Writing the Seasons - Winter
As may be obvious from my previous three posts, winter is my least favorite season. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t find anything to like about it. For one thing, after slogging through a long, tough New England winter, the first signs of spring make me positively giddy. Summer is a magical dream come true. Autumn makes me a little sad because I know it means we are heading into another winter, but it is one of the most beautiful times of the year. Without winter, I might not feel so overjoyed by the other seasons.
Winter has some great things about it besides making the other seasons all the more enticing. The first snowfall is always delightful. Kids are mesmerized by the first snow of the season. As an adult, that feeling, though not as strong as it once was, has never really left me. The night sky is clear, allowing for a better view of the constellations than at other times of the year.
Winter has some of the best holidays – Christmas topping the list for me. There is also New Years, Valentine’s Day, and, St. Patrick’s Day. That last one feels more like a spring holiday to me, but technically it falls at the very end of winter.
One nice thing about winter is if the weather is really bad, the office I work for closes so I get a day off. If I pay someone to shovel or snow blow my driveway, I can spend the bonus day writing!
Okay, so winter isn’t just a boring white slate. Letting our senses discover winter’s treasures redeems the season.
SIGHT:
• Color – Compared to the other seasons, not much. However, what I refer to as “winter blue” is one of my favorite colors. Look at any painting of a winter scene and you’ll see it. Of course, there’s white, too, and plenty of it. Sun or moonlight glinting off freshly fallen snow produces the most beautiful sparkles as if the snow is covered in tiny diamonds. Unfortunately, that pristine white gets awfully dirty and grungy once the plows and sanders have been through. There are also the traditional green and red Christmas colors and reds and pinks of Valentine’s Day. A bright red cardinal against winter’s white backdrop.
• Snowmen. Maybe not as many as when I was young, but sure enough folks still build ‘em! The occasional snow fort may pop up as well, laden with snowballs ready for a fun fight. Definitely don’t see as many as when I did when young. Do kids still do this?
• As the song says, “ski trails on a mountainside” if you happen to be in ski country. (From “Moonlight in Vermont.” Lyrics by John Blackburn.)
• Everything (trees, bushes, electrical wires, drain pipes, virtually everything outdoors) encased in ice after an ice storm. The morning after a nighttime ice storm is positively gorgeous, assuming of course, that it did no serious damage.
• Skaters on frozen ponds leaving blade etchings in the ice.
HEARING:
• Howling wind during a Nor’easter and the creaking and groaning of trees being swayed by the wind.
• The dripping of melting icicles.
• Christmas carols and cheery exchanges of “Merry Christmas!” Happy Hanukkah!” “Happy Kwanzaa!” “Seasons’ Greetings!” and Happy Holidays!”
• The countdown to the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve followed by shouts of “Happy New Year!” and the blaring of noisemakers.
• The crunching of snow underfoot.
SMELL:
• The rich woodland smell of evergreen trees.
• Wood smoke from the neighbor’s fireplace or woodstove.
• Spices associated with winter baking – allspice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg to name a few.
• As richer foods are prepared, the scent of soups, stews, and roasts fill the house.
• Scented candles or potpourri.
TOUCH/FEEL:
• The cold, wet feel of snow. Sometimes it feels like cold, soft powder. Other times there is a crusty layer on top, but dig beneath that and it feels as though you’ve stuck your fingers in a icy marshmallow.
• Bitter cold on any exposed skin, especially one’s face turns it almost numb. Crinkle your nose after being out in the cold for a while and you’ll notice the strange sensation of your face moving in slow motion.
• The melting wetness of catching snowflakes on your tongue.
• The itch of wool and the dampness of sweat under layers of clothing are some of the less pleasant sensations of winter.
• The soft security of flannel sheets, down comforters, and fleece blankets are treasures in wintertime.
TASTE:
• The sweetness of a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
• All those harvested veggies saved for winter – squash, potatoes, carrots, turnips – made into pies or added to stews.
• Gingerbread, eggnog, rum balls, champagne (to welcome the New Year)
• Delicious chocolates in a heart-shaped box on Valentine’s Day.
• Irish soda bread and corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.
In historical settings, winter was often a tough time to get through. Depending on the time period, they could not go to the store for food so had to make the harvest last. If the growing season wasn’t good, there might be a lot of growling bellies during the winter. No central heating meant layers of clothes, often the same ones worn day after day with infrequent bathing. The only heat came from the fireplace (later wood or coal burning stoves). Some rooms were closed off to conserve heat. Often the closed off rooms were used for food storage especially for pies since they would stay frozen or nearly so if kept in a pie safe or hope chest.
A simple head or chest cold could be deadly if it turned to pneumonia. There were no antibiotics, though midwives and herbalists might know of natural remedies that could help. Still, death from diseases associated with winter was more common in the winter.
There were no plows, but some folks got around by horse-pulled sleighs. Others had to walk no matter how deep the snow. Days were short and nights long. In agricultural societies, care of animals continued all year, but there was no planting, tilling or harvesting in the winter which meant more time indoors, longer hours for sleeping and…um…other things (more babies were conceived in the winter than any other time of year), and more opportunities for socializing. Parties and weddings occurred more often since there was more free time.
In early New England, Christmas was not celebrated. Even after the Puritans were gone, their distaste for Christmas remained. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that Christmas began to make inroads in New England. New Year’s, however, was a popular holiday – a time for parties and exchange of gifts.
