The Upside of Winter in Wisconsin

So there's downsides to living in Wisconsin in the winter, but I've found there's a few upsides that I never would have been able to appreciate in California:

Downside: Living on a busier street can be hazardous.
Upside: Living on a busier street means we get plowed and salted first. And often.

Downside: Shoveling the walkway, the sidewalks, the porch and the driveway.
Upside: Getting to know my neighbors as we help each other out.

Downside: Freezing cold basement = freezing cold bedroom.
Upside: Snuggling under an electric blanket.

Downside: White, white, white.
Upside: The florescent pink house, the turquoise blue house, and the pumpkin-colored house with maroon shutters. (Yes, really.)

Downside: No cloud cover to hold "heat" in means extra, extra cold temperatures.
Upside: No cloud cover means crisp air, and the brightest stars and moon you've ever seen.

Downside: 15,000 types of snow.
Upside: A learned appreciation for the Inuits who have names for each type.

Downside: It's snowing - again.
Upside: The prettiest glitter-fest in my backyard.

Downside: Water freezes outside, causing all sorts of issues.
Upside: Heated bird baths.

Downside: Too much closet space taken up with winter scarves, hats and gloves.
Upside: Feeling loved because it is my friends who made them for me.

Downside: Big berms of snow caused by the plow at the end of my driveway.
Upside: Watching the girls across the street running to the top of the berms and sledding down, squealing the whole time.

Downside: Cold hands.
Upside: Hot cocoa.

Downside: My eyebrows froze until they were numb while walking across the parking lot from the grocery store.
Upside:The grocery store was my first stop of the day, complete with milk and frozen food - and THEN I drove around doing errands for 5 more hours. (Yes, with the food still in the car!)

And finally:

Downside: Winter is just too white, and stinkin' COLD!
Upside: It just makes spring that much sweeter.

Love to you all!