year? I do, sometimes. Not enough light, too many carbohydrates, and no good ideas for Christmas gifts.

Jodi

I love it, the snow is beautiful, no noisy air conditioner on all of the time, and most importantly, Christmas is around the corner!

Gads, one more thing to be sad about. No snow.

Jodi

About two months ago I thought it might be a good time to stop taking antidepressants. I asked my doc -- he looked at me and said 'no way! Winter's coming and with it grey skies, limited daylight and lots of dark. In the spring we'll talk about it.' He's right of course. I do despise the dark.

On a brighter note, here's a gift idea. I bought 13 paperwhites kits and will give them to lots of people on my list -- who wouldn't like a bit of springtime in the middle of winter?!

paperwhites narcissi kits for indoor forcing

You know, I love those things. I saw some hyacinths (sp?) that were getting ready to bloom at the grocery store. I bought an amaryllis bulb and am going to decorate the pot as a gift for my nieghbor.

Jodi

I decided that all my outdoor bulbs should be fragrant, so they are. The heirloom narcissi are heavenly. Paperwhites are too! And hyacinths have the most wonderful scent! I have pretty good luck with them in the garden -- they come back every year. The British-made perfume I wear is called Bluebell, and it smells almost exactly like a hyacinth, with a bottom note of cinnamon.

I sleep best during the winter, great time to recharge my battery. Just pile on the quilts and I purr like a kitten.

i got a full-spectrum light bulb to put in my desk lamp and it has really helped a lot, jodi.

the best thing about this time of year is you can stay indoors all day and hibernate. a great time of year for getting work done and catching up on reading and household projects (that is, if one is not glued to their computer screen following the latest blow-by-blow on pianoworld. :rolleyes: )

the summer is awful, jodi! beautiful weather so you have to be outside all the time gardening or hiking. no good excuses to hole up with a box of cookies and a book. count your blessings!

I hate it too. I don't think I could survive North Idaho if I had to work the whole month of December. Up in the dark, get home in the dark. Fortunately with Christmas Break I have two weeks off so that helps December go by. I start counting the extra minutes every day after winter solstice. The lack of light really gets to me. I have taken St. John's WOrt in the past and it seems to help. Even the kids at school start looking pale and tired. Exercise seems to help - off to do Yoga now. Really mean it this time.

Hey ladies!

It's because you live in the NORTH that you hate winter. (Yes, Plays, to me, Virginia is also the north!)

Fall and winter are my favorite seasons. The sky is a deep intense blue, the air is cool and dry, and I feel revitalized. Also I'm a real sucker for Christmas, and love having my whole house decorated for the season.

By the way, Plays, thanks for the suggestion of paperwhites. I was going to make fudge for the office, but I think I'll order those kits instead and save all that time in the kitchen!

Glad to help, Wynne. Your description of NO winters reminds me of a letter I have that my great grandmother wrote in December of 1897 (she lived at 3rd and Coliseum in the Garden District) describing the days as warm and balmy and that things were still in bloom.

I have a full spectrum light for doing my petit point and other close projects. I hadn't really thought about the other benefits...

Teachum, here's a thought -- driving home in the evening take the time to appreciate all the homes with lights -- I like to think of them as wintertime flower gardens. Enjoy the lights -- the landscape certainly is a lot bleaker in January!

For a minute I thought you meant the indoor lights! :p The early darkness is the PERFECT time to see inside all the beautiful antiques around here! The wall colors are dazzling!

I can appreciate Teachum's comment. We lived three winters in Boise, Idaho. I'll take the west coast.

Summer is my favorite season!

I love this time of year. I don't mind the dark. My favorite is when the roads have a snow pack that hasn't been melted by the salt. The cars go by almost silently with a slight crunching styrofoam sound. Inside there is a fire in the fireplace and the neighbors come over to share a bottle of wine and holiday cookies. The Christmas tree creates a warmth the instant it is lit. The girls want to be the first ones to go around and turn on the candles in the windows.

When it gets tough is in January and February. Snowfalls of 6-8" become 16-18". The temperature never goes aboove freezing so there is always snow on the floor of the car unless we make a distance trip and everything warms up. Christmas bills come in. It's just a great big hangover.

then that first bud pops out in April...and i'm off to home depot.