Semi-arid you say??? It hasn't stopped snowing all month. I shovel every day. I have already levelled the tops of the flower boxes in this picture and again the snow has piled up. I think we are in for a winter like last year. And we have already had lower than normal temperatures. So winter is here and the snow makes it look like Christmas - very helpful to me as I try to assemble gifts to send south. Spruce Bog is next Saturday, and soon I will start baking the Christmas cookies. "Oooo, the weather outside is frightful....."