In England we had a wonderful stove called an Aga. An Aga is permanently on, with two big hot plates on top with insulated covers: one is at simmering heat and one at boiling — you regulate the temperature you choose to cook at by where you put your pot on the plate. (It also was our water heater for the house.) They’re very traditional in big country houses. We had a small suburban house but once I saw an Aga in action I wanted one, so we got it when we redid our kitchen. Wouldn’t do here, as they’re either on full blast or off entirely, and you do want to cook in the summer when you might not want the Aga pumping out considerable ambient heat. There it’s temperate enough so that there were only a few days when summer heat made the kitchen uncomfortable. It was big and cozy and bright enamel red and I loved it. Spent many an hour leaning back up against that one. Great place to read.

And spring is wonderful..the rebirth after death. Those first peeks of green on the trees…the flowers pushing through the late snow (that always seems to come).

I think Springs had a fresh smell…like out with the old and in with the new.