It is really cold here today and I am feeling miserable and hating winter, so I thought rather than just sit here with cold feet lamenting that none of the chickens are laying, I would make a list of things I actually like about winter. Power of positive thinking and all that…
1. Winter is perfect knitting weather.
2. I love the way the house smells when I have a load of woolen washing drying inside over the air vents.
3. I can wear my hair out (it hangs about half way down my back) without my neck feeling sticky and hot.
4. Scarves and hats are fun.
4. And big coats.
5. Mulled wine…. mmmm…
6. Hot chocolate with marshmallows.
7. Baking so you can hang out next the oven. (When we had one)
8. Reading curled up under a blanket.
9. Oranges are in season and cheap.
10. Sunny morning bike rides around the lake when everything is still covered in frost.
11. The cats seem to like me (or possibly just my warm lap) a lot more when it is cold.
12. I don’t have to worry (as much) about snakes when I take the toddler for a walk.
13. Sitting around a fire with friends.
14. Winter stews and soups cooked in the slow-cooker.
15. The roosters only start crowing around 6.30.
16. Preserves made in the Autumn are ready to eat.
17. The shortest day comes so early in the season. (I’ve added this to the list because it means even when it gets colder you can still say “it’s all good, the shortest day has been so we are on the way back to spring”.)
18. Frosty but sunny mornings are really pretty.
19. Flannelette sheets, flannelette pyjamas, wool blankets and a wool quilt.
20. Jumping in the car and turning the heat up high on my feet.
A round number, that seems like a good place to stop!
Feel free to add other things you can think of…
In the meantime, here is an enormous picture of some sunflowers from last summer to remind us that spring will come back.