Going Into Hibernation
I know it’s spring for all you northerners, but down under winter is creeping up. Frost hits regularly, the tomatoes die, and I go into hibernation mode. This means I make several changes to my routine:
- I lit my first fire last night, and it definitely made things way cozier. It helped that…
- I moved from the summer bedroom into the winter bedroom, which is more like a side lounge but that opens directly into the room with the fire. Downside: No closets. Upside: Warmth ensues.
- I start doing big pots of food on Sundays which keeps until Thursday or Friday. Pumpkin soup (mmmm…), minestrone soup – heck, any kind of soup – but also ratatouille, boilups, etc.
Do you change your routine with the seasons?
– Jean AAR
Jean — I ADORE New Zealand. I have relatives in the New Plymouth and Lake Taupo areas. I didn’t have good luck with food when I was there in February 1987 but your gardens are amazing. Even Hawera (where I was staying mostly) had a municipal park that was to die for. And Christchurch was even better (obviously).
Here, it’s getting to be summer, although this past week has been so cold I forced my husband to make fires in the woodstove even though he’d carefully cleaned in out during the last stretch of warm weather. So today — which got up to 27 C — has seemed hot & muggy. But a front moves through again tonight and tomorrow drops back to 15 C as the high for the day.
When summer does finally arrive, we’ll open all the windows (we live in the Northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, and our house is high enough in altitude we don’t need air conditioning) and enjoy our swimming pool. That could be next week, or next month. Weather here is, uh, changeable.
Gee Kathy, I’m in Washington State too and it seems winter just doesn’t want to leave. ; )
Jean: I visited New Zealand in late May many years ago. Had the best blueberry bran muffins and other yummy foods.
Kathy – I’m in New Zealand. Opposite side of the world. Pumpkin soup is pretty awesome – at its simplest, bake a pumpkin, scoop and chuck into a pot along with potatoes/leeks/carrots/whatever you want, add whatever herbs/curry/cream you choose, simmer, serve with sour cream.
Oh Jean thats so sad that you’re starting winter and we’re just getting over it. Where are you at anyway? We live on the Pacific coast in washington state USA. Winter is a great time to cuddle up to a nice fire with a book. Is pumpkin soup really good? I’ll have to try it now. I’m always looking for good soup recipes. Kathy