color of the sky is virtually the same in both picures, but everything else is different. I am trying to branch out and paint out of my comfort zone, which is warm and sunny locales. And, while I like the picture of the Colorado snowy mountain, my heart is with the sunny Miami beach scene. I am a summer person. I do not like cold weather at all, and I would gladly live with the beach at my doorstep all year long. Unfortunately, that is not to be, so I paint pictures of it.

Most people I know like all the seasons and love the changing temperatures. While I can appreciate the fresh air of spring and the crisp air of fall, I find nothing to like about winter. Snow is pretty for about 10 minutes--make that 5--, and then I want it gone. I do not like being cold, and the weather the last few weeks has been cold clear through clothes, muscles, and skin to the middle of my bones. I must admit that we in the Ohio Valley have been spared the worst of winter so far. Until nearly the middle of January, temperatures were mild at worst and balmy at best. We were spoiled, I guess, as that is not the norm around here. However, it seems that our luck has run out. The forecast for the forseeable future is unrelenting cold. Even in the house, I am bundled up and spend much of my time huddled under an afghan. My mantra this time of year is, "I hate winter!" Most of my family and friends have heard me say that often enough, but it bears repeating. Spring cannot come soon enough for me. Everything outside right now is dreary, drab, and muddy. While there is no grass to cut or flower beds to weed, there isn't too much beauty to be had around here right now. Yuck!

I hope the late advent of winter isn't a harbinger of a late spring, but we'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile, I will stay bundled up and keep painting the beach pictures and scenes that remind me that it won't be winter forever. I'll save the winter scenes for if I ever get too warm, so I may never paint another one!