Friday Favorite Things About Winter

Oshit. So busy with NaNoMadNess that I almost forgot the Friday Favorite. No bed for Dana just yet.

So, look, I know it's not officially winter yet, and some of you down south are about to experience a nice balmy summer, but the temperature in Seattle dropped severely over the past day, there's snow on the ground in parts of the world, and damn it, I'm thinking of winter. Especially since my toes are freezing after walking the trash out in sandals.

I hate winter, actually. It's one of my least-favorite seasons. But, paradoxically, it's one of my most productive seasons as a writer. The short, gray days and the long nights are very friendly to someone who only writes well when it's dark. There's no warm breeze and blooming flowers to lure me from my lair. The cold snaps me awake and gets my creative juices flowing. So I love winter for the writing.

Those days when a cold rain's falling or snow's accumulating are the perfect excuse to curl up in bed with a warm purring cat and a good book and tell the world to shove off. I get a lot of quality reading time in.

And I love watching snow fall. I love the hush when a really good storm hits. The world is a different place when it's covered in frozen white water. I sometimes take walks in snowstorms, bundled in a heavy jacket and my trusty hooded cloak, watching the details blur as snow covers them. The cold is sharp, but everything looks soft and new.

Finally, one must not forget the holidays. Extra time off work is always a bonus when all one wants to do is scribble and then read. I don't have family up here, so I get to beg off and be alone with my creative juices. Most people hate being alone on Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I love it.

Right, then. Seriously off to bed now. Tell me your favorite things, if you like.