Spring has sprung, the itch has begun...

No, don't worry - I won't be giving up my avocation of historical writing to become a poet...

Here in western Pennsylvania, spring is finally in the air. After one of the coldest and most snow-infested winters I can remember in my 45 years, we are finally up in the 50s. There is still 6-8 inches of snow lying in most folks' yards, with some huge piles still around from the plowing and shoveling. But the melt and thaw has, hopefully, begun. There is still a lot of March left, however!

I'm looking forward to this summer - getting out and especially doing some battlefield visiting. Last summer, short as it was (spring was late and the freezing weather began in early October with snow soon after), it was even shorter for me. I lost most of August last year to an illness that knocked me out for the better part of the month, and I couldn't do many things around the house that I had planned. It was January until I was able to remodel a spare bedroom into my new library, a project I had hoped to do back in August.

The new guide book by Steve Stanley and I, following in the mould of The Complete Gettysburg Guide, will be the 1862 Antietam Campaign. That means lots of stomping around many of my favorite grounds this spring and summer - Antietam of course, but also South Mountain, Harpers Ferry, Shepherdstown, etc. I'm looking forward to it. The book will have the look and feel of the Gettysburg guide, featuring Steve's fabulous maps and photographs. There are so many obscure places and events that I'm looking forward to making available to visitors, and I know that the campaign experts helping us with the projects will have amazing things to contribute.

So here's to good health (hopefully!), sunshine, and lots of bug spray!