Monthly Musings: January 2024
It's the last Thursday of the month and time for Monthly Musings with Holly and Patty. This month we're looking at winter self care.
1. Year round (but especially in winter!) I try to focus on healthy eating-- making sure to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables to get all the vitamins and nutrients my body needs to stay healthy. I try to exercise most days and get plenty of rest. I take a few extra supplements like elderberry &/with zinc. Mostly I focus on my physical health because that plays a huge roll in my mental health.
2. I do a few things to try and help fight off the winter blues: I take vitamin D supplements and I try to get outside whenever the temps aren't freezing cold-- even if it's just for 5 or 10 minutes I find that moving around outside helps boost my mood a lot. My favorite are the bright blue sky days where the sun is shining. As long as I wear good cold weather gear I'm great.
 |
| These 3 photos are from our new year's day hike |
3. Our living space is cozy because we have a wood stove and a wood burning fire place; both of which we use a lot in the winter. We also cook more crock pot meals so the house smells delicious and homey by mid-day.
4. Our favorite winter activities include hiking and snowshoeing. I also like to get behind the camera more because seeing the beauty in the season helps me enjoy it more too. We tend to work on a few puzzles in winter; the only time of year we seem to get around to them!
6. I find I sleep better if my room is a little cooler so I like to keep our bedrooms just a few degrees cooler than the rest of the house. I also find that physical activity helps me sleep more soundly because then hopefully both my body and my mind are tired enough to shut off.
7. I don't drink a lot of warm beverages but I do like the occasional mug of herbal tea with honey or some hot chocolate... but just one or two a winter is good enough for me.
 |
| white hot chocolate |
8. I tend to use more lotion in the winter to help keep my skin from drying out.
9. I can not imagine sleeping with flannel sheets; even in winter I tend to get very hot sleeping at night.
10. I don't have summer versus winter pajamas; I pretty much sleep in the same thing year round though I do add a hooded sweatshirt over my pajamas around the house at night until I'm ready to crawl into bed.
linking up with: Thinking Out Loud,
.png)
I like to sleep cold, too. We don’t have flannel sheets but they sound hot! Too hot for me! That white hot chocolate looks really good. I want to start a puzzle but with Zoey I don’t think I can. She can crawl into the table and I have no place she could not get to….maybe next winter.
ReplyDeleteYeah that would be tough; unless you got one of those puzzle mats and rolled it up each time you finished...
DeleteI can't imagine only having one or two cups of tea A WINTER?!?!?!? I often drink one or two cups a day! And yes, I do love doing puzzles in the winter -- it's a nice cozy activity. And I've been trying to embrace taking photos of the snow as well -- it does help me enjoy the beauty more.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Yep, give me iced tea or ice water 99% of the time and I'm a happy camper. I really only drink hot beverages when I'm fighting off a cold or sore throat.
DeleteI don't use flannel sheets either, for that same reason. There was a time when I did use them, but that time has passed. 🤣 You have such beautiful country to look at while you're outside! I always love seeing your pictures in nature.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you!
DeleteI have been feeling the winter blues this year and I have been trying to get out when I can for some vitamin D and some fresh air. My sleep has been rubbish over the past week because of a couple of storms that we've had. I like to sleep with the window open but I've had to shut it. Hmmf. I used to love flannel sheets but I think it's my age, I get to hot when I am sleeping.
ReplyDeletei drink hot drinks all year, at least my coffee! I do wish I had a working fireplace sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a cup of coffee... I have tried an occasional sip here and there but I just do not like it.
DeleteI find that going out and getting fresh air helps with the winter blues too. I love your fireplace, that is so cozy!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteYou are so lucky to get in those hikes with the weather permitting. I love those beautiful winter scenes. I enjoyed reading all of your answers Joanne.
ReplyDeleteIt's been really tricky this month but I have hopes that we'll get out there again soon! We did at least take a 20 minute walk outside today but had to stick to paved roads as everything is so wet and slushy.
