Night light -

Many people are sad at the thought of the winter months ahead. They sigh. They moan. They complain. They wish for springtime, summer, for autumn to stay longer. In all honesty the latter would be fine with me, autumn truly is my favorite season, but the coming of winter fills my thoughts today. 

This morning was cold, our first day since last winter with the temperature hitting freezing right at dawn. At 7AM I opened the front door, walked down the driveway to pick up the paper, breathing in the chill and tasting it. Different.

Now the clocks have changed and the evenings draw in earlier, and I gather the feelings, the woodsmoke fragrance, sounds from rustling trees. Different.  Outside on the fig tree the hanging lanterns turn on at dusk. I'm thankful for modern battery operated candles - placing them in plastic baggies keeps them free from wet conditions. 

I light the candles placed around the house, on the kitchen island, dining room table, sideboard (above) and Welsh dresser. One or two in the living room brighten that area when I knit and watch television, read a book or flip through a magazine. 

The house is small, cozy in winter. Soon the hearth will glow as oak and hickory logs fill the empty hearth, illuminating the bricks and turning them rich and rust colored as the dancing flames shoot high and warm the room. There really is nothing better than a crackling wood fire in wintertime.

How do you stay cozy in winter? Do you embrace the changing weather here in the northern hemisphere? I do feel that as we age cold weather is more difficult to deal with however there are ways to stay snug and safe, especially at home.