Old Man Winter

Before I get into what I like about winter, I've added a new post about a case that's chock-a-block full of good story ideas over at Story Seedlings.

I suppose the first thing I should say is that winter is not my favorite season. I'm not a big fan of cold. But there are things I like about the season.

I like shoveling snow at night. It's quite, it's peaceful, it's got a sort of meditative quality.

Snow shoveling is cheaper than a gym membership. All you need is a shovel.

The walking paths may be bumpy, but there aren't a lot of folks with big dogs, either. I walked for two and a half hours on Sunday and only met two groups of dog walkers with their dogs off leash. Now, as a rule, dogs don't bother me, but when the dogs are large and frisky...it's a bit of a concern.

When you hear a bird sing in the dead of winter, as I did this morning, it's a thrill. When you see four cardinals in your backyard, so red against the brown branches and white snow, it's a treat.

Hot chocolate.

The beauty of undisturbed snow in a forest. Many of my walks take me through ravines and wooded areas, and it's stunning.

So while I may not like having to put on layers of clothes and the short days, there are things to love about winter in Canada.