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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, January 22, 2015 | 22 Rethinking the dream and warming up to the winter season dream. The dream? It's been my fantasy for as long as I can recall to not simply break away from winter and sashay south for a week or two, but to completely separate myself from the season. Leave it behind. Say sayonara during the interminably grey days of November and return with the rosebuds sometime in spring. I didn't wholly hate winter as a kid. I recall taking considerable pleasure in throwing W inter is making a desperate eleventh-hour effort to win me over. Winter is making me rethink the That's Life Andy Juniper Guest Contributor myself down steep, icy hills on a snurfboard (a surfboard for snow), and my youth certainly included frozen ngers and tingling toes after extended outings on outdoor rinks. UP TO INVENTORY CLEARANCE 68OFF % SAVE $150 $ 498 SOFA #89700 LOVESEAT $448 CHAIR $298 SEE OUR FLYER IN TODAY'S PAPER OR VIEW IT ONLINE AT BADBOY.CA But in the back of my head there has always been a voice that whispers throughout winter: get out of here. Get those feet out of the snow and into some sand. Let's just say that I've engaged in more than my fair share of `California dreamin'. So, what's been my beef against winter? In part, I hate being cooped up. I despise the darkness. I loathe being cold. And I detest taking an hour to drive a kilometre or two because seven snow akes have fallen and cars (and drivers) are ipping out everywhere. That said, I admit that for the most part, the disconnect between me and winter is my fault for failing to take measures to warm up to the season. In other words, it's not you winter, it's me. OK, maybe it's both of us. The disconnect began in earnest in my teen years during which I hibernated through winter. And when out of hibernation, I refused to dress appropriately -- as if not donning (heck, not even owning) a hat, gloves and boots could somehow make Old Man Winter go away. I was living in denial and never really giving winter a chance. That changed last year. You see, we had a baby Boxer that was full of the sort of energy, which, for sanity's sake, simply had to be burned off. So, I took to walking her and our old hound twice a day, regardless of what weath- er winter was throwing at us. Getting out and engaging in, if not initially embracing, the elements. Despite the length and ferocity of last winter, the season seemed to pass faster than usual and at its end I was left saying: "Well, that wasn't so bad." The pup ain't all that pup-ish now. This winter, I've taken to walking the two dogs off-leash in the wooded acreage behind our house. Yesterday, we were out for an eternity and it was sublime -- one of those winter days for which I'll surely pine should I ever make my California dream a reality. True, it was bitterly cold, but the sky was cloudless, the sun was shining brilliantly, and the landscape was freshly coated with powered snow. Honestly, it was like walking in a perfect postcard. Once back home, I warmed up with hot, homemade soup. You know, I'm sure they make soup in southern California in wintertime. But I'm just as sure that it's not nearly as savory and satisfying as when it's consumed after coming in out of the cold. Yes, dear winter, I'm slowly being swayed by your charms. But remember: if you really want to win me over, keep it short and sweet. -- Andy Juniper can be contacted at ajjuniper@gmail.com, found on Facebook www.facebook.com, or followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/thesportjesters. TERR O ATION C O L ON A MILT NLY 0 st 5 m 1 o r CH 2 Shop f TH - MAR 0 M 1 Y R - 3P A U M N A 0 A J Y1 A D R SATU Join TERRA and local farmers, artisans, and other local vendors at the TERRA @ Home Winter Market in Milton! Shop for meats, produce, baked goods and unique & specialty food items. rs o d n e local v ! Creativity is subjective. The truth isn't. Truth in Advertising Matters. MILTON LOCATION ONLY 12800 Britannia Rd. · (905) 876-4000 · www.terragreenhouses.com