This warm weather has me thinking of what happened a year ago, when I won a grill.

It's not quite spring yet, but it sure felt like it Saturday at Homer Lake in Homer.

I'd never been there, but my sweetheart swore it'd be fun. He was right.

Yesterday, I attended the first event of the year for the United Way of Champaign County's Emerging Community leaders Class of 2010.

A fashion-forward friend sent me this link, showing 15 skirts that would look just fine with a fitted T-shirt.

With the car thermometer showing today's temp at a balmy 65 degrees, I couldn't resist sharing with you. I have trouble believing that winter's really over, but it sure feels like it outside.

I was wondering what to blog about when I got a call from Hazel Kelly, who works for Frieda’s, a company that supplies produce to local Schnuck's stores.

She was calling to suggest blogging about jicama, an ugly vegetable she swears is delicious. It's pronounced HEE-KA-MA.

One of my favorite questions to ask people I'm getting to know – what are you reading now, or what have you read lately that you can't put down?

Right now, I'm reading “The Richest Girl in the World: The Extravagant Life and Fast Times of Doris Duke.”

It's good and full of interesting information about the “rich-rich” and heirs to the robber-baron tycoons, but it's not exactly can't-put-it-down material.

The News-Gazette wants you! Or at least, we want you to submit a recipe for your favorite, tried-and-true recipe that keeps your family wanting more, or your church community suggesting potlucks or you just like to make. We run them in our Wednesday Food pages.

I've long associated music with seasons, and this end-of-winter business has me gravitating toward summery tunes.

I've been listening to some songs I can imagine floating in the air at my next cookout, whenever that might happen.

They include:

- Emmylou Harris' bluegrassy rendition of "How High the Moon," from her "Songbird" album (I can't find a link to a video on YouTube, but this version is great.)