I don’t know how to dress myself anymore.  It’s that time of year, when the temperature changes from cold to warm, winter to summer, and my body doesn’t want to give up the layers.  My brain doesn’t know how to prepare.  I am too cold in the mornings, and too hot in the afternoon.  I am still wearing my flannel lined jeans and my fleece breaches, and three layers over a turtle neck when I go out to do afternoon chores.  I wait for the warmer part of the day to go out.  I walk out the door toasty warm, and then by the third pitchfork full of manure, I’m looking for a place to leave my wool hat.  By fork six I’m dropping my winter coat.  By the time the wheelbarrow is full I’ve dropped all the layers I modestly can, and I’m thinking about going down to the sports-bra. 

This is the time of year I lose my clothes.  Which fence did I hang my coat on? Which car did I leave my jacket in?  Which pockets contain my warm gloves and my work gloves? By the time I finally adjust to the weather, and start my day in my summer clothes, it will be fall, the mornings will be cold again, and I won’t know how to dress.  Where did I stash my warm layers anyhow?

[Photo Credit Solveig Pedersen]