101 great things about winter

[Shirley]

sunbathe in the greenhouse :)

You can get daylight bulbs can't you - eco friendly ones too!! I was considering some of these.

Our lights in the kitchen are enough to make anyone sad... not poking fun... we've got 14 bulbs YES 14 in our kitchen and the light is awful. As soon as we can afford it we are going to change the lighting in there to something that actually provides enough light to see what you are doing.

The sitting room isn't much better - that's got 15 bulbs.... although we don't often use the overhead lights (10 of them!!) for obvious reasons.

This is going off topic a bit isn't it...

I love being able to light candles in the winter... you can get soya ones too!

[Masco&Bongo]

Jumpers

Long socks

Scarves and hats

Sunny, frosty mornings

Being inside and warm when it snows, knowing you don't have to venture out in it!

[Martin]

was wondering if there's any correlation between when you were born, and your loving/loathing of winter - I was born in statistically the coldest week of the year (Mid-February), and loathe the winter!

[Masco&Bongo]

was wondering if there's any correlation between when you were born, and your loving/loathing of winter - I was born in statistically the coldest week of the year (Mid-February), and loathe the winter!

Born at the beginning of January and I love winter.... not a summer fan as I sunburn very easily and don't really like hot weather

[Millymollymandy]

Summer is my least favourite season - it doesn't rain, I get bitten to death and I hate being hot.

I love winter (even though we are freezing in most of our house) because:

1. I love to walk in my woodland in winter and smell that damp humousy (sp??? no not the chickpea dip!) smell.

2. Ditto collecting kindling for the fire

3. Watching the fire instead of the television - it is certainly a real focal point to the living room

4. I can dry my wet tea towels much quicker than in summer

5. It is the best season for birdwatching because there are no leaves on the trees!

6. Don't forget winter ends about 21st March and by that time things are starting to happen in the garden!

7. Love the stodgy food too.

8. No insects - means I don't itch!

9. You can work outside and get warm, whereas in summer it is usually too hot to work outside at all.

10. I can have all my blinds and shutters OPEN and I welcome the sunlight coming into the house

[Han&Matt]

Hmm, not sure about a correlation between month of birth and liking for that season - though I was born in October and think it part of the best season due to all things mellow and fruitful, I was born in the southern hemisphere in the Fijian spring - so I guess no correlation there...

I'm sorry to hear from the SAD sufferers - how awful. My father thinks he suffers from SAD and uses a face heat lamp which is ancient and probably extremely bad for him, and the environment. Looks funny though, with a tan in the winter - and only on his face...

64. Antiques Roadshow... ?!

[bazil]

bring on perma-wintre and mukluks for everyone

[The Chili Monster]

Nice theory, Martin. If only if it were so simple ...

What I don't like about summer: turning into a walking pool of sweat
What I don't like about winter: the dark

Now, you can see how fussy I really am.

I like winter cusine: stews/casseroles, meatloaf in gravy

NICEST THING ABOUT WINTER: IT'S A ROOT VEGETABLE FEST

[planetjanet]

I'm miserable when I'm cold, so this year I'm going to spend some of my hard earned cash and be prepared for winter, and I'm damn well going to enjoy it!! I'm thinking non slip boots, vast woolly jumpers (usually plenty in the charity shop), fleece throws to snuggle up in on the sofa, getting the chimney swept so that I can actually use the coal fire, stew and dumplings, some of those heaty uppy things you can put in a microwave and then wrap round yourself (like scarves with wheat inside..... Perhaps I could make one..) I've even seen heated socks, battery operated, but maybe that's going a bit too far.

[Wombat]

375. No fruit fly (otherwise it sucks comprehensively - and our winter is like your spring, I'd never survive in Europe!)

Nev

[den_the_cat]

ok, by the end of Winter I am getting a bit of SAD kicking in and longing for spring but I love any of the seasons when they're actually doing what they're meant to, I just don't like that neither one thing nor another type of stuff you get as seasons changeover.

In winter, in the UK anyway, people in general seem much more friendly, everyone holds doors open, laughs when they come into shops out of the wind, comments on the possibility of snow, and has a lot more time to sit curled up chatting over a hot toddy or three. Its like the blitz spirit in miniature and its great.

[Millymollymandy]

I love any of the seasons when they're actually doing what they're meant to, I just don't like that neither one thing nor another type of stuff you get as seasons changeover.

Now that I thoroughly agree with - this last winter dragged on forever and now summer seems to have disappeared but it isn't autumn yet. Yup hate that in-betweeny stuff!

[PurpleDragon]

I'm another one who loves all the seasons.

I was born around the autumn equinox, and my kids have birthdays in October, November and December, so we have all the kiddie excitement thing - birthdays AND christmas.

I love warm jumpers, big toasty socks, big boots, chunky gloves; cuddling up in bed with a latte and brandy, electric blanket on and fluffy jammies, good book.

Cuddling my kids and rubbing their hands warm again.

Making snowmen - we had a 5' snowman in our garden last year. Nearly ruptured myself lifting the head on it LOL. Snowball fights with the wee ones.

Trying to teach them to ski.

We were snowed in last March and had to visit the village shop on the sledge.

Being warm and snuggly inside while the wind howls round the house, pounding hailstones (we get more hail than rain here I think).

That soft, quiet sound you hear when you wake up to 3' of snow, and the effect of the light - like seeing the world thru a gauze veil. Till you go outside of course and nearly get snow blindness.

Digging out the chicken coop.

The first time you seee geese flying overhead as winter ends, and the excitement of seeing the first buds that herald spring.

Mulled wine, stew and dumplings, blazing fires, steaming compost from the autumn leaves, less traffic.

If we didn't have winter, we wouldn't appreciate the spring so much.

[Chickpea]

I like all the seasons too, PD, but they go on too long. I always seem to reach a point where I'm sick of autumn/winter/spring and I can't wait to move on to the next thing. Especially after New Year. I've always had enough of winter by then, and there's just no excuse for February at all in my opinion.

The exception of course is summer, which never seems to last long enough unless we're lucky enough to get a warm sunny September which gradually slips into a bright warm early autumn with conkers and glorious leaf displays that you can enjoy without having to don wellies, scarves and raincoats.

This year we had a great June and July, but August (usually my favourite month) has been a washout and I do feel robbed of the best part of summer. I'm still holding out hope for a dry sunny September.

[PurpleDragon]

Well, you never know - you might get your wish yet. Up here it is grey and rainy and I'm in boots and cardigan. The kids are wearing jackets. Can't put the laundry onthe line because it is threatening rain all the time. It gets *almost* dry and then there is another downpour and you're back at square one.

I think the seasons are so long because then it makes us appreciate the new one coming in. Gives us something to look forward to. A bit like being pregnant - you're so sick of feeling like a beached whale and not being able to see your feet that you almost welcome labour just to get the whole thing over with and meet this new person who has been playing footie with your bladder for months.