This is my absolute least favorite time of year, between now and about Groundhog Day. The only reason besides being forced to that I tolerate switching back to standard time is that if we didn't, it wouldn't get light till nine a.m. or so at the solstice.

But add the fact that we only get 8 hours of daylight at solstice to this business of it being gray all the time, and it just sucks eggs.

The rest of the year is glorious here (we get our first flowers in February, and I do have a rose that's still blooming), but winter? Is just depressing.