The virtues of winter

[rosarugosa]

Most of us who live in colder climates don't consider winter to be our favorite season, but winter, like most things, does have it's good points. I was contemplating winter's advantages this morning as I salted my hard-boiled egg, and the salt flowed from the shaker so effortlessly. I don't know if the humidity last summer was exceptional, but by the end of the season, I had more rice in my salt shaker than salt, and the salt still didn't cooperate, lol.
Of course, I'm always happy for mosquito season to come to an end, and I don't mind a respite from weeding.
What do you like about winter?

[Tradd]

The cold. I hate being hot. Always have. Add hot flashes and it’s even worse.

[catherine]

Funny you say that, rosa. I so agree. Yesterday I was thinking about how I didn't have to cover my glass when I left it sitting on my desk, for fear of a bug flying in it. In the winter my mudroom doubles as a walk-in refrigerator (and sometimes a walk-in freezer). You walk outside and breathe in that cold, crisp fresh air. It's quiet here in winter because this is still a summer community for the most part. The bare trees and the snow are beautiful and you don't have to mow snow.

[herbgeek]

Winter makes hot coffee and hot chocolate so delightful. Its pretty to watch the snow. It gives me an excuse to hibernate, read and putter. I don't feel I have to be "productive" in the way I do the rest of the year, after all who wants to go outside with icy roads/trails? Winter gives me the chance to examine the landscape and think about what could be in my yard/garden. Ditto what Catherine said about areas being walk in refrigerators. I use my closed in porch to cool off soups before putting them in the freezer. In winter I get to see the sun rise and set, in the summer the sun is up before me and usually mostly up when I go to bed.

[iris lilies]

I like how my house stays clean. No dirt, mud coming in from outside, The pets are not shedding. While there are spiders around beginning in late late summer, I dont really mind webs.

I like how we are released from garden duties for a few months to concentrate on indoor projects. Last year I disposed of my book collection in the winter months. This year I am cleaning out flower show supplies.

[JaneV2.0]

No yard work, no lawn mowers/blowers, food doesn't go bad as fast.

[happystuff]

Soups and stews! They just fit right in with the cold of winter.

[pinkytoe]

I sleep so much better when it's cold. And enjoy winter soups and stews.

[razz]

Your lists are amazing. If you compare the bugs and pests of warmer climates to our wintery climes, the problems are reduced although with climate change, the pests are starting to travel and migrating north.

I love the beauty of winter, watching the visiting birds at the feeder and hibernating. I count my blessings as I am able to do this. We have had a lot of snow so far but only one icy day when dog walking.

[Teacher Terry]

I call our winters “sissy winter.” I rarely need my winter coat and if I want snow on the ground it’s a 30 minute drive to the Lake. I also love the lack of bugs. It’s usually between 45-54 and sunny. I like winter much better than summer.

[bae]

Tourists. They come here in far lower numbers during winter. Yay!

[beckyliz]

Agree about soups and stews (having turkey/rice/veggie soup this evening - it's 12F here). I also like wearing sweaters.

[Yppej]

It is easy to fall asleep at night.

[KayLR]

Winter makes hot coffee and hot chocolate so delightful. Its pretty to watch the snow. It gives me an excuse to hibernate, read and putter. I don't feel I have to be "productive" in the way I do the rest of the year, after all who wants to go outside with icy roads/trails? Winter gives me the chance to examine the landscape and think about what could be in my yard/garden. Ditto what Catherine said about areas being walk in refrigerators. I use my closed in porch to cool off soups before putting them in the freezer. In winter I get to see the sun rise and set, in the summer the sun is up before me and usually mostly up when I go to bed.

Lazily, I say "Ditto." And what Catherine said about the quiet. I love taking walks in winter (if it's not pouring rain) and see what I can't see when the trees have all their leaves on. The stars seem brighter somehow.

[razz]

Just phoned a dear neighbour to check on her. We both are sitting in the sunshine via LR windows looking out at the bright fresh, albeit substantial, snow which is lovely, just sparkling. The birds are very busy at the feeder flitting about furiously.

