Today’s Treasures – Winter Treasures
“When winter winds blow cold and chill, it cannot be denied, the nicest place of all my friends, is by our own fireside.”
Autumn has been so wet and miserable, I am really looking forward to some frosty mornings this winter – but when the frost does arrive, my freezing fingers feeding the hens will no doubt wish it was warm and wet again!
We need things to cheer us up during the dull January days. Although the nights are slowly getting shorter, we don’t really notice the difference until we reach Candlemas Day – 2nd February. And while we wait for the snowdrops to appear, poking their tiny white heads through the frozen ground to herald spring, it’s good to have some ideas to brighten up the winter days.
So what’s good about winter – a blazing log fire – and a good book – firelight, watching the flames flickering shadows across the room. Lighting candles – there’s some beautiful scented candles now – vanilla is one of my favourites but there’s some lovely winter scents of mulberry and spice to warm up winter nights too. Mulled wine and warm sausage rolls are also good for cheering up dismal wintry evenings.
Houseplants always brighten up winter gloom – as Cyclamen fade, amaryllis flower and hyacinths fill rooms with the fresh scents of spring.
The bird table is always busy in winter – and the colder it is – the more birds seem to arrive looking for food and water. Thawing out the bird bath on frosty mornings is always worth the effort to see the birds glad of a drink of fresh water. Goldfinches come for niger seeds, nuthatches and woodpeckers love peanuts, and the robin loves showing off his red winter waistcoat. A little mouse also found our bird table!
And, if all else fails, and you still feel miserable looking out at our dreary English winter, remember Spring is just around the corner and it won’t be long before we’re walking in the sunshine down to the beach again.
Published in the January edition of the Whitchurch Gossip