Why I Happen to Enjoy the Winter Season

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I am originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin.  Can anyone say C-O-L-D?  I’m pretty sure that is why I happen to enjoy the winter season more than many of my South Texas peeps.  I have an appreciation for what having cold weather really means.

why i happen to enjoy the winter season ccmbSome of my fondest childhood memories revolve around snow.  Like, having an occasional snow day from school when it was too cold to go anywhere.  Of course, that didn’t stop my brother and I from creating snow forts in the yard with some of our neighborhood friends because we were bored silly.  Shhh… don’t tell the superintendent.

I can’t forget how much fun it was to go sledding.  We would take our sleds and go to the nearest hill and make some trails.  Even though we would be frozen through and through, our parents still had to force us into the car to go home.

Ice skating was another reason I enjoyed the winter season.  Most of the local parks would turn their flat land into an ice rink and sell hot chocolate.  So much fun!  Well, maybe not the first few years when I was learning how to skate, of course… black and blue knees were really not much fun.

On those exceptionally cold mornings, my momma was a true gem.  She would set our clothes on the open oven door to warm them up.  My brother and I would sit there and snuggle under our warm quilts until our jeans were toasty enough to slip into.  Ok, so maybe we were a little spoiled…

I have very distinct, not-so-fun-memories of winter also.  Like, having to get up in the morning to help mom and dad shovel the snow out of the driveway so they could get to work.  I never happily left my warm, cozy bed to grab a shovel, but we did what we had to do.

why i happen to enjoy the winter season walking ccmbOh yes!  Those stories about walking up-hill both ways in several feet of snow just to get to and from school?  Well, I didn’t have any up-hill battles, but I traversed snow as tall as my knees on many occasions, arriving to school with my blue jeans frozen solid up to my knees.  About the time I would thaw out and warm up it was time to do it again to go home.

The reality was, to be able to ride the bus you had to live 2 miles or further from school… I believe we lived like 1.8 miles away.  It definitely made for some cold mornings.  “Please don’t forget the mittens!!” we would remind one another.  Forgetting your mittens was a bad, bad thing

As a junior in high school, my dad changed jobs and I found myself in Corpus Christi, Texas.  Good-bye snow, ice, blizzards, and for many years, winter coats.  Talk about an adjustment.  I’m not sure I’ve adjusted to the humidity even now, thirty-four years later.  Bad hair days are much more plentiful here in South Texas.

What I have done is find new ways to enjoy our South Texas winters. For example, I am probably the first person in line at the grocery store buying starter logs in preparation of the first cold front that allows for a fire in the fireplace.  I love using my fireplace… as a homeschool family, those particular days are the most fun.

Honestly?  I don’t like the hot and sweaty of summer-time.  I just don’t.  While I absolutely love the sunshine, I’ve only learned to tolerate the brutal heat.  So, give me some of that cool weather so I can layer up some cute clothes!!  We only have a short window of appropriate weather to wear laying clothes.

Winter means I get to use the heat-seat in my car!  Seriously, there is nothing more wonderful than that y’all!  It does my body good!  Except maybe snuggling under a cute fleece blanket.  Don’t you just love all the beautiful colors you can find them in?  I do!  I love excuses to use them!  They are so soft and cold weather is the perfect excuse!

I am pretty sure my tolerance level for the snow, ice, and blizzards wouldn’t be what it used to be.  But, I have to say I do enjoy getting to dabble with a bit of cold weather from time to time here in this wonderful place I call home. Thus, some of the crazy reasons why I happen to enjoy the winter season.

How about you?  What do you prefer?  Do you have an appreciation for the winter season?  Or do you wish it would pack up and go away?

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Pam
Pam is a city-girl gone country thanks to her best friend and husband of thirteen years, Johnny. Together, the couple has one son, Caleb {2005.} Pam has four adult children who have blessed her with seven precious grandchildren and the title of Meme’. As you can imagine, she has run the gamut in parenting! Pam has a barn full of chickens, rabbits, and donkeys. Some of her favorites are quality time with Jesus, learning to play golf to keep up with her husband and son, writing when time allows, and, of course, taking care of life on their small ranch. Except for snakes, scorpions, and spiders... her 'cup runneth over.'