[catherine]

BTW rosa, the humid rice problem may be solved by using a salt cellar. We use one like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Ironwood-Gourmet-Appalachian-Cellar-Acacia/dp/B000EVIWS2/ref=asc_df_B000EVIWS2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167159269856&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4477204437286609527&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003027&hvtargid=pla-275653475238&psc=1

[LDAHL]

With the wind chill, it was fifteen below when I left the house this morning. So it was a good time to reflect on the season.

bae is right that it tends to keep out the riffraff, whether it’s wealthy hobby farmers or the more plebeian types of tourist. It also tends to be quieter than the other seasons, especially when you get a lot of snow.

On the other hand snow and ice can be a pain to deal with, golf courses close, and the only fishing is through a ridiculous hole in the ice.

[Rogar]

We're into the cycle of a few inches of snow, then some melting, repeat every few days. Sort of typical January. Because I'm temporarily on lifting restrictions I bought an Ego cordless battery electric snow blower to clear the driveway and walks. Relatively pricey, higher end, but maybe an excuse to buy a new toy. Battery powered yard and garden tools have come a long way in the last few years and are quite functional, but just not up to some of their gas partners. Still, there is some pleasure to doing snow removal silently and without fumes or having to buy gas. So far the neighbors have stared and waved, but no one has asked questions. It has LED head lights, too!

I actually don't mind traditional shoveling, but but the snow blower cuts the time way down. The test will be the big wet spring snows.

[jp1]

I do like the quiet of having the windows closed. And not having to deal with the lawn every week or two. I don’t know that there is any other thing about winter that I find charming. Being able to get out and hike without dealing with snow etc, year round, is more my style.

[ApatheticNoMore]

It's not hot. Summers can be fairly brutal.

[rosarugosa]

Catherine: The salt cellar is intriguing. Is the advantage in keeping moisture out somehow, or is it that the delivery method is via small spoon instead of tiny, easily clogged holes?

I agree with others who mentioned hot food. Sandwiches and salads are great, but hot food in a bowl is wonderful in its season.
Even outside of tourist areas, parks and walking trails are less crowded, and that is certainly a plus.
We see hooded mergansers in the river in the winter only, and I just love them!

[catherine]

Catherine: The salt cellar is intriguing. Is the advantage in keeping moisture out somehow, or is it that the delivery method is via small spoon instead of tiny, easily clogged holes?



I really don't know how much humidity is kept out. They are made with various materials, including stone, so that may help. But there are no little holes to get clogged up. You can use a little spoon, or you can just use your fingers to pinch what you want. Depends on how germaphobic you are, I guess. DH and I do the pinch, but I do offer little spoons when guests come.

BTW, there was a really interesting scene in Billions with 4 minutes of just watching Paul Giamatti make eggs for his daughter and his new billionaire friend. When they sat to eat, they used a salt cellar without the little spoon-and actually, the billionaire friend tossed a little salt over his shoulder. It was an intriguing scene, actually. 4 minutes with no dialogue, just a "from above" stage picture of these three people in the kitchen, making and eating eggs.

[razz]

Not a TV watcher, so I had to google what you talking about. I have never even heard about this TV show series and it has been going since 2016?

[iris lilies]

Too bad, I just sold all my little salt spoons to Silver Queen.

[rosarugosa]

I thought of another one, although this one is a bit pathetic. I love to see the moon at night, especially when it's full. In the summer, I'm often not awake late enough to see it rise above the nearby trees, but in the winter, the rising moon is more accommodating of my early bedtime.

[iris lilies]

I dont want ro live in a place without 4 seasons, even if the winters are wimpy like Terry says. We call St. louis “The Tropics” because compared ro
northern Iowa winters they are mild. Today is 12 degrees F tho.

[catherine]

I thought of another one, although this one is a bit pathetic. I love to see the moon at night, especially when it's full. In the summer, I'm often not awake late enough to see it rise above the nearby trees, but in the winter, the rising moon is more accommodating of my early bedtime.

Not pathetic at all!! And when the sky is kind of icy, and the moon has a halo, it's gorgeous.

