Twenty years ago, winter was my second-favorite season, just after fall.

I hoped for deep snow so I could strap on my snowshoes and wander through the woods and fields looking for signs left by the critters.

I could tell by the tracks if they were looking for food, or perhaps, trying to avoid being food for something else.

I could see where the rabbits had eaten the end of twigs that were low enough to the ground for them to reach.

I sometimes saw a browse line where an overpopulation of deer ate everything as high as they could reach.

The signs of life were everywhere to those who could read them.

I also enjoyed my job as a groundskeeper when the snow was heavy.

I was called into work in the middle of the night (overtime!) to plow the roads, parking lots, and driveways.

I turned on some music and shoved snow into large piles until close to time for the first shift to arrive.

Then, I picked up my crew and we began clearing the sidewalks before people started walking on them.

After I retired, 18 years ago, I would get up before daylight and go out to shovel my own driveway.

I was the only one out in our neighborhood that early, and I enjoyed the solitude, watching the snowflakes covering the area I had just cleaned.

I would often shovel my driveway two or even three times in the same amount of hours.

If the snow stopped, and the sun came out, my drive would often be down to wet pavement while the neighbors had five or six inches still covering theirs.

If we only got a couple inches, I would usually shovel my elderly neighbor’s drive while I was out.

This stopped a couple years ago. Susie said I was getting too old to do this, and she took my snow shovel away.

Now, I can only watch the snow fall and drive my four-wheel-drive truck through the white stuff.

For many years, we have not received enough snow for me to use my snowshoes.

Plus, the asthma that bothered me a lot in my younger days is returning, and I can’t hike long distances without breathing difficulties.

And, the cold winter air also makes it harder for me to breathe.

I had not used an inhaler for many years, but now, when I am engaging in strenuous outdoor activity, I carry one in my pocket.

I know this winter will be even harder on me than the last couple.

Because of COVID, we are not traveling as before; we only go shopping during the “old people” hours and then hurry through the store, not browsing as we used to do.

I can’t work in my garden, or even mow the yard. So, basically, I will be homebound for the next few months.

I guess I will be spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

I know our friends and neighbors want me busy there, because I always bake goodies for them. Between now and Christmas, I will bake double batches of more than a dozen different kinds of cookies, several kinds of pies and assorted candy.

Since I am diabetic, I will be giving most of these treats away.

A lot of my recipes will be old favorites, but I will also be trying a lot of new ones. I have numerous “taste testers” who will tell me if the new creations are keepers or not.

I will be spending a lot of time working jigsaw puzzles this winter. I have a 4-foot-by-4-foot piece of thin plywood with narrow borders on the edges to keep my puzzle pieces from falling on the floor.

I put this on top of my card table to hold the bigger puzzles.

On a recent shopping trip, I noticed the jigsaw puzzles were on a great sale. I bought 10 assorted 1,000-piece editions, which should last me about a month when things get slow.

I will work one about every three days.

I also stocked up on a bunch of books, which I purchased at a nearby used book store. When finished with them, I will trade them in for some new ones.

That should keep me occupied until spring.

Susie said I could spend the time cleaning my room, which would also keep me busy for several months. But that chore is not very high on my list.

Rich Creason is an award-winning outdoors and travel writer whose work has appeared in local, regional, national and international publications for 40 years. Born in Anderson, he is a graduate of Markleville High School. He lives in South Madison County with his wife, Susie. He may be contacted at [email protected].