Officially, winter is over. Spring is here. There are little signs all about – freesias, rain, the wearing of sneakers sans sox. It was a good winter, we all agreed, in whispers, lest we jinx the incoming season. It was mild and not too rainy, which is saying something for this little pocket of the planet. But I know that you Northern Hemisphere (NH) peeps are heading into a fall and then into a winter, possibly suffering from a summer hangover – the fruitless longing for the summer days to never slip away, the good times to keep rollin’. Never fear, my friends. I bring you The Best of SH winter to inspire you for the seasons to come.

Winter is a great season for reading. Early nights + elasticated pants + book = Ahhhhhh. I stunned myself by actually reading some real-life, honest-to-goodness books this season as B2 got a little niftier at sleeping. I fell in love with some great children’s books – The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate de Goldi and Heartbeat by Sharon Creech were my two favourites. I also read Where’d you go, Bernadette by Maria Semple, which every blog I read seemed to mention and with good reason too, it’s a goodie.

This winter I thrashed these shoes, my John Fluevogs from Vancouver. The bestest laces-less shoes you ever did slip right into. When they cark it, there might be tears.

And wore this double-sided woollen scarf, from Aritzia, which reminds me of New York and can be used as a single bed blanket it’s soooooo huge. Here it is in Boston because it’s seen a bit of the world.

And had this fancy-schmancy hair do. For one night only.

I ate a LOT of scones, because hot scones with jam and cream make everyone happy, from little to not-so-little. And drank about a gallon of tea.

I loved watching Elizabeth Gilbert’s speech over at O Magazine, Brody Dalle’s interview on The Conversation, listening to the first few bars of this lovely, longing song (any more and I get choked up) and sitting about staring lovingly at my vintage globe from my darling friend, Lucie. Did I mention that my birthday is in winter?

But now it’s goodbye winter, socks off, feet in the wet grass, listening to Tuis singing and feeling the anticipation of a new season. What will it bring? Wishing you and yours the very best for whichever seasonal adventure you are heading into and wondering – what were the best bits for you about the season you just adios-ed?

HUGS, Hannah

PS. Am I the last person on the planet to learn this? Seriously?! Face-palm.