Reasons to Love Winter in Michigan

If we base the seasons on temperature, winter has been here for quite a while now. But there hasn't been any snow. And that, in my book, is when winter starts.

I love Michigan and experiencing all of the different seasons, so I thought I'd share with you today some of my favorite things.

I love taking the dogs out and trudging through snow that's two feet deep. Seeing footprints from all of the creatures; little bird prints, deer tracks or sometimes even that eerie, lone coyote track making it's way across an open field into the distance. Coming back inside, your face half frozen and sitting front of a fire with a mug of hot chocolate.

Driving around in a snowstorm, the wind and snow whipping around the vehicle. You're the only one on the road with no place to be, driving at your own pace and listening to a little Stevie Ray Vaugh, or maybe some Motley Crue, depending on your mood.

I love the bird feeders right outside our window because on sunny days I can look out and see woodpeckers, cardinals, morning doves, chickadees and all sorts of others feeding at the same time.

I love how absolutely quiet the world is. That I can walk outside and everything is covered in a blanket of white and it sounds as though there isn't another soul in the world.

We haven't been yet this year, but we are lucky enough to live very close to the shores of Lake Michigan. It's always great to take a short trip over to the lakeshore to see how much ice has built up on the piers and lighthouses.

 

Tom Gill, Photographer

The above photo was taken by Tom Gill of the lighthouse in St. Joseph, Michigan after a severe winter storm where the waves reached twenty feet high.

What are some of your favorite things about the winter? Do you partake in any winter sports? Snowmobiling? Ice Fishing? I'd love to know! We need some fresh ideas :)