Chic & Cosy
It's the time of year to wrap up and keep cosy. I revel in the thought of curling up with a thick woolie blanket, a mug of hot chocolate in hand and sitting by the open fire watching the flames dance and the coals burning red. I love rugging up in chunky knits, colourful knitted scarves, donning beanies, gloves and parkers ready to brace ourselves against icy winds for a brisk walk along in the country. There's something very comforting about a hot bath, a hearty slow cooked stew and steamed pudding on a cold winter's night!
Cold Comfort
It's cold outside, the trees are bare and you can't leave the house without a pair of gloves. It's the time of year that I love coming in from the cold to a warm, comforting meal or a hot drink and a batch of freshly baked cookies. I'm secretly pleased when the first of winter's chilly nights kick in so I can dig up my old cookbooks and cook up one of winter's hearty dishes to warm the hands and the heart! I can't get past pumpkin soup and sticky toffee pudding Winter brings with it luxurious treats like pashminas, which I think look great in every colour, cashmere knits, leather riding boots and coats with fur trim.
Winter Wonderland
By the time winter arrives I am eager to embrace all things cosy and warm. I like it how this season gives us a good excuse to stay indoors and be a little more indulgent with time to read, more sleep and good home cooked food. It's a time to hibernate and catch our breath. The landscape turns into a winter wonderland and it's mother nature's way of telling us to slow down. So put the kettle on, pull on some woolly socks and get comfortable on the sofa. Open up a good book and tuck into some home baked chocolate brownies and remember, a little indulgence is good for the soul!
Images via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Images via 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5, 6
Frozen In Time
There's something incredibly romantic and beautiful about falling snow and piles of crunchy snow underfoot. In a country where it only snows in the ski resorts, I only have happy memories of white, snow-laden landscapes, snowball fights, tobogganing, cosy winter fires and building snowmen. I have never faced the realities and dramas of blizzards, snowstorms, shovelling snow or being snowed in so I will continue to dream of snowy, white splendour but I'll be quietly grateful for our mild, uneventful winters!
Winter Days
Living down the coast, winter was my least favourite season, generally spent low profile, working hard, patiently waiting for spring. Then in a single day that all changed. One day, I took my husband skiing for his birthday - a sport we had both enjoying, independently, in our younger days. On a sunny, bright blue day surrounded by pristine beauty, fresh mountain air and powder snow - we discovered we both shared a passion for this winter sport. So we raced out and bought our own gear and now our winters are full of anticipation and adventure as we race down the mountains, sip on 'Glühwein' and indulge in a little apres-ski!
Ice Skating Party
One on the things I love about winter is ice skating. I have loved the grace and beauty of it ever since I was a little girl. My vision of gracefully twirling, gliding and spinning on ice never matched the reality but a girl can dream! A popular request for birthday outings was a day at the ice-skating rink - the day always finished up the same elated by bruised and battered! It never gets cold enough here to have an outdoor rink but times spent skating on outdoor rinks in the open air at Central Park, The Rockerfella Center and Switzerland have filled me with magic!
Images via The Sweetest Occasion