There may be no such thing as bad weather in Ireland, but here in Kentucky and Tennessee the endless rain is starting to wear out its welcome. I love rainy days, but the rising floodwaters have me wishing for some sunshine!

It feels like it’s been raining here for the proverbial 40 days and 40 nights. Rivers and creeks are overflowing their banks, farmers’ fields have turned into ponds and lakes, and my hometown has closed the gates in the flood wall that holds back the Ohio River. Early forecasts—often made by woolly worms and persimmon pits—warned us that this would be a bad winter. Lots of snow and below average temperatures.

And what have we had? Unseasonable warmth and interminable downpours. My daughter and the dog of mischief are slowly losing hope for a big snow to frolic in. Mud puddles just aren’t the same.

I’ve been making use of the time stuck indoors to Marie Kondo our kitchen and dining areas, because the three junk drawers were sparking something that was definitely not joy. Getting the house cleaned and organized cheers me up on gloomy days, and it’s a great way to procrastinate when you’re supposed to be writing, because it clearly isn’t avoidance—it’s just something that needs to be done.

I’ve also been sorting through the photo storage boxes that hold most of my prints from my pre-digital days. I knew that if I weeded out all the prints of missed focus, bad exposure, and multiple shots of random things that I practiced on when I was starting out with photography, I could clear out some serious storage space. I’m about halfway there, and though it’s slow going, it feels good to be making progress. Looking through all those photos reminded me of something I’d been meaning to do on the blog, so . . .

Starting this month, I’ll be sharing a monthly photo. Since March brings us St. Patrick’s Day, a photo from our trip to Ireland seemed appropriate. This is one my favorites—a view of Dingle town from the bay. The colorful buildings made me feel like I’d stepped into a storybook.

How is the weather in your neck of the woods? Have you had snow? We’ve 
had pretty much zero snow this year, so if you do, I’m jealous. Enjoy!
As for me, I’ll be over here waiting for spring . . .