Monthly Musings: Beating the Winter Blues
It's the last Thursday of the month and time to join in with Patty and Holly as they host monthly musings. This month we're looking for ways to beat the winter blues. I live in Connecticut and most years we get a lot of snowy and icy days and below freezing temperatures. It can be a real struggle to want to do anything when it's so cold outside.
1. Something you do for yourself to beat the winter blues? I really dislike winter so much.. but I have been trying (for a few years now) to change my mindset and focus on those things I really do like. I might hate the snow but I love looking at the snowy scenes so when we get snow I grab my camera and set out for a walk. I invested in some good quality gear that keeps me warm-- my battery powered warmer gloves have been a Godsend this year in keeping me nice and toasty so I can get outside in nature more-- something that helps me enjoy every season.
2. Something you do for your family to bring joy over over the winter? I tend to bake a bit more and we incorporate more soups, stews, and comfort foods too. It's so dark so early so we have movie nights and game nights more frequently since we rarely have anything else to do after dinner.
3. Favorite cozy items or go-to's? I'd have to say my fleece lined slipper socks get used almost daily all winter long. I also love our woodstove this time of year and find I am spending long afternoons in our basement cozied up next to it (well, technically it's behind the couch but it heats the entire basement and our first floor as well).
4. Winter exercise habits or practices? My exercise habits don't change much; year round I try to workout first thing in the morning usually in my bedroom with either an exercise DVD or a YouTube video for at least 30 minutes and then sometime around lunch we try to get out for a hike whenever the weather allows. We do add in some snowshoeing when we get more than 6" of ground cover in snow.
5. Do you practice journaling or meditation? Nope, I really don't do either one.
6. Do you light candles or use essential oils to relax? Not really! I bought essential oils in 2020 and I think I've only remembered to use them once or twice. I also tend to buy candles and forget to light them; plus when I do light them I often forget they are lit and that's not good either!
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| I do light fake/battery operated ones though! |
7. Any bedtime rituals you would like to share that promote quality sleep? I don't have any great tips at all I find that I have weeks and nights where I sleep so deep and so well and others where I just don't.
8. What are your morning habits that help prepare for a good day?
9. Favorite way to spend a day off in the winter? Either reading a book or two by the fireplace or sitting at my craft desk working on cards and scrapbook pages.
10. Favorite winter themed movies? Hm... The Cutting Edge, The Day After Tomorrow, If I Stay, Ice Princess, The Mighty Ducks, Cool Runnings.
Linking up with: Thinking Out Loud,
Winter is a great time to catch up on projects like for you with your scrapbooking. Your winter photos are so pretty! I agree that wearing the right clothes makes being outside not seem so daunting. I mean, our winters are more mild than yours but with the right clothes, I feel like I spend a decent amount of time outdoors and I don't feel crazy cold.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am finding that proper winter gear helps.. I mean my face and nose might still freeze not matter what but at least I can use my warm hands to try and thaw them out.
DeleteThe best thing about winter is all the comfort food and yours looks so delicious. Your winters look way colder than ours!
ReplyDeleteRuth@playworkeatrepeat
Thank you! This year we've been pretty lucky so far... but February and March tend to be brutal.
DeleteOkay, I need to check out some of those movies!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Cutting Edge is one of my all time favorites!
DeleteWinter is my least favorite too but I love getting cozy. I think I will answer these questions on Monday!
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy the coziness of it and revel in the warmth of blankets and sweaters.
DeleteOh The Cutting Edge- yes! What a great movie :) Love all of your walks and mindset towards the snow- thanks for the tip!
ReplyDelete"toe pick!".. LOL! I watched that movie so many times I could quote it nearly from end to end.
DeleteI love your woodstove, nothing beats that kind of heat and smell. I love that you're trying to embrace winter through your love of photography!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
Deleteoh my that bread looks scrumptious! and the soup!
ReplyDeleteThank you! That's my favorite Fastest No Knead Bread from Jenny Can Cook and my own sausage/ tortellini soup recipe.
