What do you love about cold weather?

You’re snuggled up in bed with the covers cacooned around your body when the alarm goes off on your phone, in your mind and in your body. You have to get out of bed! But the icy grip is waiting, “maybe just one more minute”.

This is a very familiar daily reality for many of us as we try to face the working day during the winter months. I find, though it is the hardest part of my day, is usually worth the struggle when considering the wonderful things that winter brings. Here’s why we love Winter.

Less Sweat

First and foremost, I hate being hot and sweaty. If you do too then now is the time to do all those things that would usually break into a full on sweat.

Working on getting fit in winter can be a lot easier, but just bare in mind you will need to stretch more and adequately warm up so you don’t hurt yourself because of cold constricted muscles.

Yard work and those DIY projects can be carried out with greater ease and less fear of snakes, especially here in Queensland. I’d hate to be crawling into a roof cavity or doing roof repairs in the middle of Summer. “Thanks Roofies for being legends and fixing roof issues during the hot months of the year! I take my hat off to you”.

Winter time for us is the perfect time to prepare garden beds for crops, and to provide extra care such as mulch for existing winter hardy plants. Our roses love a good prune back during these times and a plentiful helping of manure or organic rich fertiliser before tucking them into bed with straw mulch.

Flower seeds such as poppies, baby’s breath, carnations, larkspur, delphiniums, and foxgloves can be now sown. As well as vegetables such as, kale, chives, mustard, radish, rocket, cauliflower, broccoli are happy to grow during winter too here in Queensland. Potatoes, onions and other bulbs such as Dahlia, iris, daffodils and tulips can also be planted ready for spring flowering.

Rugging Up

Who doesn’t love hoodies, beanies, scarves & wooly socks to cuddle us to warmth? There’s something about these things that just seem to make you feel all loved and nurtured.

For those of you who love fashion now is the time to explore new styles with layers. It’s wonderful how, by removing layers throughout the day, one can progress through a multitude of styles.

Warm Foods & Hot Beverages

I know a lot of people who struggle to stomach hot foods during the summer months, they look to cooling fruits, salads, and cold drinks instead. However, in winter we often crave hot pot meals such as soups, stews and casseroles, that are nourishing to the body and soul. These are fabulous pleasures, filled with good fats and plentiful protein to help us gain long lasting energy to warm up and get us through the day.

Tea, coffee, and hot chocolate tend to also be favoured over cold drinks, especially in the chilly early morning and evening periods. These are often a healthy alternative to sugary cold drinks. “Everything in moderation” is still a safe ideology to live by when it comes to any foods, and ensure you are drinking adequate water for your energy and hydration needs.

Camping, Fireplaces and Pits

The smell of a wood fire burning in a fireplace. The gentle crackle that glows into a warm heat. And let’s not forget marshmallows. Whether it’s inside or outside, these are always some of the best places to get warm with family and friends.

Not to mention everything always seems to taste better when cooked over a fire. Whether it’s toast, bacon and eggs, or stew with damper.

Things to Enjoy the Simple Moments

There are so many wonderful things you can do that make the most of winter days off. Reading with a cuppa tea, nestled by the fireplace. Taking up a craft such as sewing, knitting, crochet, sketching and drawing, painting eccetera.

Mountains are best to climb in the early morning, when the fog is plentiful. Take a picnic and watch the magic of the view unfold, as the fog slowly clears. Breathing in the crisp high altitude air.

Late winter is also the perfect time to prune back trees just as spring is beginning to show its friendly face. This allows for lush new growth, preventing sparse, lanky trees.

We’d love to hear about what you love about winter, leave a comment below to add to the conversation.

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