Someone once asked me what my favorite constellation was. I immediately replied, “Orion.” True, it’s probably the most recognizable constellation, but for me, it symbolizes winter. I know when it’s high in the sky, the last leaves have fallen and winter has begun. I love everything about winter.

I love the cold, the silence, and especially the snow. There’s a peacefulness in new fallen snow that isn’t recreated in any other environment. I love just standing in the forest and listening to the quiet. I love how it reveals animal paths, and I wonder how they survive in such an environment. I love driving past country homes on winter nights, and seeing the inside light cast upon the snow through a window. I imagine the owners are cozy inside, with a hot bowl of soup and a warm blanket to ward off the chill from outside. I relish those nights when I’m the one inside, watching the snow fall silently from the sky, and wondering how much there will be in the morning.

And as enjoyable it is to remain inside, those comforts can only be truly appreciated by spending time outside when it’s cold. Skiing, sledding, hiking, skiing, walking the dogs, camping, snowshoeing, skiing, and even shoveling the snow. There’s something about putting on my warm clothes, however many I might need, and heading out to have fun or occasionally just to see how much I can bear before it drives me inside for a warm cup of tea.

The other seasons are enjoyable in their own ways, but the only season I regret ending every year is winter.