Getting Excited About Winter

[TelephoneAngel]

Ok so winter is a bit depressing I'm just sitting here thinking its getting chilly and it won't be long before I will have to put the heating on.And its getting darker earlier.

So let's have a celebration of all the things which are good about winter!

You eat hot casseroles with meat and vegetables in gravy!
You can wear warm boots and coats
You can watch tv wearing warm pyjamas with a cup of hot chocolate!
All the shops are decorated prettily for christmas
you can see the snow falling prettily
you get to eat food you dont eat at other times eg pumpkin soup
You can snuggle up in bed with an extra blanket!

Anything else good about winter?

[KiaKat]

The ski slopes open
Sledding
Knitting with wool yarn
Snuggly cats
Mulled wine
Peeling off layers of damp clothes and putting on a fuzzy robe
The silence of a good snowfall
Twinkly lights
Crisp nights with clear, star-filled skies that take your breath away
Baking gingerbread
Baking squash
Chili

[BookstoreEscapee]

It's dark at 7:22 right now but it is still 82 degrees.

Hot chocolate.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Anything else good about winter?

It ends eventually?

[Whiskey]

It ends eventually?

California doesnt have winter. Hooray for 2 seasons! Rainy and Jesus Christ Are We Located On The Sun?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Watching big snowstorms--when I don't have to work the next day.

Watching A Charlie Brown Christmas any time I want to during the holidays because I bought the DVD.

Thanksgiving (by the time it happens, it's generally winter around here anyway.)

All the hot chocolate, tea, coffee and soup I want.

Filling out and sending my Christmas cards.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Watching big snowstorms--when I don't have to work the next day.

Yes! It can snow all it wants as long as I don't have to go anywhere until it melts.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

It's dark at 7:22 right now but it is still 82 degrees.

It's 9:02 here right now and 80 degrees where I am.

Some things about winter I do like:

Watching the snow falling outside and the way the snow makes the air smell so clean and fresh and crisp

Decorating the house for Christmas is always fun

Getting the Christmas cards ready and mailed out . . . as well as receiving them

Going to Dad's house on Christmas Day and getting out on the ATV with my sister

Mom's chicken casserole smelling up the entire house

The scent of burning wood in the air at night

Snuggling up with my electric blankie

[BookstoreEscapee]

It's 9:02 here right now and 80 degrees where I am.

We're down to 75.

Supposed to be in the 70s for the next week at least.

[AdminAssistant]

It's down to 55 and rainy. Yay?

I like making chili and drinking hot chocolate...and Christmas, of course.

[Chromatix]

That reminds me, I need to get some skiing gear before it gets all popular and expensive. I can literally walk to some half-decent skiing grounds - heck, I could probably put the skis on half-way there.

And then during the winter, I should try to get hold of some kind of small inflatable boat, for the same reason.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

I like the silence, and stillness, of a snowfall-- but I miss the blistering snowstorms that South Dakota tended to have. I like how it's cold and crisp at sunset, and at night-- but oddly enough not in the morning. I like the contrast of holding a giant mug of hot tea in my hands and standing outside under an eave watching the snow fall, bundled up in a sweater, thick socks, heavy coat and shoes and a hat (and jeans). I like how during the winter you realize what the rest of the year has been about-- especially if you live in an area that can get snowed in. What I mean by that is-- the rest of the year you're doing outside stuff, working, bringing home food and going places-- but in the winter? The things you did and the people you've connected with over the year, you can reflect on, and (if you need to) call to help you out if you get in a tight spot, and you can help them too-- like that one time a neighbor's car froze over, and he asked if you could give him a ride; or when your little old lady friend needed help shoveling out-- and you got some yummy pumpkin cookies in return. But mostly, it's more of a time to re-communitize yourself with everyone. It's during the winter that I realize how much people depend on each other. One good snow and you'll see-- infrastructure like roads and power are just two examples.

[jnd4rusty]

[QUOTE=teh_blumchenkinder;800993]I like the silence, and stillness, of a snowfall-- but I miss the blistering snowstorms that South Dakota tended to have.

We still have blistering snow storms..I live in the "banana belt" so we don't get a whole lot of snow unless you are in the Northern Hills. Now Eastern SD gets pounded alot! I enjoy winter, the quietness at night during and after a snowfall. I love drinking hot cocoa, hot tea or coffee while watching snowstorms out of my window. I love cooking yummy food and baking goodies for friends and family. A hot bowl of stew or chili after you have been out in the bitter cold is so heartwarming. The contrast of being out in the cold and then coming inside is exhilerating (sp?) Snuggling up in bed with the man during a blizzard, knowing you don't have to go to work.

[telecom_goddess]

I tend to prefer fall over winter, but I do love christmas lights so much.

Right now it's supposed to be 80 or so today....

And pumpkin soup sounds yummy!!! Recipe?

[TelephoneAngel]

Basically you can add anything you like to the pumpkin soup but the basic recipe is

fry an onion and a little chopped garlic in oil meanwhile roast the flesh of the pumpkin in a little oil in the oven add the flesh to the onion mix with a pint or so of stock (I use vegetable stock but you can use mixed herbs if you have no stock) blend it in the blender and then serve with a swirl of cream and sond croutons or roasted pumpkin seeds

If you want a richer taste you can add a little tomato or a little white wine or roast some red peppers with the pumpkin flesh