Well I think it's safe to say that Winter has suddenly arrived here in Attic land. The temperatures have dropped to below zero during this past week and most mornings we've woken to a layer of frost and ice over everything.
One of the things I really appreciate about this time of year is the dramatic light and colour in the sky. The mornings are starting very late now (just coming light at 7.30am), but it makes for such a wonderful start to the day when the sky puts on this spectacular show.
I took the above photo this morning when the stars were still twinkling and the sun was just about to rise. It's been one of those perfect kind of early Winter days, very clear, bright and oh-so-cold. It's made me super glad for my hat, scarf and wrist warmers....hooray for warm, woolly, hooky, wearable things!
During these short Winter days, the daylight is already beginning to fade away by the time I walk to school at 3pm. This is the view from the end of my street where the tall pine trees rustle in the breeze. You can see the old textile mill (which is now converted into apartments) beside the frozen canal, and my hill looking very cold and wintry indeed.
Fifty minutes later on our walk home, the sun had almost set and the rosy glow across the frozen water made everything look sooo beautiful....
....isn't it amazing?
I love being able to witness the close of day, when time seems so precious and everything looks glorious in the last light.
Wonderful.
Life indoors at this time of year is decidedly cosy, and it makes the whole business of simply Being Home a true pleasure. This morning I came back from town and felt so glad of this warm, comforting, welcoming home of mine. I felt grateful for the true warmth (radiators on all day), and for our familiar, worn-out furniture and for the bright and cheerful homemade blankets and cushions. There is so often a lot of mess and clutter in this house, yet truthfully I never feel overly bothered by it. I can always manage to clear a bit of space to cosy up and feel at peace.
This morning was a rare morning when I was at home alone...well I say morning but in reality it was just over an hour of pure, unadulterated me-time. I took advantage of it being a child-free zone and lit my candle (such a simple ritual, but such a lovely, happy thing to do). I made myself a most delicious frothy coffee with a dusting of chocolate powder on the top, and plated up a Danish pastry.
And I sat. And slurped. And munched. I listened to the soothing sound of my clock ticking, and I picked up my hook and yarn and worked up some colourful rows. It was a most blissful, content, peaceful, soothing hour. I wish it had been longer, but then maybe it wouldn't have felt so special?
During this cold snap, I am lighting the fire almost every night. This will be our fifth winter in this house with a real fire, and the joy and comfort it brings us is immense. I love, love, love it. It makes Winter feel so good!
Despite my complete love of the fire, I think my love of Bed is greater. This past week I've been snuggling down into bed at around 8.30pm with a hot water bottle at my feet and my brushed cotton jammies on, oh I have enjoyed my early bedtimes! I've really been loving my cosy, pre-sleep hooky and have found it to be a very sweet way to end these cold, icy, busy Winter days.
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