Dreaming of a Retreat

Winter is here in New Hampshire after being shy for so long. The temperature is five degrees and tomorrow promises to be colder.

I love winter for a number of reasons. It is the cozy time of year and I love being in the woods when there is snow and everything is frozen. As a former night snowmaker, I do miss being on a mountain in the middle of night and looking out at a view of snowy mountains that are phosphorescent in the moonlight. I even like shoveling snow (snowblowers are tools of the devil and idleness), but not tons and tons of snow.

But, winter is also hard. The cold gets to you and coziness can quickly become boredom. When winter despair starts to creep into the heart, it is nice to think about and plan for the warmer weather. If you're lucky enough to have great summer vacations every year, congrats.

For writers, we can also think about our writing and where we could escape to for a night, week or month. This helps make winter feel a bit shorter and the desire to not let these cold, cozy days and nights slip away.

Below are some photos I found that may help get the thought juices flowing.