[dado potato]

This morning before the sun came up it was -27F (windchill -35F). I like having some cozy indoor things to do.

I lit about 10 candles out on the sun porch. The radiant flooring thermostat said it was 73F, but the foliage of the plants was close to windowpanes (closer to 40F than 73F at floor level).

I wrote a letter and mailed it to my grandson. I enclosed a map of the area where he lives, and I indicated where he could find dead-end gravel roads, marshes and wilderness, just a few miles from his home.

The Sunday New York Times came today. I read bits of it, wearing a warm cap like an old man in Gstaad.

[jp1]

I would love to be part of the "soup on cold days" crowd. Like most people I love a good hot soup on a cold day. But I don't eat beef. And SO doesn't eat beans. I suppose that still leaves chicken soup but I've never actually made that. Perhaps I need to find a chicken and dumplings recipe or something.

Winter here in coastal northern california isn't as dramatic as winter is in many other places. But it's still dramatically different from summer. I like some of the differences but I also like the fact that I can go hiking with just a few more clothes and with boots that can handle a little mud. And in winter I tend to pick trails on the south side of the hill. In the summer those trails are brutally hot unless one gets out on them as soon as the sun has come up. But in general the trails are as busy as ever, if not more so, since honestly it's nice to not sweat like a pig when out for an energetic walk.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I eat a limited amount of red meat, just once or twice a month, and never made soup with it, but the no beans either would be hard. Chicken soup is good, Joy of Cooking recipe for chicken soup is good, hard to go wrong with chicken soup. Then there's chowders, like salmon chowder. And cream of vegetable soups (like broccoli) though they seem more rich than healthy, I've made them occasionally. Potato soup, but hardly ideal for diabetics. Vegetable soup (but less filling without beans etc.) - I've made pistou, veggie soup with pesto basically, rich and oily. The soups I make most are chicken (with noodles but that's hardly necessary) and lentil (I have 3 versions of lentil soup).

[rosarugosa]

DH makes a yummy fennel haddock chowder that is a good winter dish.

[Klunick]

Fall will always be my favorite but Winter is a strong second. I love crisp cold air. I really love snow (and lots of it!). I love that it's the start of the holiday season. I love the decor that I put out in my house. I love having fires in my fireplace.

[sweetana3]

I make a lot of "cream" soups without cream. If you puree some of the vegetables after cooking the soup it makes it creamy. If I use milk, it is skim anyway.

[frugal-one]

I would love to be part of the "soup on cold days" crowd. Like most people I love a good hot soup on a cold day. But I don't eat beef. And SO doesn't eat beans. I suppose that still leaves chicken soup but I've never actually made that. Perhaps I need to find a chicken and dumplings recipe or something.

Winter here in coastal northern california isn't as dramatic as winter is in many other places. But it's still dramatically different from summer. I like some of the differences but I also like the fact that I can go hiking with just a few more clothes and with boots that can handle a little mud. And in winter I tend to pick trails on the south side of the hill. In the summer those trails are brutally hot unless one gets out on them as soon as the sun has come up. But in general the trails are as busy as ever, if not more so, since honestly it's nice to not sweat like a pig when out for an energetic walk.


I substitute ground turkey for beef in many soup recipes and can’t tell the difference…. chili, stuffed green pepper soup and taco soup are a few that come to mind.

[iris lilies]

I make a lot of "cream" soups without cream. If you puree some of the vegetables after cooking the soup it makes it creamy. If I use milk, it is skim anyway.
That is a good tip. I have half a head of cauliflower in the fridge now. I should purée it for soups.

[frugal-one]

That is a good tip. I have half a head of cauliflower in the fridge now. I should purée it for soups.

Roasted cauliflower soup is really good.

[happystuff]

I make a lot of "cream" soups without cream. If you puree some of the vegetables after cooking the soup it makes it creamy. If I use milk, it is skim anyway.

I make my cream soups the same way - no cream or milk or anything. Just puree the veggies and add broth or water to the desired consistency. I also like to add shredded cheese to some of my veggie soups, so that also helps with thickening.