DeleteYes, getting outside everyday does wonders! We always have a puzzle on the go in winter too.
ReplyDeleteYour living room looks so cozy and those winter scenes from outdoors are so pretty! I could not imagine not getting out in nature even if I only do it for a run. Getting fresh air is good for mental and physical health.
ReplyDeleteAw, thank you!
DeleteYour #1 is really resonating with me- awesome points- so so true- I need to remember to practice this more :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI've always wanted to try snowshoeing.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot of fun; one of our Audubon places rents them by the hour and that is how we tried it the first time. It's an incredible workout and much harder on the muscles than just hiking.
DeleteI drink as much hot tea in one day that you do the entire winter. Haha. I love my hot tea and typically have one in the morning and one most afternoons, especially when it's cold. Y'all do get outside a lot!
ReplyDeleteLOL!
DeleteYou would laugh because we just bought some new flannel sheets! And we live in AZ!
ReplyDeleteXoxo
Jodie
Oh I could never. I don't even wear long sleeved pj's to bed.
DeleteI am all about getting outside even when it is cold. Love that you have a wood stove. Thanks for joining us!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hosting!
DeleteI love all of your answers... such great ways of celebrating and getting through the long winter season! Sleeping in.cooler temps is a big one for me and we love our flannel sheets and puzzles, too!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteWood stoves & fireplaces definitely make spaces feel so cozy!!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI'm with you on the flannel sheets. I like to sleep in a cool room with cool sheets!
ReplyDeleteYes!
DeleteI have to chuckle! I turn the thermostat down to 60 at night, and Mike turns his electric blanket up to high during the winter. Needless to say, I sleep much better in the winter because I don't turn the AC down to 60! Gosh, you have blue skies? We have had nothing but grey skies and fog the last few days. But, those make for cozy days. We haven't had a good fireplace since we moved from up north. We did have a gas log put in our wood burning fireplace because we neglected to put an ash clean out in that fireplace! And, with this house, we skipped a fireplace altogether. There have only been a few days I've missed it. But, yes, yes, yes to the smell of something cooking in the crockpot even if it's just chicken breasts with spices! Have a wonderful weekend, Joanne!
ReplyDeletehttps://marshainthemiddle.com/
We have the occasional blue sky but mostly it's "cloudy and gray 'til May!"
DeleteThese are always fun answers. I love my flannel sheets, even though I might kick off blankets by the morning! That looks like a fun puzzle -- and your home is very cozy!
ReplyDeleteI kick off my blanket by morning as it is!
DeleteWinter really is a very beautiful season - I love those blue skies you mentioned, and I think snow and ice and frost are all beautiful as well. I like your approach of taking the photos to help focus on that beauty. I just wish I could get the photos without getting quite so cold! haha! Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteThat would make winter photography more fun but I just try to bundle up and forget how cold I am. :)
DeleteLast November we were in Europe and it was 4C we arrived home early December to Australia and heat of 34C. I much prefer the cooler weather as you can rug up to keep warm. Your photos of the crisp blue sky and snow are beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us at Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI sleep cold! I can't figure out how people sleep when it's hot in their rooms!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I get so miserable when I'm warm while sleeping.
DeleteThe sun shining really makes a difference. It sounds like a lot of us like to sleep in colder temperatures. I have never been snow shoeing. That sounds so interesting!
ReplyDeleteI feel my mood lift so much on those sunny days!
DeleteRandom question, where are all the questions for each month posted at?
ReplyDeleteHolly from Pink Lady (https://holly-pinklady.blogspot.com/) and Patty from Good Better Best (http://www.goodbetterbestlife.net/) usually post the questions a few days prior.
DeleteJoanne, I love that dog puzzle! -It's so cute. :) It looks like January was a nice month. Thank you for sharing your post with us at The Crazy Little Lovebirds link party.
ReplyDeleteThank you! My mother in law works on a lot of puzzles and then passes them on to us when she's finished; that dog puzzle was one of hers and perfect for a long afternoon.
Delete