Statues and Autumn Chills

One of my favourite things about cold weather blog photos is that the tip of my nose goes bright red. From that alone, I can tell that the weather in the picture is cold. We’ve recently had the first true cold snap of the year. The late hot weather we had been enjoying through the early days of autumn have gone. As I’m writing this, my heater is broken and it is 4 degrees (39.2 F). My fingers are way too cold to be typing, so my usual fast tappity-tap of typing is a sad slow pace.

I don’t like that it is this cold this soon. There has been no adjustment. I’ve gone from wearing a thin jacket, or no jacket at all, to wearing a duck down jacket. I haven’t had enough time to invest in a really warm winter scarf. At least I have gloves already!

I was also just getting into the swing of riding everywhere on my bike again, but now it’s so cold my face and fingers freeze off at the thought of it. I’m not equipped for this kind of weather!

All this complaining aside, I have a real soft spot for cold weather. I personally believe that winter is the most romantic season. It’s the most chic. It’s minimalist. The colours of the world dim and darken to pastels, browns, blacks and greys. The air is freezing and as you move through it and breathe it in, it comes to life, with white vapours dancing before your eyes. Trees stand naked in their most true form. They are hard and knotted and defiant of gravity and weather and time. There is often very little breeze, so our local lake becomes as still as glass, though it doesn’t freeze. The sunrise is as soft as a sigh. Everything sounds wet, as though the water on the surfaces of things acts as an amplifier.

Winter also invites food that speaks to the soul. This is where I find myself drinking chai, spiced apple cider, mulled wine and dark hot chocolate. My meals are often slow cooked and the smell of them fills the house. Roasts become a regular thing. The kettle is always fresh off the boil.

It will be winter soon and while the cold now is abrasively unexpected, winter will be welcome when it arrives.

These photos are taken is one of the most beautiful spots in town: the Ballarat Botanic Gardens. The Gardens are home to many beautiful statues but my favourite is by far Flight from Pompeii, which stands in the centre of the pavilion. Off to the side is another remarkable statue: Modesty. It’s always fascinated me that a women holding a veil over her face, covered entirely in a thin veil, can be carved from stone. It’s a fascinating thing, that a veil carved from stone can somehow look translucent.