The sky is a deep inky black, interrupted only by the crisp outline of the silvery moon and a spray of glittering stars.
The air is still. There are no sounds except for the crunching of footsteps in snow. All of the animals have gone away for the winter and no one else dares to venture out in the cold.
Winter is the feeling of coming home after a loud party or closing your car door after weaving through crowds in a busy grocery store.
The darkness and quietness settle like a blanket of relief.
Winter is a time for sleep, finishing that quilt you keep saying you're going to finish, writing in your journal, warm dinners that fill your belly, candles, hot baths that steam the mirrors, layers of blankets and reflection.
It is completely natural to change your rhythm with the seasons.
This is a lifestyle I have been trying to practice since moving to the North. It is easier to embrace the change than fight it. Some things I have done to improve winter living this year:
1.Invest in proper outerwear. Layer. For Christmas I asked for a new winter coat.
2. Go outside even if it is dark. I used to try to race the sun at 3:30 to take Phoebe for a walk before the sunset. It was inconvenient to have to stop work or miss a walk all together because I couldn't get out before 4:00.
3. Go outside even if it is cold. There are plenty of winter activities! Snowshoeing, skiing, photography, ice skating, walks... The best feeling is coming into a warm house after being chilly outside.
4. Find indoor activities. I started a quilt almost a year ago but never completed it because I didn't make the time. This winter I decided to sit-down and start on it again since there is nothing to take my attention away.
I also have a list of audiobooks and podcasts that I listen to that feel warm and cozy to me. I will share them with you:
-The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. I listened to this last year and loved the ideas shared. I decided this year I would try to practice some.
-The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder. There is nothing more to make you appreciate modern living than listening to the chilling tales of the early American frontier in winter.
-That's The Point Podcast by Kristen Johns and Jon Volk. It's like listening to a radio talk show while I get ready in the morning.
-Stuff You Should Know Podcast by iHeartRadio. Hosted by Charles Bryant and Josh Clark. Another talk show style podcast that goes over random facts and historical events. I like to learn something new while I'm working or going for a walk!
This year I have really leaned into painting. I love sitting at my desk wrapped in a knit blanket and a hot water bottle in my lap. Usually Phoebe tries to sit on my lap or curl up at my feet. My desk faces the window so I can watch the falling snow. I have filled my walls with winter art to keep me inspired all winter long.
1. Todd's homemade wild mushroom soup. He made this during the second blizzard we had at the beginning of January. I had just come in from a cold walk with Phoebe covered head to toe in snow. There was nothing more satisfying than sitting down to that bowl of soup.
2. Setting up a heated blanket at my desk. I realized I love winter because I love to be comfy and wrapped in a million blankets.
3. Long photography walks. On my most recent venture I spotted a pair of otters fishing in an icy pond!
