How to get rid of the winter blues

I grew up considering talks about weather as the uber-polite conversation (as in very British) and very impersonal too :) However, since moving to Canada conversations about weather occupy at least half of my life: wherever I turn someone (including myself) will complain about the weather.

The last few days have been quite strange - it is either decently cold, but cloudy and humid, or horribly cold and windy. Today started on the good side (decently cold and sunny), just to change mid-day with a really cold wind that will freeze your soul if you're not careful. Mind you, my son insisted it is warm enough to get out in shorts and after 5 minutes of 'negotiations' I was tempted to let him do just that. The practical me prevailed - if he's getting sick guess who takes care of him?

Cold or not, gray or not - it is a fact: winter is here for a good few months. With the holidays cheer safely tucked behind us, the January bills starting to trickle in and the days still too short to consider yourself any happier - the next few weeks are usually hard to manage.

So what can one do about the winter blues that are quickly coming over us? My solution has always been colour. In any form - but the one I enjoy the best: in the form of flowers.

The most inexpensive solution is to buy some bulbs in the fall and plant them in pots weeks prior to Christmas. The best idea would be to plant some every week starting about 8 weeks before Christmas and going through into February. This solution, as obvious and inexpensive as is - has never worked for me. Someway or another I forget to plant them in time to enjoy any colour before March :)

The next solution is to buy ready-potted, almost in-bloom bulbs - and that's what I usually end up. This solution works pretty good: you know exactly what colour of flowers you'll get, you know they'll be blooming for a few days, if you manage to get pots with bulbs at various states - you can even stagger your garden through a week or so.

This year I managed to get an Amaryllis that bloomed precisely on New Year's Day! On New Year's Eve I also found some small pots with tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and crocuses - and I got one of each. They started to bloom yesterday! Oh, and another first this year: an orchid I got for my birthday this year - started to bloom again. I have never had orchids blooming for the 2nd time - needless to say I am happy and looking forward to seeing those beautiful pink flowers!

Of course, there is the most expensive solution: buy cut flowers or beautiful arrangements from the flower shop. I don't know about you, but my need for spring and colour is greater than the price of cut flowers :)

These are the flowers in my house today: they fill my life with colour and a perfect spring perfume!


You're feeling blue on a chilly winter day? Fill your house with blooming flowers, make yourself a sweet hot chocolate (chocolate is good at dispensing some happiness), make a nice fire in the fireplace and listen to some calm music - you're bound to feel better!

If you have other ideas on how to get your spirit up - please share your wisdom...