Baby It's Cold Outside - what do you like about winter?

SoWal Guide

Jan 4, '10 · 5:55 PM5,3491

after the holidays, after the celebration of the New Year.. things get quiet in SoWal for a while. the pace of life slows a bit. the days are short. the weather can be quite cold and dreary at times. it can even be depressing after a few months - even in paradise.

But, there are wonderful things in winter too! I find the time to do a lot of things I never seem to find time for, plus there are some things unique to winter that I absolutely love.

jewelry making or photo albums, start a new hobby, volunteer at school, etc.
finally find time to just sit on the sofa and enjoy a warm, cozy fireplace
movies movies movies - at home and the theater
playing cards or monopoly or chess or scrabble
wonderful warm comfort food
a walk in the sun on a cold day will waken all your senses!
catching up on all those magazines piling up in the living room
a wonderfully long novel
a warm wonderful bed with down blankets and pillows
a warm wonderful long bath
supper with friends with candles, fireplace, wine, and good food!
a drive or walk out on the beach to see first hand the beauty of the winter land and seascapes - with just a few people who are out and about (no tents or trash - for just a few months)
a relatively quiet community - but not too quiet! the locals are all out and about enjoying the wonderful winter that brings warmish days every week or so.
jeans, boots and sweaters!

yes, winter is a wonderful respite from summer heat - it will be here by May along with hordes of visitors to the beach!

yes, by March, I'm ready for some warmer weather. and by the time I'm tired of the quiet and the short cold days, spring arrives and with it comes a whole new kind of beauty and wonder. :wub:

I love how each season offers unique weather, holidays, special occasions and traditions.

Please remind me of the beauty and wonder of high summer in SoWal when July 4th rolls around. sometimes the heat and the traffic and all the crazy stuff happening around here can make me feel overwhelmed. But, its wonderful in its own way too.

Winter 2008 (January) - oh gosh the kids were tiny babies!!! (and it was not warm that day -kids don't care!)

post your winter activities and/or pix here.

Edited Jan 4, '10 · 5:58 PM

Replies

127

Beach Fanatic

Jan 16, '10 · 12:12 PM#127

when I lived in Baltimore, of course Not going to school was a plus, but we used to make maple syrup snowballs. mmmmmmm can't do that in Destin

I loved the Little House on the Prairie books when I was a young girl... in Little House in the Big Woods the Ingalls family made candy out of the freshly tapped maple syrup by pouring it into pans of snow... I tried and tried to make my own, using pans of fresh suburban Chicago snow and a big bottle of Mrs. Butterworth's, but it never worked! :lol:

Of course, I had no idea I was using "maple flavored" syrup and not the real thing...

Beach Fanatic

Jan 16, '10 · 12:18 PM#128

oh, WaterCourseWay - finally I've met my winter soulmate! I'll move with you.

actually, I LOVE everything about a SoWal winter because of the mild weather - its going to be 60 today and I call that absolutely perfect winter weather. still jeans and warm clothes. even a fire in the fireplace. but no freezing cold pain.

but I WOULD move north with you for a winter and give it a try I think I would really enjoy it, if for just one season. I'll try anything. once.

I fantasize about winter a lot, but I know I've become more acclimated to the weather here than I realize. We should start small, a week or two of vacation at a mountain lodge & spa should do it! When do we leave???