It is easy to hate winter. It is dark. It is cold. It seems to last twice as long as it should. When the nights start getting longer, and the cold settles in, an extra hour or two of television in the evening and an extra inch on the waistline seem reasonable. We all start feeling (and acting) like a bear looking for a good place to hibernate.
But winter has its own beauty and magic. Here are five things that I love about winter in the mountains of Western North Carolina.
Winter Skies
Winter Sunsets are the best of the year with brilliant colors and no leaves to hide them. After the sun goes down, high elevation and low ambient light combine to provide spectacular stargazing.
Icicles
Crystal-like formations that hang from rocky ledges like fantastical stalactites.
Secrets Revealed
The leaves are down, and the woods reveal hidden treasures like waterfalls and wildlife.
Winter clothes
Wool and velvet, boots and sweaters, winter clothes are warm and sumptuous and great at hiding a few extra pounds of winter weight.
Skiing (or Snowboarding for those that can’t ski)
Skiing is my favorite sport. And, as the air cools down, I start to yearn for the white slopes and the rushing wind.
What are your favorite things about winter?