Icy Cold Winter Days

Please forgive the long and wordy blogs as I hibernate for a few days... :0)

Last night was slightly "blizzard- like" and we woke up this morning to several more inches of snow which are being swirled and hurled about. The drifts grow deeper while other spots are scoured clear, allowing brown bits of grass to poke through. Winter is a wonderful thing.

I think February is my favorite part of winter. Hurricane force winds howl, the lake churns up record breaking snowfalls, and we are all but forced to curl up on the couch with a good cup of coffee and a favorite blanket. When the winds die down and temps go up enough to face the outdoors with out fear of sudden and immediate frostbite, there are all kinds of fun activities to be had; skating, skiing, sledding, hiking, snow sculpting...

Lest you find me overly enthus- iastic, let me assure you, I have had my days of hating winter and vehemently bemoaning its existence. I found that to be totally unproductive and depressing. No matter how loudly I complained, February and half of March continued dole out massive amounts of snow and cold. There was nothing I could do to thwart what was meant to be. So, I decided to find something to love about it instead.

I love...
- giant snowflakes floating down
- deep drifts
- big snow shovels
- animal tracks in the snow
- ice on the lake
- silly snowmen
- whistling winds
- snow angels
- shadows on the snow
- cardinals at my feeder
- branches laced with snow
- warm mittens
- fire places
- hot drinks
- bright colored sweaters

I stay home a lot in the winter, and I don't feel guilty for it. I make soups and stews for supper. I read books, paint, and watch movies on TV. I pile extra blankets on the beds and enjoy the company of my cats. 

In the winter, every day is different. The wind and snow alter the landscape's appearance daily and sometimes several times a day. Ice on the lake freezes, and melts, changing the shoreline according to the whims of the weather. I love the excitement, but perhaps the biggest reason for loving winter is that it takes me back to my childhood when Dad went off to work in a blizzard and came home in one, when he piled extra blankets on our beds as we slept, when we would listen to the radio early on weekday mornings to find out if school had been cancelled. Mom would bake cakes or cookies, and we would play all day long when school was canceled. I just can't hate the cold of winter. It makes me feel too warm inside.
:0)