In August 1789, Catherine wrote to Potemkin that she returned to life after a long winter slumber "as a fly does".

He wanted a rigorous regimen to rouse his body from its winter slumber.

I visited Provincetown in mid-May, when the village was still shaking off its winter slumber.

When his revitalizing influence reaches Pluto's doghouse, it causes mushrooms to magically sprout up under Pluto's chin, waking him from his winter slumber.

The appearance of the iron snake had disturbed the winter slumbers of the Mute clans whose turf lay close to the Mississippi.

Inland, about 25 miles from the coast, grizzly bears are rousing themselves from a winter slumber in the foothills of the Brooks Range.

Not far away, the world's biggest population of grizzly bears - shaking off their winter slumber - forage for salmon as big as dogs.

Amid a host of environmental and quality-of-life concerns, resort towns are shaking their winter slumber, taking a deep breath and gearing up for another summer season.

The main purpose of the ritual is to ceremonially bring the sun back from its long winter slumber.

Athens awakens from its winter slumber and everything moves outdoors.