Hello to Achoo!

This morning, I awoke to birds singing. One thing I look forward to is witnessing the four changes of the seasons. I grew up in Arizona. I spent part of my childhood in Tucson and the other part in Phoenix. In Arizona, there were three seasons: extremely hot, hot, and not so hot. I suppose the 'state of endless summer' would appeal to people who have arthritis and other health conditions that improve in such an arid environment. I miss the desert beauty. I also miss the vividly colored sunsets. Each sunset was a masterpiece consisting of variations in color that subtly changed as the sun sunk deep into it's bed of earth.

I have lived in the Kentuckiana area for two decades. For those of you not familiar with the word Kentuckiana, here is a definition. Kentucky and Indiana are neighbors hence the combined word. I moved to Louisville, Kentucky with my fiance. We eventually married and had two children. Later, we divorced. During the divorce proceedings, I moved to a quaint Southern Indiana town: New Albany. My girls were the ages of six and eight. I absolutely love New Albany. It has a small town feel. It reminded me of the town of Mayberry on the "Andy Griffith Show". New Albany was my safe haven where I could escape the marital turmoil. New Albany is where I wrote all the songs for my CD "Cruise Control". "Cruise Control" was my therapy. The songs on this cd provide me with comfort. The lyrics to the title song include.."I don't know what tomorrow holds but I know God is in control". After living in New Albany for seven years,I moved back to Louisville, KY. I had transportation problems getting back and forth to work for a week when the engine in my car died. New Albany, IN is five miles from Louisville, KY. Indiana and Kentucky are separated by the Ohio River. Now, I live closer to work and church.

It is hard for me to pick which season I like the best: winter, fall, spring or summer. I like winter. Snow is always new to me. I love when it snows. Winter is when Mother Nature covers the city in a white fleece winter blanket. Summer in the Kentuckiana area is very mild to me compared to the intense hot conditions in Arizona. I survived a summer in Arizona where it did not rain for 99 days. The average summer day ranged from 105 to 120 degrees. The sun was so hot, you could bake outside: no need for an oven. With no humidity in the air, the summer breeze singes you with scorching heat each time the wind blows. Summer in Kentuckiana feels like a tropical paradise to me. It actually rains more than once. Plants continue to flourish in the summer. Frankly, it doesn't get hot in Kentuckiana to me. As long as there is humidity in the air, there is coolness. With humidity in the air, the summer breeze kisses you with moisture. I love the newness and rebirth of spring. It is inspiring to witness the evidence of life out of once frozen plants and trees. The fall foilage is amazing. I love the rich warm colors of fall.

Spring and fall though enjoyable give me the most trouble with my allergies. I did not know I had allergies until I moved to Kentuckiana. I am not alone. The Kentuckiana landscape is rich with many beautiful and varied plant life. I have seen flowers grow here that I never saw in the desert landscape of Arizona. Everywhere I look, a carpet of green vegetation clothes the earth. As a result of all the normal rainfall every year, there is plenty of pollen, mold, and grass. I am allergic to all of these. When I use to hear people talk about allergies, I thought they were making a big deal out of nothing. Now that I am a member of allergy sufferers, I have changed my tune. Having allergies is like being afflicted with the flu. I feel very heavy, and lethargic, like I'm carrying a dragon on my back. My throat feels like sandpaper. My eyes itch. My nose drips and I am constantly...a a a chooo!!!! Sneezing.(Click onto the title "Hello to Achoo" for a neat link.)

Goodbye winter and hello to achoo.
Copyright 2009, Michelle I. Peterson. Some rights reserved.
To reproduce or distribute, visit: miva-music.icopyright.com