[razz]

I make my cream soups the same way - no cream or milk or anything. Just puree the veggies and add broth or water to the desired consistency. I also like to add shredded cheese to some of my veggie soups, so that also helps with thickening.

I do the same.

[rosarugosa]

Grocery shopping right before a major snowstorm is NOT one of the virtues of winter.
It is pretty funny how everyone shops frantically like we are the Donner party headed for the Sierra Nevadas, when the truth is that we probably will not be able to go grocery shopping for ONE DAY, and many households could probably survive at least a month without a grocery run.

[jp1]

Grocery shopping right before a major snowstorm is NOT one of the virtues of winter.
It is pretty funny how everyone shops frantically like we are the Donner party headed for the Sierra Nevadas, when the truth is that we probably will not be able to go grocery shopping for ONE DAY, and many households could probably survive at least a month without a grocery run.

I've always found that amusing. The only people I know that don't have plenty of food in their house to keep from starving for a week at a minimum are people who don't ever cook at home. Their fridges generally only contain beverages.

[catherine]

Wow, rosa, those snow predictions are crazy for the Boston area--hope y'all out there stay safe.

Up here in the Burlington area, I think we're missing the worst of it, but we might get a little snow.

[rosarugosa]

Thanks, Catherine. DH volunteered to work tomorrow. He works at a hospital and is one of their more reliable people. They asked him to work because they know a lot of people in his department won't show up. I think he's actually excited about trying out his Bronco under the impossible road conditions.
I will stay home and shovel.

[happystuff]

At least our snow is falling on a weekend (not that it cares - lol). Hoping the school won't call me in to clear it out until tomorrow. That will give me some time to dig out here at home.

[happystuff]

At least our snow is falling on a weekend (not that it cares - lol). Hoping the school won't call me in to clear it out until tomorrow. That will give me some time to dig out here at home.

Supervisor called - I have to go help shovel out the school. :(

[razz]

Be careful, HS, and everyone in the line of the storm.


Felling a little guilty posting the rest - Today on the north shore of Lake Erie, minimal breeze, glorious sunshine, cobalt blue skies, minimal traffic, air quality reading of '1' on my iPhone so breathing deep but it is so bloody cold. I met only one other dog walker. He and his lab are also daily walk regulars.

[catherine]

Be careful, HS, and everyone in the line of the storm.


Felling a little guilty posting the rest - Today on the north shore of Lake Erie, minimal breeze, glorious sunshine, cobalt blue skies, minimal traffic, air quality reading of '1' on my iPhone so breathing deep but it is so bloody cold. I met only one other dog walker. He and his lab are also daily walk regulars.

Sounds great, razz.

We're missing the storm but it's very cold and windy. That said, we are going to brave the weather to drive to Burlington for a 45th anniversary dinner. At least we are as of now.

[Teacher Terry]

Happy anniversary Catherine!!

[rosarugosa]

DH had no trouble driving to and from work in the snow, and he stopped at Market Basket for snack cakes on the way home. He said the store was clean, well stocked, and empty of customers. So maybe shopping at the height of the blizzard should be our new strategy since we have the Bronco.

[happystuff]

Thanks all. 4.5 hours OT. I really need to find out if that is time and a half or not. Best part was the last hour where I was given my introduction on how to run the little tractor/plow!

Have I mentioned I love tools and machines???? :D

Edited to add: It probably took me that whole hour to do what the "seasoned" guy could to in 10-15 minutes! I love people with patience!

[razz]

That 'seasoned' worker had to start somewhere as we all do and improve with practice.

[happystuff]

That 'seasoned' worker had to start somewhere as we all do and improve with practice.

True. I ended up freezing cold, but it was so neat!

[HappyHiker]

Oh, I'm enjoying this thread. Winter in coastal North Carolina is wonderful for long walks on deserted beaches, sleeping cozy under a comforter without the blasted humidity, venturing forth in the woods or yard without bugs nipping at me, no pine pollen to set me sneezing, great hearty meals to create, watching lotsa movies drinking hot chocolate laced with Kalua, reading many books, going to bed early and getting up early, and dreaming of future travel by armchair traveling...