h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've been wracking my brain trying to come up with good things about winter. Sheesh, it's a hard task. At least I can be grateful that it doesn't last any longer than it does.

I came up with seed catalogs. They show up in winter and give me a certain amount of pleasure, planning my spring and summer gardens. Then there are socks warm from the dryer and watching the flames in the fireplace. Oh, and football season ends. That's a plus.

In the first half of winter, you have Christmas to look forward to. Then after Christmas in the second half of winter, you have the promise of Spring, which is only a few weeks away, when we'll see the first new flowers appearing.

Good things about actual winter, rather than just looking forward to it being over?

- That delicious feeling of breathing in cold, dry air.

- Winter Root Vegetables, and Brussel Sprouts.

- Clear, dark skies for looking at the stars - Orion is fabulous at this time of year, and Sirius is visible low down in the South.

- In Winter we keep our guinea pigs in the kitchen a lot of the time, and they become very friendly. In the summer, they're more out in the garden and we don't get to talk to them as much.

"In the first half of winter, you have Christmas to look forward to. Then after Christmas in the second half of winter,"...

You have the end of Christmas to look forward to and the absence of Christmas music and adverts on endless repeat for at least 9½ months.

That's a big plus for me too And looking through seed catalogues is a fond winter past-time of lots of British gardeners. Then there's listening to overseas cricket tours on the radio, eating lots of belly ballast-type food, and (at least here in Texas) knowing that it's not a hundred-and-stupid degrees outside

Oh, and also being able to bake all day and keep the apartment warm, and not having to keep the bread in the fridge to stop it going mouldy after a few days.

Of course it really depends on where you are. Here in Ireland, it is generally about 10 degrees colder in winter than in summer.

I love that peaceful quiet during and after a snow storm.

We have four distinct seasons here, which is nice. The bad thing is that we have temperature extremes in both summer and winter. It gets really cold here sometimes. Not arctic cold, but still very uncomfortable. Last winter our low temperature was -8ºF and we had 108ºF last summer. So a 100º swing.

Four distinct seasons, yes... and occasionally all in the same week. 17F when I walked out the door this morning, and near 60 again by Thursday?! Craziness!!

I like it if the days are sunny, clear and frosty.

Unfortunately, we don't get many such days.

It was nice and warm yesterday, and last time the temperature plunged. I can't think of anything good to say about winter right now. I hate how long it takes to get dressed in the morning. Bah.

Gnomon, I feel privileged to know someone else who talks to guinea pigs.

We have lots of gray days here in winter, too. I guess it's like that everywhere in winter. And broe is right. The weather changes in a hurry sometimes.

In South America they keep their guinea pigs inside in winter. Then they eat them.

Hush, Hypatia. We don't talk about people who do things like that.

Sorry, Dmitri. Some facts of life are hard to swallow.

I don't like winter. Especially if it gets really cold, like -20C/-4F or colder. And useless to say that -30C/-22F is just wrong. Fresh cold air is overrated.

And I talk to guinea pigs. My daughter's piggy stays here every now and then. She talks back, too.

I'm generally quite keen on winter. I prefer being cold to being hot as I know that when I'm cold I can just put another layer or two on and I'll be fine.

Mr. D, when I was younger I would have agreed with you. I used to think older people were strange wearing sweaters when they didn't need to, etc. Now the cold is starting to bother me. I think it is because our circulation slows down as we age. Not sure.

I thought sweaters were accounted for by decades of absorbing the colds of winter. Today, a sparkling and fresh -15C here, and tomorrow is expected to crest zero. Some extremes indeed, this season

And did someone say 'spring in a few weeks'? Perhaps 4 months is more like it ...

The average last frost date here is April 18.

Frost? We do get those occasionally, just not often enough to average them.