For the common folk in the countryside, winter was the most comfortable time of year.
The weather was cold, there wasn't much work to do in the fields, and it was nearly impossible to find labor jobs outside the village.
Nearly all productive activities came to a halt during this season, making life much easier for people.
Most people slept in late, then had a meal that served as both breakfast and lunch. The men would sit on the heated brick bed, smoking their long-stemmed pipes for half the day, while the women stitched shoe soles, spun thread, twisted hemp rope, or shelled peanuts for seeding. The more nimble-fingered ones might make a small pouch or weave a decorative knot.
The tasks were all leisurely. With idle chatter, half the day would just slip by.
Come late afternoon, they would cook and eat a meal for both lunch and dinner. Once the pots and bowls were washed and put away, everyone could return to their own rooms to rest.