DeleteThat soup recipe of yours is one of our favorite winter soup recipes. ❤️
ReplyDeleteWe just had it this past month and I loved it; I had forgotten about how delicious it is!
DeleteJoanne, I enjoyed looking at the beautiful photos of the snow scenes. I am so surprised that we haven't had any snow yet. I love the way it looks but I don't not like shoveling the snow. LOL.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I do not enjoy shoveling it either so I'm pretty happy that so far this year each snowstorm has either turned to rain or we've had rain the next day and I haven't had to shovel once yet!!
DeleteWe had a flurry of snow last week and that was enough for me. We're not built for the now over here. Your snowy pictures are so pretty. x
ReplyDeleteThank you! Sadly we are very well prepared for snow here.
DeleteThe snow is so beautiful, but I think it would get old pretty fast! A big YES to cozy baking!
ReplyDeleteIt really does! I love the first snow fall, get a bit smiley for the second, but by the third time it comes around I am ready for spring.
DeleteI always look at post holiday winter time as a quiet and cozy time. I read a lot and finally get my e-mail in box cleared out and I do some long needed organization accomplished. It makes me feel good. It has been unusually cold and snowy this winter, in my part of Colorado, so even though I love winter I am dreaming of spring : )
ReplyDeleteI definitely get more reading done and clean/ organize everything but that doesn't stop me from asking my husband weekly about moving somewhere with a milder winter. ;)
DeleteI am going to have to look into the battery operated heated gloves. My hands get so cold. Thank you for your beautiful winter photos. I always love the photos you post. You are always such a great addition to Monthly Musings!
ReplyDeletePatty
Either that or some rechargeable handwarmers; my mother in law swears by hers!
DeleteI am so surprised you don't like winter! I don't know why, but I am! Your photos are so gorgeous of this time of year. And, I would be cuddled up to a warm stove, too! Thanks for sharing all of these!
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
Thank you! I do love how snow looks but only when it's freshly fallen and nice and white and sparkly but I really detest the cold and wet and ice that comes with it-- so I focus on the pretty/ white/ & sparkly.
DeleteWhenever I look at your gorgeous snow photos, I find it hard to believe you dislike the cold so intensely. Good for you getting out and finding the beauty even in the cold! (Battery operated heated gloves help, I'm sure!)
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you!
DeleteI loved the movie The Cutting Edge! Thanks for braving the snow to take pictures of all the beauty for those of us who don't see it as much :)
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome!
DeleteSoup is the best in winter!
ReplyDeleteIt sure is!
DeleteI actually really like winter, but when I say that I mean our Australian winter and where I live it doesn't snow. So... it's cold and definitely bearable. I prefer it to being hot, as it does get really hot and humid here which I hate as it saps my energy and I don't want to do anything.
ReplyDeleteBut I should probably use your Winter Blues list as a Summer Blues prompt because today it's almost 3pm and I'm inside in airconditioning in my PJs (it's Saturday) because it's too hot to do anything outside. But it also means it's a weekend day wasted.
That bread looks heavenly. I have fond memories of my mom making homemade bread when I was a kid. Nothing better! Just recently I bought a pack of 7 battery/remote candles, and I love them so much. So many great movies. My kids always loved Mighty Ducks which was also one of my faves as a kid.
ReplyDeleteI love making homemade bread; there are so many easy recipes out there too!
DeleteSo delighted to see The Cutting Edge getting some play--I love that movie, haha. It's so quotable. Love The Mighty Ducks too, but more so D2, which I literally remember seeing in the movies on Good Friday (so we were off from school). I should really think about getting some battery-operated candles because I do enjoy the ambiance of candles but am nervous now that we have a cat in the equation (even though she's usually not Dora the Explorer!)!
ReplyDeleteYes! I used to quote that movie all the time.
DeleteI'm not a huge fan of winter either, although, I do like the coziness it brings. We've had hardly any sunshine this January, though, so I'm over the dreariness at this point!
ReplyDeleteYes, the dreariness always gets to me.
Delete