why i (still) love winter #08

 quickie hikes and melted snow patches.
soft pine and slushy crunchy snow trails.
bundling up and warming up.
a mild streak of chilliness that wants to promise 'the worst is over'
finding new appreciation for snowy landscapes.
beauty in the grey, still and everywhere.
fresh air, 'wake you right up' air.
days growing noticeably longer. 

i'm feeling optimistic and thankful for small details, must have something to do with finally getting out and outside.

other reasons for (still) loving winter here and here.

why i (still) love winter #20

soup!

soup is awesome like salad, but more comforting. a good salad will give you a high five on hot summers day, a good soup will hug you affectionately from the inside out.

i don't want to brag or anything,

(lies!)

but i make a pretty awesome mexican-ish chicken tortilla (without the tortilla) soup.

it's based mostly on this recipe.

only i make it more awesome by adding just about every vegetable i can find in the house.

granted the sweet potato i once added wasn't as awesome and the lentils didn't do what i wanted them to do. other than that it's pretty great.

the best part is that it's super low in calories and super high in taste. 

try it!

see below, it's very much still winter around and will be for a while, so yay soup!

why i (still) LOVE winter #32

and yes i'm a little sarcastic..

but seeing as those flirty months of spring, not the mention the sexy months of summer are SO far away i need to rather focus my thoughts and wonder to the greatness that still is winter.

a great reason for me to personally "love" winter right now is because here at almost mid week, i'm still suffering from a horrid flu spell.
so miserably stuck on the coach curled up into a little ball of sadness, i at the very least feel no guilt of wasting a perfect day, a gorgeous weekend, no out doors really beckoning me for walks.
So there's that, for the fourth day in a row, i've forgotten what being cold even means...

what else? reasons i need to find you!

as i find them i will share them, they're out there somewhere.

the rest of you down under, continue to enjoy your summer, which according to facebook is turning out to be a nice scorcher. soak it in kids, soak it all in (after you've applied your sunscreen that is).

sun... what's that?