I’ve always preferred winter. Fall comes a close second, spring is too wet and summer makes no sense to me at all. I like snow, I feel comfortable in the cold and it just seems quieter in the winter. At the same time, sounds are sharper. The snap of ice, the casual thump of snow falling off of roofs, the muffled screams for help from someone buried by said snow.

The only problem I have with winter is the complete absence of colour. Blue Jays notwithstanding, winter is a black and white world… the nights are long and the days are short and stark, which can be depressing. Especially if most of our days are spent indoors.

So a few years ago, to break up the monotony of winter, I started taking photos of flowers, gardens, sunsets and sunrises. Anything with an insane amount of colour.

I don’t know if it has worked. I do have a lot more photos on my wall, and most of them are vibrant and interesting. So, when people come over, at least I have something to talk about other than the weather.

…of course, according to a recent article in “Men’s Health, nine of the ten worst cities in the United States with regards to depression, joblessness and suicide are all in “Sunshine States”. Which is normally where you find colour, flowers, gardens and warmth in the winter.

So… there is that.