And so it begins. Trading the shorts and light T-shirts for long pants and jackets. Changing over from the AC to the heater. Yup, it's the cold time. Fall, with Winter on the way.
Of course Winter to me is highs in the 60's and lows in the 30's, which explains with good reason why so many people come to the Coachella Valley this time of year, but I digress.
The point is, we're moving into a time of year that somehow invokes strong emotions. I'm not talking about the joys of whatever holidays you celebrate. I mean... well... let me put it this way;
Of course Winter to me is highs in the 60's and lows in the 30's, which explains with good reason why so many people come to the Coachella Valley this time of year, but I digress.
The point is, we're moving into a time of year that somehow invokes strong emotions. I'm not talking about the joys of whatever holidays you celebrate. I mean... well... let me put it this way;
Jacob hung his coat on the rack. It still held a layer of snow on it, as did his hair, which he fluffed off like cleaning a duster. Already his body was relaxing as the bitter cold was traded for the warmth of his home. It seeped into his bones, melting tension as if too were ice not yet thawed.
He left his boots in the mud room, slipped his wool-socked feet into his deer slippers, and let his ears guide him. As usual, his wife had two things waiting for him; The sweet smell of fresh bread, and the soft cracks of a fire. The latter was his guide, the former would come later, though his mouth watered when he thought of the wonderful, buttery tastes yet to come. For now, he went straight for the den, put his feet up next to the glow of the fire, and let his day fall away into the pages of his favorite book.
He left his boots in the mud room, slipped his wool-socked feet into his deer slippers, and let his ears guide him. As usual, his wife had two things waiting for him; The sweet smell of fresh bread, and the soft cracks of a fire. The latter was his guide, the former would come later, though his mouth watered when he thought of the wonderful, buttery tastes yet to come. For now, he went straight for the den, put his feet up next to the glow of the fire, and let his day fall away into the pages of his favorite book.
You don't get that in the summer. I mean let's face it, when it's 115 degrees outside, "cozy" is not a word you think of. In that time of year, Jacob is heading for the fridge looking for iced tea or ice cream.
Still, what is it about winter that hold so much more emotion? In the summer it's all, "Oh yeah! Let's go party!" Winter, it's more like, "let's spend a quite night reading by the fireplace."
Interesting difference isn't it? And it doesn't stop there, at least not for me. Generally, I prefer the heat. My plans have me staying in the South-West because I prefer Summer highs in the hundreds and Winter lows in the 30's. Okay, full disclosure, it's that second one I care about, still, there are things about the cold I like too. For example, I couldn't recreate it if I tried, but there are times when the air can be like ice. I don't mean cold. I mean, the air is crisp and cool, and it feels oddly smooth. The best I can describe it is; imagine what ice feels like. The smoothness, the crisp texture, the almost rigidity of it. Now imagine being able to walk through air that felt exactly like that. Not ice cold, just... ice texture. I don't know. I usually prefer it warm but that crisp air... I love it!
You don't get that in the summer. There's very little about summer heat to like. Beyond the excuse to get in the water of course. Though even then, I do like how the warmth seeps in sometimes. But then, winter just compounds that too. You come in from the cold, walk into a warm house, and the change melts stress with the temperature. Add a fireplace, and you've got a recipe for a very nice evening. Oh yeah, warm food, warm drinks, in particular hot chocolate, again, not things you strive for in 115. Warm bread in the Summer just tastes really good and smells really good. Warm break in the Winter, it seeps into your soul, provides more than a simple addition to a meal. It's the food of the season, and for good reason. It just comes off better in the cold. Just as ice cream comes off better in the summer.
Okay, I'm hungry now. Till next time, bundle up, and don't forget that hot chocolate.
Still, what is it about winter that hold so much more emotion? In the summer it's all, "Oh yeah! Let's go party!" Winter, it's more like, "let's spend a quite night reading by the fireplace."
Interesting difference isn't it? And it doesn't stop there, at least not for me. Generally, I prefer the heat. My plans have me staying in the South-West because I prefer Summer highs in the hundreds and Winter lows in the 30's. Okay, full disclosure, it's that second one I care about, still, there are things about the cold I like too. For example, I couldn't recreate it if I tried, but there are times when the air can be like ice. I don't mean cold. I mean, the air is crisp and cool, and it feels oddly smooth. The best I can describe it is; imagine what ice feels like. The smoothness, the crisp texture, the almost rigidity of it. Now imagine being able to walk through air that felt exactly like that. Not ice cold, just... ice texture. I don't know. I usually prefer it warm but that crisp air... I love it!
You don't get that in the summer. There's very little about summer heat to like. Beyond the excuse to get in the water of course. Though even then, I do like how the warmth seeps in sometimes. But then, winter just compounds that too. You come in from the cold, walk into a warm house, and the change melts stress with the temperature. Add a fireplace, and you've got a recipe for a very nice evening. Oh yeah, warm food, warm drinks, in particular hot chocolate, again, not things you strive for in 115. Warm bread in the Summer just tastes really good and smells really good. Warm break in the Winter, it seeps into your soul, provides more than a simple addition to a meal. It's the food of the season, and for good reason. It just comes off better in the cold. Just as ice cream comes off better in the summer.
Okay, I'm hungry now. Till next time, bundle up, and don't forget that hot chocolate.
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