What's So Good About Winter?

A Nest in Plain Sight

I appreciate the beauty of winter. I understand it can be hard when walking becomes more dangerous or when it’s impossible to regulate the body’s warmth, (especially when there’s a good wind blowing) but I like the challenge of the change of season. 

I have friends and family that say, “What’s so good about winter?” Or they say things against winter I won’t repeat here. 

Winter is a season of dormancy for most of nature and us. The lack of daylight time and treacherous driving conditions make us less active. I fight it. I refuse to be hostage to winter. I try to have things to do after it gets dark or wear myself out by nightfall. Then it's easier to sit and do more sedate things. It feels less forced when I have choices.

Easy-to-See Wasp's Nest 

Lately I’ve been thinking up new perspectives I could have about winter. I love the snow and the cold, but there’s much more to the season than that. Maybe it's my way of not just convincing myself, but others, it's an amazing season.

I remember when my daughter, Elizabeth lived in Turkey she had a friend that would share photos with her from the States. They’d challenge each other to find items and take pictures. I remember the time they chose “Things that are blue”. The day I heard about it I started to notice things outside that were blue.

I used their idea to begin to notice things about winter I could capture in pictures to share. As I started to find things, my perspective changed. I smiled more and stopped more to take time to notice.

Winter has beautiful pop-ups for the eyes. It might take some extra thought because they’re not valued as much as the flowers in the spring or the orange and red leaves of Michigan’s fall.

My mom will be the first to tell you she loves the shadows in the winter.  There is something about the angle of the sun that creates those shadows, especially when they’re contrasted with the white snow. 

I hope you will find many more things to notice.

In my teaching days I use to depend on the change of the seasons to make my long commute to Atlanta, Michigan, more interesting. As treacherous as the roads could be in winter, I still loved the changes it brought. 

Gnarly Branches Against the Sky

Take a step back. Winter isn't only gray, gray days. It isn't only cold. Take a minute to look up when it's snowing. Go outside or roll down your window in your car when it's dark, you may see the moon's reflection on ice or snow. I guarantee it will make you smile. You may get a chance to see the northern lights.

Don't forget the sounds of winter!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcXm6YqsN5U  Winter Sonata