“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
— John Steinbeck
Winter is no longer coming; it is here. The winter solstice occurred this morning at 08:59 a.m. Mountain Standard Time.
While it’s true that winter has returned in all its dismal glory, the fact remains that from this point on the days grow ever longer. To be sure, it will be hard to tell at first. But in just a few short weeks the longer days will become more and more evident.
I tend to look upon the winter solstice as the start of the new gardening year. While there isn’t much to do outside, winter is the perfect time to make plans for the upcoming growing season.
Which means it’s the perfect time to start perusing seed and plant catalogs!
Winter is also a good time to start laying the fitness foundation for the active seasons ahead. Riding the indoor trainer, weightlifting, and perhaps a lap or two at the pool will prepare my body for the more active seasons ahead.
That’s the theory at least. I’ve never actually had a winter where I’ve stuck it out all the way through. Perhaps this is the year?
Anyway, now that winter is officially here, we only have 13 weeks until a new season arrives.
Spring is coming!
