I'm not a lawyer. I just play one in the blogosphere.

Ladies and gentlemen of the January, jury…I will prove during these trying times in the days ahead that Winter is innocent. A cold, calculating, sinister force? No. Autumn is the culprit. While Winter is blamed, autumn never takes the fall.

Condsider: It is autumn that denudes the trees; turns the grass brown; hardens the ground; shaves minutes of light from each day; frosts the pumpkin; kills the flowers. By the time winter arrives, everything is already dead. Dead!

Autumn is the accomplice.  Autumn wraps itself in the arms of people's romantic imaginations while fueling Winter's get-away car and loading the upper atmosphere. Autumn has been framing Winter for years and it is time the truth be known. Stay tuned…