These last four posts have conjured up a handful of seasonal sensory images to enhance your writing. What others can you think of? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section.
https://eileenofinlan.com
Winter has some great things about it besides making the other seasons all the more enticing. The first snowfall is always delightful. Kids are mesmerized by the first snow of the season. As an adult, that feeling, though not as strong as it once was, has never really left me. The night sky is clear, allowing for a better view of the constellations than at other times of the year.
Winter has some of the best holidays – Christmas topping the list for me. There is also New Years, Valentine’s Day, and, St. Patrick’s Day. That last one feels more like a spring holiday to me, but technically it falls at the very end of winter.
One nice thing about winter is if the weather is really bad, the office I work for closes so I get a day off. If I pay someone to shovel or snow blow my driveway, I can spend the bonus day writing!
Okay, so winter isn’t just a boring white slate. Letting our senses discover winter’s treasures redeems the season.
SIGHT:
• Color – Compared to the other seasons, not much. However, what I refer to as “winter blue” is one of my favorite colors. Look at any painting of a winter scene and you’ll see it. Of course, there’s white, too, and plenty of it. Sun or moonlight glinting off freshly fallen snow produces the most beautiful sparkles as if the snow is covered in tiny diamonds. Unfortunately, that pristine white gets awfully dirty and grungy once the plows and sanders have been through. There are also the traditional green and red Christmas colors and reds and pinks of Valentine’s Day. A bright red cardinal against winter’s white backdrop.
• Snowmen. Maybe not as many as when I was young, but sure enough folks still build ‘em! The occasional snow fort may pop up as well, laden with snowballs ready for a fun fight. Definitely don’t see as many as when I did when young. Do kids still do this?
• As the song says, “ski trails on a mountainside” if you happen to be in ski country. (From “Moonlight in Vermont.” Lyrics by John Blackburn.)
• Everything (trees, bushes, electrical wires, drain pipes, virtually everything outdoors) encased in ice after an ice storm. The morning after a nighttime ice storm is positively gorgeous, assuming of course, that it did no serious damage.
• Skaters on frozen ponds leaving blade etchings in the ice.
HEARING:
• Howling wind during a Nor’easter and the creaking and groaning of trees being swayed by the wind.
• The dripping of melting icicles.
• Christmas carols and cheery exchanges of “Merry Christmas!” Happy Hanukkah!” “Happy Kwanzaa!” “Seasons’ Greetings!” and Happy Holidays!”
• The countdown to the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve followed by shouts of “Happy New Year!” and the blaring of noisemakers.
• The crunching of snow underfoot.
SMELL:
• The rich woodland smell of evergreen trees.
• Wood smoke from the neighbor’s fireplace or woodstove.
• Spices associated with winter baking – allspice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg to name a few.
• As richer foods are prepared, the scent of soups, stews, and roasts fill the house.
• Scented candles or potpourri.
TOUCH/FEEL:
• The cold, wet feel of snow. Sometimes it feels like cold, soft powder. Other times there is a crusty layer on top, but dig beneath that and it feels as though you’ve stuck your fingers in a icy marshmallow.
• Bitter cold on any exposed skin, especially one’s face turns it almost numb. Crinkle your nose after being out in the cold for a while and you’ll notice the strange sensation of your face moving in slow motion.
• The melting wetness of catching snowflakes on your tongue.
• The itch of wool and the dampness of sweat under layers of clothing are some of the less pleasant sensations of winter.
• The soft security of flannel sheets, down comforters, and fleece blankets are treasures in wintertime.
TASTE:
• The sweetness of a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
• All those harvested veggies saved for winter – squash, potatoes, carrots, turnips – made into pies or added to stews.
• Gingerbread, eggnog, rum balls, champagne (to welcome the New Year)
• Delicious chocolates in a heart-shaped box on Valentine’s Day.
• Irish soda bread and corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day.
In historical settings, winter was often a tough time to get through. Depending on the time period, they could not go to the store for food so had to make the harvest last. If the growing season wasn’t good, there might be a lot of growling bellies during the winter. No central heating meant layers of clothes, often the same ones worn day after day with infrequent bathing. The only heat came from the fireplace (later wood or coal burning stoves). Some rooms were closed off to conserve heat. Often the closed off rooms were used for food storage especially for pies since they would stay frozen or nearly so if kept in a pie safe or hope chest.
A simple head or chest cold could be deadly if it turned to pneumonia. There were no antibiotics, though midwives and herbalists might know of natural remedies that could help. Still, death from diseases associated with winter was more common in the winter.
There were no plows, but some folks got around by horse-pulled sleighs. Others had to walk no matter how deep the snow. Days were short and nights long. In agricultural societies, care of animals continued all year, but there was no planting, tilling or harvesting in the winter which meant more time indoors, longer hours for sleeping and…um…other things (more babies were conceived in the winter than any other time of year), and more opportunities for socializing. Parties and weddings occurred more often since there was more free time.
In early New England, Christmas was not celebrated. Even after the Puritans were gone, their distaste for Christmas remained. It wasn’t until the mid-19th century that Christmas began to make inroads in New England. New Year’s, however, was a popular holiday – a time for parties and exchange of gifts.
These last four posts have conjured up a handful of seasonal sensory images to enhance your writing. What others can you think of? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section.
https://eileenofinlan.com
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