Trees burst with color. Rich oranges, fiery reds, and sour yellows coat their leaves. They line the horizon in full panorama. A brisk breeze weaves its way between the gnarled branches, sending a ghostly whistle through across the rolling hills. The sky above is a bright blue and is uninterrupted by clouds. The grass is still green, but it is no longer soft. Dry air has hardened it and it pricks one’s barefeet like tiny needles. 

The garden, tiered into the steep hills at the base of a large mansion, no longer blooms. The sultry roses and sweet tulips are a memory of warmer weather. Dirt mounds lay in wait to birth beautiful daughters in the spring. A bright marble statue of a young woman sits alone in the barren garden. Her crying eyes, which normally look like tears of joy, now reflect puppy eyes. Her smile is noticeably downturned as she looks across the lower gardens. She is cursed to guard the mansion above alone.

The mansion is tall, reflecting the height of its mountainous location. Swirling moulding decorates every inch of its grey exterior. Windows look small from a distance, but their height is immense the closer one is. From one of these windows, a young woman examines her world.

Scents of cinnamon and freshly made apple cider make their way through the halls of the home. It excites her. This time of year always does. Her world is not yet strangled by the smothering of a thick snowy blanket and somehow nature has found a way to steal the bright colors of flowers and put them in the trees. Warm and cold coexist- the sun doesn’t try too hard to over power the air and the air doesn’t try to conceal the sun. The smells from the apple orchard and the winery linger in the air from the village not too far away. Cheeks are cooled and rosey, but they don’t burn from the biting winter's harsh teeth. Flannel fabrics are soft and warm, and while skirts are heavier, one always feels the comfort like that of wearing a blanket. And at the end of the day, one can always count on a book to read, the warmth of a fire, and piles of thick blankets.