Is it because it’s winter? I don’t think it’s the cold so much. Possibly because the rain has been so intense that the washing on the line comes off wetter than it went on…three days later…and the piles in the laundry are growing exponentially, and I’m still not in the habit of using tumble dryers without feeling guilty about how much my power bill will be. Maybe it’s the sunlight, or lack thereof, even though I’m not feeling the shortness of days as much as I have in other years. Possibly because I can’t get outside anyway because of the rain.
We don’t have snowy winters here, not like in some places. We have snow on the mountain, and the snow comes and the snow goes, and it’s a thing you go to when you see it from your front doorstep (“Mummy! When can we go to the snow?” as if snow is a location not a precipitation), not when you step outside onto your front doorstep. Most of us still dream of snow though, and imagine the joy of waking up with the world white and calm for a few hours. It did once, in 1986, it did snow on our doorsteps, on everyone’s doorsteps all over the city and beyond, not just up in the mountains or the places above the snow line.
I miss snow. I miss snow and I miss sunlight, and hanging the washing in the morning and having it crisp and dry and ironed by the afternoon. Tumble dryers dry things wrinkly, or at least mine does, and the things come out all higgledy piggledy, not nicely folded the way I take them off the washing line.
But do you really think the washing is the reason I feel so blah? I don’t know. It contributes.
Washing. Time. Life. Rain. Seasonal depression. The fact that all my friends seem to be feeling the same way, too, for reasons both the same and different. We feel it, really, because it’s June, and to be honest we feel this way in June every year, when Summer holidays seem so long ago, and so long to wait till the next ones, and everything, even getting up in the mornings, is a slog, and sometimes we even forget that we don’t always feel like this, and that one day, somewhere down in the depths of the dreaming future, there will again be plums on the trees in the back yard and the smell of sunscreen on our faces and cricket on the telly.
It’s a season. This too shall pass.
I wonder where people buy vitamin D supplements from?
Megan Sayer 
Oh, Megan. I never thought about it but I do know that winter is a real drag for us in Michigan. It is the constant gray skies, even more than the short days. The short days don’t bother me in Florida because it is sunny almost every day – and warm. But in Michigan we have the holidays of our Thanksgiving in November and Christmas in December to distract us. Then we hit January, February and March. You have a very long stretch of winter. Oh my.
I agree. I. Hate. Winter.
Its cold and miserable, and makes everyone cold and miserable. The grey of the sky it reflected in our mood, and it feels like it will never be warm and sunny again. Every damn year! Cant we just skip it once in a while? Bring on global warming I say.
We kinda skipped it last year I think Tan. Very mild. Maybe why we’re complaining so much this year… 🙂
Did you have to, really? I’m sitting here with the heater on, but now I’m shivering, like icicles are creeping from my toes up my legs. Thanks for the reminder of the cold. 😦 Hurry up summer! (At least we have a forecast of sunshine for the next few days here in Melbourne.)
Ugh, I’m sorry Amanda. At least we’ve had our shortest day now, shouldn’t be TOO long…arrrgggh!
I like winter 🙂 It is not my favorite season, that belongs to Spring. Autumn is a close second and Summer and Winter come in equal third.
I particularly love winter when I have the right clothes on! And a warm house to come home to. I don’t think I would enjoy winter at all if I were homeless or not fortunate enough to have decent heating in my home. But I am fortunate in my life and therefore I am able to invest in things which allow me to enjoy the positive sides of winter. I invest in one really good winter coat that will see me though the next several winters. I have one lovely pair of leather gloves with fluffy lining on the inside which I brought when I first started work in 1995. Sometimes if it is super nippy, I will even put on a scarf. I also have some lovely jumpers that I love to snuggle into.
Although I confess it is hard to crawl out of bed when it is still dark and cold and you can still see the stars, but it is nice sitting in front of the fire watching the first few flames take off and warming the house up a little before waking the kids up.
In the mornings I drive down the highway often in frost and fog, but it looks so pretty. Especially when the fog is not too thick and you can see the golden glow of the sun coming through. Sometimes at home the fog doesn’t lift at all for the day. But that is ok. It is cold and damp, but it is winter. The mooing of the cows echos in the valley when it is foggy. I love that. I love being outside with the cool air on my face, watching the kids play all rugged up with their little red checks. We stay outside until we are frozen then all go inside and sit next to the fire for a hot cup of milo. I enjoy getting firewood in the winter too. We are all rugged up in our coats and beanies stacking the wood onto the back of the truck while hubby is chainsawing. Then we sit down for a bit with a biscuit and a cup of soup from the flask.
I love the sunny clear blue sky days that crop up here and there like golden gems. The air is still cool, the lighting is beautiful and I thank God that I got to enjoy and see such a beautiful day.
I even like the rainy days. I don’t feel guilty for staying inside for most of the day. But at work I will still go out for a walk and grab some fresh air. And at home I put the coats on the kids and we still go out for a bit to get that cool, crisp air into our lungs. They like the sound of the raindrops on their coats or umbrellas.
As for my washing? … Well the clothes line gets a break and I invested in 2 clothes horses. They live in our little lounge room in winter and they are great 🙂
And the best bit of winter? I see my bulbs popping up in the garden and before I know it… it is spring!
Big hug Meegs xoxox
Oh Son, you make me smile. I’m glad you enjoy winter so much, especially living where you do!
I generally say I prefer winter to summer, but then I have to live through it. All in all, I think it’s just this winter in particular that’s getting to me. Ah well. We’ll get there! Thank you for your beautiful description xx