We’ve just been enjoying a cold snap here in France. Complete with snow. As I understand much of the northern hemisphere has. But this isn’t so typical here. Certainly it’s cold, but not so much below freezing temperatures cold. Or snow. And I do say enjoying (sort of) as after all it is winter, and winter has connotations of cold. At least to me.
Choosing to be Cold
I grew up in the northern hemisphere, in cold places. And its funny how that dictated where I have travelled. Having done one of those trip advisor maps, where you put pins in all the places you have visited, I realised that I had a predilection to head north. Interesting.
Once knowing this, I started to aim south. At least, a little. I am not a hot climate person. Call it being a redhead (can’t sun bathe, don’t tan, only burn) that probably has me inclined towards cooler climes.
Finding Perfection
I have discovered, as I have moved and lived in some warmer climates, that I do prefer less cold. I know I prefer less snow. Or actually not so much less snow as less long living slush. That is something I don’t miss at all.
And now I have found the perfect climate – for me. Well, as close as one gets to perfect. Which is not really possible, but I am happy with it. Of course, there are always things one would wish less of (frosts, fog, rain…), but then again the diversity makes one appreciate the preferred more.
Cold Outside is Good
Cold is necessary. It make the trees and plants go dormant, so they can be pruned where necessary. This past week had me out front of my house with the ducks, as that was the only place with non-frozen green grass. I took the opportunity, whilst overseeing them, to prune my roses. They are climbing roses and boy did they climb! A really good haircut was needed, with lots of long old branches cut away. The front is looking much tidier now.
Fruit trees in the garden still need to be pruned. Raspberries still need to be cut too. And maybe the currant bushes. The garden is really in need of a tidy up before it starts to look like spring. Which happens fairly quickly here.
Ducks Don’t Like Cold
When the temperatures start to dip to below freezing in the nights it means bringing the ducks inside. I set up my end storage room as their home. Easy to clean, and a nice transition from freezing to warmer temps. They spend the night in there.
Then come morning, they meander upward through the house, eventually arriving in the warmest room, my salon. Interestingly they head straight towards the heater. Neige in particularly loves sitting right up against the radiator. Ducks gravitate to soft furnishings, so I lay down towels near the heater and they all sit around and promptly fall asleep. By mid-day, and a warming of temperatures, they beg to go outside to the front of the house. They know there is grass there, and it’s a real treat. So we make it a regular mid-day forage – and pruning session for me, while the freezing temperatures last.
Fun Facts
Speaking about ducks, did you know that ducks have no nerve endings in their feet? This helps with standing on frozen ground or ice. If you see a duck sitting in winter, you know its cold out. They can get frostbite on their feet, so to keep them warm, they sit on them when it is cold outside. And ducks are okay up to temperatures of -4C (24F). Below that, if you have pet ducks, they should be inside some place that stays above that.
As for my cats, when it’s cold out they want in. I sit as I write this, with Gigi on my lap, Lappy‘s snuggled up next to me and Noisette has snuck herself into my armpit. It’s her thing, but it does make typing a tad trickier. I can see that the sun is out. It will soon warm up the day a little. They will all be ready to venture forth into the cold once again after waking up.
Staying indoors
Although I am not such a fan of the cold, I do appreciate also that it forces us all inside. We are a cosy lot. And being forced inside I definitely take the opportunity to enjoy working on projects that sit neglected through much of the rest of the year. It adds to the cosy, having a blanket over my knees that needs mending.
I enjoy listening to the radio, particularly old songs while I work. Like the Dean Martin version of the song that sparked today’s musings… as Baby, it’s cold outside.
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