Winter

I love Winter. I love seeing my breath float away in front of me, to vanish at some distance. I love to slip and slide on the grass in the mornings when I feel that the crunching sound underfoot doesn't sound as fun. I love walking past houses and their gardens to see the springtime bulbs clamouring excitedly for their time to shine.

Winter for me has always been about withdrawing from life and shutting down. If it were holidays, I would spend most of it curled up in bed with a cup of tea, reading and listening to the rain. If it were school term, I'd pretty much do the same.

Sometimes I would daydream about the coming of Spring, the scent of Summer, another year, another age.
Would I be popular this year?
Will I fall in love?
Will I get straight As?

The only dream that ever came true at the end of each Winter were the tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, jonquils and the like, blooming proudly in my garden or the gardens I passed.