Spring is on the way

Hello readers!   It's been a long time since my last post.  I'm waking up after a long post-Christmas hibernation.  Most of the Christmas music blogs are also still in the off-season rest mode, save for a few comments out on the Falalalala Fireside.

Winter in Kansas City has been interesting this year.  Last season ('11-'12) was very mild and practically snowless, with less than 4 inches of snow total for the season.  This season, the '12-'13 Winter has been better.  Well, better to Der Bingle, who *loves* the cold and snow.  Temperatures have been closer to average, with many days of highs in the 30s.  I like a good cold Winter.  Our snowfall was below average once again this year until mid-February, where we were hit with two snowstorms within a week, both of them producing 9-12 inches of snow.  My sons built a snow resort in the front yard after the second storm.

And now this week, with the first day of Spring only a couple days away, we have four systems coming through, all bringing snow.  Probably not a huge accumulation, but it could build up over the next few days.  Then, that will probably be it.  Maybe some continued cold weather, but snow after March 20 is pretty rare in these parts.

So, what's up here at Merry and Bright in the off season?  Not sure yet, to be honest.  I'm hoping to switch to comedy mode for a few posts.  A local used record store was going out of business (although they may have backtracked on those plans), so I bought up a number of comedy records from some of the classics - Abbott & Costello, Phyllis Diller, Jonathon Winters, Smothers Brothers.  Subject to checking on digital availability, I may post some of those out here.

A certain favorite jazz singer of mine is releasing an album of jazz standards later this year - we'll have full coverage when that happens.  A certain favorite singer/songwriter/ukuleleist is also preparing a new album that I'm really looking forward to.

And we'll see what else Der Bingle can conjure up over the next few months to keep the spirit of Christmas alive through the year.  I have some Christmassy ideas floating around that I need to get started on. 

Last but not least - greetings to my new readers from New Concord, Ohio!

That's it for now.  Hibernation is over.  Time to re-energize.  As they say:

Spring has Sprung
The Grass is Riz
I Wonder Where
The Flowers Is?

Cheers....