“Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, but I love you nonetheless.”
Terri Guillemets, an American quotation anthologist
What’s the winter like where you live? Is it severe, bleak, wet, or warm? If hearing the word winter, you still think of snow and frost, in spite of the changing climate, this post is a special treat for you…
- severe winter = extremely cold, harsh winter
- bleak winter = dreary, grey winter
Something that is dreary is dull and making you feel sad or bored: 1) Prepare yourself for the dreary winter period. 2) I hate this dreary apartment. 3) I need to change my dreary routine.
Something that is bleak is cold and without any pleasant or comfortable features: 1) My level of productivity tends to fall during the bleak winter months. 2) The bleak landscape extends over 50 square miles. 3) The snow-covered coast looked bleak and uninviting.
Harsh weather is extremely cold and unpleasant: 1) Make sure your bicycle survives our harsh Canadian winters. 2) Harsh weather linked to climate change will leave hundreds of English churches at risk of destruction or closure this winter. 3) Harsh weather conditions are experienced by millions of peoples all over the world.
But winters don’t always have to be harsh and dreary…
Embrace the Winter
Do you feel like fleeing the cold time of the year? How about embracing it? Once winter rolls around, some beautiful places become absolutely stunning. For example, the ski town of Whitefish in Montana, whose pull is the annual winter festival, Lake Tahoe in California, which is lovely year-round but simply gorgeous in winter, or Midway in Utah, whose biggest draw must be the ice castles built annually by teams of artists. Check out the Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland, which is truly impressive when it partly freezes over in the wintertime, or the little mining town of Svalbard in Norway, which is a prime location to catch the Northern Lights. Wherever you live and whichever place you have a chance to visit, make sure you make the most of the winter, and stay warm and positive.
- to flee – to escape from a dangerous situation or place very quickly: 1) Earthquake victims have been forced to flee their homes. 2) Who has not thought of fleeing, at least as a temporary measure, the British winter?
- to embrace – to completely accept something such as a new belief, idea, or way of life: 1) When I tell people that I came to Slovenia on retreat to embrace winter, they look at me with a confused curiosity. (Retreat is the period of time that you spend resting in a peaceful and private place.) 2) We hope these regions will embrace democratic reforms.
- to roll around – (of a time or event) to happen: 1) Will you still be here when spring rolls around? 2) When winter rolls around, this place turns into a winter wonderland.
- stunning – very impressive or beautiful: 1) The view from the top of the hill is stunning. 2) A stunning display of fireworks lit up the sky.
- pull – a force that attracts: 1) The pull of Japan is rich culture, which visitors want to experience. 2) The pull of this company is its high ethical standards.
- draw – an event, occasion, act, etc., that attracts a large audience: 1) The Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the biggest draw of the year. 2) The festival is such a draw.
- to freeze over – to become covered with a layer of ice: 1) The pond froze over as early as October. 2) By January, the lake had started to freeze over.
- prime – of the highest quality: 1) This is a prime example of 1930s architecture. 2) This is a prime holiday destination.
- to make the most of sth. – to use sth. to the best advantage: 1) To make the most of winter, get active. 2) I don’t feel I made the most of my time at college.
The Reason for the Season
Many people associate winter with cold and flu, whose season in the US can begin as early as October and get into full swing until December. But a common misconception is that the flu is caused by cold temperatures. In fact, some people have argued that it is not low temperatures that make the disease more common in the winter. Rather, they attest that the lack of sunlight or the different lifestyles people lead in winter months are the primary contributing factors. (source)
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to reduce your chances of getting sick. Practice proper hand washing, keep your hands away from your face, have healthy living habits, get your flu shot, and stock your medicine cabinet. Remember to maintain humidified indoor air, and establish an exercise routine.
- full swing – the most effective or highest level of operation or activity: 1) The advertising campaign is already in full swing. 2) The meeting was in full swing when we arrived.
- to attest /əˈtest/ – to give proof or be evidence that something is true (formal language): 1) I can personally attest that the cold and flu season is here. 2) Police records attest to his long history of violence.
- medicine cabinet – a small cupboard, often in a bathroom, in which medicines and toiletries are kept: 1) I looked in her medicine cabinet for an aspirin. 2) Your family needs a well-stocked medicine cabinet so you can respond quickly when an illness or accident strikes.
Flu, cold, snow, ice, the Northern Lights… What words do you associate with winter? 😉
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