.: ...Winter Wonderland...

So the first of June marked the start of winter for us in the Southern Hemisphere, and at long last has come the arrival of somewhat chilly days for us on the coast. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy the thought of summer, you know; late sunsets, days at the seaside, maintaining a healthy glow and all that jazz, but summers in Durban have grown to become partially hateful. The humidity makes you feel like you’re going to evaporate, you can hardly avoid a sunburn and your sweat glands work overtime making you feel damp all day long. Ugh.

(Click here for source of photo)

So needless to say I’ve been anticipating the ‘cooler months’ like the return of an old friend, but the past three months have been a sad excuse for ‘Autumn,’ with the temperatures still reaching alarming heights of 28 degrees Celsius, not a cloud in the sky and humidity lingering like an unwanted guest. I mean gone are the days where you can actually distinguish one season from another, now all we have is a confused climatic mess. Thanks Global Warming, we owe you one!

Well anyway, winter has dawned, there’s a crisp chill in the air and we can now wear long sleeved clothing and sleep under the duvet. *Happiness is*. I would have to say that without a doubt, winter is Durban’s finest season (I prefer the cold so I am a bit biased). I love waking up and seeing the sea look like glass as the coastline boasts windless days and morning land breezes. I love being able to wear slippers and long PJ’s. I love winter fashion, full stop. But I also love the fact that our mild winters make outdoor life possible, in fact, they make outdoor life just that much better.

(Photos: The Cherry Blossom Girl)

Sometimes I do wish we could experience a good and proper winter though, you know, with snow and blizzards and the need for electric blankets and thermal underwear. I wish I could leave the house in lots of layers without looking like an idiot. And I wish I could spend days indoors by the fireplace sipping on a cup of bottomless hot chocolate.

I also wish I owned a little countryside cottage, at the foot of a mountain that had roses planted in the garden. I would cover the interior with floral fabrics (tasteful, not overdone) and it would boast modest pine furniture, with the odd antique piece thrown in every now and then. I would hibernate in my cottage every winter, making my way through a long list of ‘must-reads’ whilst baking every day and maybe even try writing poems or a book of my own.

But until then, I’m just loving every minute that Durban winter is throwing at me.