Monthly Musings: Surviving The Winter Months

A lovely, traditional winter scene, January 2024 

I love linking up with Holly at Pink Lady and Patty at Good, Better, Best for their "Monthly Musings." Today we're talking about Surviving the Winter Months and, given that we are in the midst of a winter storm right now, it's a good evening for me to reflect on this topic, even though, mostly, our winter has been pretty tame this year.

 

1) What do you do in the winter that brings you joy?

 You are all going to get sick of reading this but honestly, the thing I do in January and February (and beyond) which brings me so much joy is my tulips! I fill my house with them and they absolutely give me hope and make me smile. I have been enjoying January tulips (and blogging about it -- hahahaha!!!) since January 2011. That's a long time people. Just for interest's sake, you can read that very first post about January tulips here.

2) How do you stay warm and cozy?

I wrap up in blankets and fleeces and I put flannel sheets on my bed and I wear cozy slippers. Honestly, in winter, if I'm home, 90% of the time, I'm in my pajamas!

 

3) What are you looking forward to this winter?

Well, we likely don't have much of winter left. Thank goodness!!! Mostly, I look forward to winter being over! Hahahahaha! For the past few years, one thing I do look forward to every winter is Lights On Stratford. It brings so much light to a dark time of year.

4) Favourite wintertime activities?

We do enjoy skating as a family, even though we haven't been able to this winter due to the weather being too warm to maintain outdoor rinks. Boo.

 

I also enjoy a good winter walk in the woods with Dave!

 

5) Favourite months of winter?

My favourite month of winter (if I have to pick one) would be January. We celebrate Dave's birthday, I get my first tulips of the winter, and this is when we usually go to Lights On Stratford.

6) Favourite dishes to make in the winter?

I love making soup in the winter. Cream of carrot-cheddar is one of my favourites and you can see the recipe here. As you can see in the picture below, it doesn't look pretty but it is oh, so good!

7) Gas or wood burning fireplace?

While we don't have a fireplace, my parents do and it is a wood burning one. They have always had a wood burning one and I love them. We enjoy a fire every single morning when we celebrate Christmas with them.

 

8) Favourite winter hot beverage?

A hot beverage I make only in the winter is Cranberry Tea. We all love it.

9) Favourite winter movies?

I don't have any. We so rarely watch movies, except the Hallmark Fall and Christmas movies from about October through December.

10) How do you stay healthy in winter?

I walk to work and back almost every day. It is just over a mile one way and it keeps me so fit! The only times I don't walk to work are if it's too icy, raining too hard, I'm not feeling 100%, or (rarely) if I have to decide between walking and taking a shower! I also shovel a lot of snow in the winter, although this winter has been the rare exception to the rule -- I think I've only shovelled once. Or maybe twice.

So those are my tips for surviving the winter months. Like I said, it has been a pretty easy winter this year -- we haven't had many cold temperatures, not too much snow to shovel, and not too many winter storms. However, I'm looking forward to reading all your tips and tricks because I think next winter, we'll likely be back to our regular cold, snowy, icy winter.