Winter Moments

It takes ages for winter to really kick in in this part of the world, and when it does its still a far cry from a true European winter. But to us South Africans, 15 degrees celcius at midday is really freezing! And that's what it was today.
I find the older I get the more aware of our seasons I have become. At every stage of my life the change of season has had a different meaning to me, but now that I am a mom and farmer's wife, I notice the daily changes that the various seasons evoke differently.
The cold has really begun to play havoc with Anna's dress sense - she just can't get her head around the fact that she cannot run around in shorts and t-shirts anymore. This really bugs her and she sneaks off a couple of times a day to try redress as if she is off to the Bahamas. It has got so out of hand that I have had to (very cruelly) hide all her summer clothes. I feel terrible as she doesn't ask where they are, I just find her rummaging through her drawer in silent confusion and then every now and then she asks just when does this "summer" I keep talking about return.
The other part of our life which is noticably affected is the growth of our food. Since I only started really taking interest in growing our own food last summer, I took it for granted that we had an endless supply and variety of fresh veggies. And it has taken me until mid-winter to finally realise that we are not a useless bunch of layabouts who cannot get our garden in order - it's simply winter. At the moment I have carrots growing very, very slowly, about five cabbages and the last remains of a pepper crop. Which is actually pretty good, according to Charles, my horticulturist husband, who boldy planned a tomato crop which is now bearing blighted fruits. At least they still taste good. And we have tomotoes in winter...
But my most favourite winter thing of all is the mood and light. From an early morning horse ride when everything sparkles with cold and dew to the dusty low shafts of light that fall across a room. It evokes a feeling of life being lived. It reminds me of my childhood when everything was fresh and unquestioned.
Today I found the girls curled up together on the couch in the afternoon light, and I cherished the moment.