Winter Afternoons
— Compiled by Magi Thomley Williams
This month, we asked Bella readers to share their favorite way to spend a cold, dreary winter’s afternoon. Read their responses here and join the conversation on our social media platforms. We invite you to share how you stay warm and cozy in the winter months. Find us at Facebook/pensacolabella or Instagram/pensacolabella.
There’s something uniquely comforting about a cold, dreary winter afternoon, isn’t there? One of my favorite ways to spend it would be cozied up with a warm blanket, a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a good book. There’s something magical about losing myself in the pages of a captivating story while the world outside feels like a snow globe.
— Karen Rhea White
I enjoy sitting in my bed, sipping on hot cocoa bombs and watching Hallmark movies while snuggling under a warm blanket that has been tossed in the dryer. Of course, my daughter can never let me snuggle alone. She must infringe upon my snuggle time and makes it “mommy and me time.” I enjoy sharing a warm blanket with her while binging on Hallmark movies on a cold, dreary winter afternoon.
— Karen Dennis, impact services specialist, United Way of West Florida
I want to spend a winter afternoon with a cup of Drowsy Poet coffee and my sewing machine.
— Gloriana Jensen, owner, Crafty Glo Creative Retreat Center
I grew up in the northeast and went to school in the snow belt in upstate New York. I have the fondest memories of sitting in front of the fireplace all bundled up. We had these two chairs that we would move close to the fireplace, and I would sit and watch the fire for hours all by myself. While we have a fireplace in our home, I honestly can’t remember the last time we lit a fire. That being said, when it’s cold, I still bundle up and will settle in with a good book or binge-watch shows that no one else will watch with me.
— Jacqui O’Connell, former executive director, Keeping Abreast Foundation
Ideally, it would be spent wrapped in the warmth of family or close friends. Outside, the sky might be gray, but inside would feel cozy and alive. The house would hum with laughter and the clatter of pots and pans in the kitchen. As night falls, we would settle into the living room, soft blankets draped over our laps, mugs of hot cocoa steaming in hand, and our favorite movie playing on the screen.
— Caitlyn Hindsman, UWF education major
