Things that are good about miserable winter weather.

I am determined to put a brave face on the delightful weather currently lashing the hills. I have thereby dug out my remaining few brain cells and compiled a list of things that I like about the winter. Here it is.

1: Spring follows winter, and after that - summer!
2: Winter means that I can wear multiple layers of clothes, thereby hiding the pasty (in texture and colour) flesh beneath.
3: Soup. I like soup and winter is a good excuse to eat lots of it. Cream of potato soup, parsnip and ginger soup, carrot and apple (surprisingly good) soup - the list just goes on.
4: Open fires. Although these also involve a tiresome amount of work in the way of stacking logs / coal and clearing out ash, nothing beats a dark winter night with a crackling fire.
5: Hot water bottles. I do like a good hot water bottle on a cold winter's night. (It's just not the same in the summer, however cold our summer may actually be)
6: No more mowing of the lawn for months and months. Hurrah.
7: Satsumas. I love them and will eat bags and bags of them when they are in season. I should be clear about this. Tangerines and Clementines do nothing for me - it's only satsumas that set the winter fruit machine bells ringing for me.
8: Autumn colour - there are moments in late autumn (frankly, might as well be winter) when the leaves have all turned to transluscent shades of amber and ruby and when the light catches this display it can stop your heart it's so beautiful.
10: Darker evenings mean that I read more because I don't feel I have to go outside and make the most of the daylight. Current book: Gone with the Wind which I have never read before.
11: Snow. This one comes with caveats. Snow is good if I have a fully stocked larder, don't have to be anywhere else, have a good stash of firewood and coal, and don't lose power, or my water. Then it's lovely.
12: Sunday lunch with all the trimmings. Again, this doesn't work in the summer, but it is particularly delicious on a cold and wet winter's day.

There must be more things but I can't think what they are right now. I'm off to eat a satsuma and read my book by the fire. Then, perhaps have some soup for supper.....