A colleague just relocated from Texas to New York City and yesterday, she asked about tips and tricks to make winter easier. I was probably the wrong person to ask. However, to prove that I can sometimes exercise self-control, I didn’t enter into a diatribe about how winter just plain sucks and you have to survive it the best you can. Possibly because there were other people on the call, but I showed some restraint.
However, that call and another snowy evening last night and we have about four inches of snow on the ground and I’m considering why I hate winter. Candidly, the four inches of snow are enough to make me want to bundle up the two kitties, drag one husband and pile into the car to find some sunshine.
Now, I happen to live in the part of Western New York that is plagued by the infamous Lake Erie Snow Belts and Lake Effect Snow. I’m just on the edge – so my sisters have a foot of snow on the ground to my four inches. But it’s close enough that I can’t avoid one of the biggest negative impacts of being near the snow belts: a lack of sunshine. I’m sure I’ve explained it before but the situation is that when cold waters blow over the relative warm waters of Lake Erie, the air picks up moisture, forming snow clouds. Those snow clouds tend to drop significant snowfall in distinct bands south of Buffalo but just west of me. The problem for me is that the bands also produce cloud cover. So, I may not always get the snow, but I get the clouds. And even more than I dislike snow, I dislike gray days.
But I digress… . See? I don’t have to show as much restraint here because it’s my blog. If I want to talk about how miserable the snow is, it’s okay. But, to prove a point, I’ll pivot back.
So, the snow and the call got me thinking about how I really survive winter. I know I’ve already shared my tip of “bookending” winter with two southern exposures. Because my in-laws live in New Orleans, we will almost always be in Louisiana for some of the holidays, either during or just after. That puts into place the first bookend. On the other side? I’ve got my husband to commit to a warm, sunny vacation every March to plant a marker on the other side of winter. In between? Well, I’ll have to suck it up but at least I’ll have a warm retreat to look forward to.
Yet, two warm excursions can’t be the only thing that gets me through winter. For as much as I try, there’s about 75 days in the middle that I have to figure out how to navigate successfully. Otherwise, I’m giving up just less than a third of my life to being miserable. So, how do I deal?
One of the nicest ways to get through winter is a fire in the fireplace. We have a fireplace with a blower on it so it spews out hot air. There is nothing more satisfying than standing in front of the fireplace with your face forward until you get too hot; then flipping around until your backside gets too hot; then flipping back again. Honestly? I could do it all night, but I have to share with my husband and kitties.
But there are other ways to get through winter. Good boots, a warm – but not heavy – coat is a must, good gloves, nice thick socks, a cadre of sweaters and a heated blanket all address issues of warmth as well. There are also indoor activities that I enjoy, including doing jigsaw puzzles, cooking, decorating and playing with sweet kitties. Winter is also a good time to make serious headway with the water bath canner. One doesn’t always want to fire up the canner in August and September to process marinara sauce. But January? That’s a good time to thaw some frozen tomatoes, make marinara and can 6-12 jars. It heats up the house, makes room in the freezer downstairs and keeps me busy for an afternoon.
The other key is to find an outdoor activity you can do. This year, we bought the treadmill and that helps to keep me somewhat active, but as my friend says, “if you don’t find some activity that you can only do with snow on the ground, then you’ll never enjoy winter.” So, I’m asking my husband on a date tomorrow to go cross-country skiing at Allegany State Park. Strapping on some skis and skiing through beautiful winter vistas may just be enough to slightly change my winter attitude. And if we like it? Well, we can do that a couple more times, hopefully helping to eliminate the winter blues.
Ultimately, I have to admit that I love having four seasons. There is such a natural rhythm to my life that is tied to the four seasons. Spring is renewal, summer is energy, fall is gratitude and winter is rest. I can’t imagine not having snow for Christmas, not waiting anxiously for the tulips to come up or for the first fruit from the garden and not watching the hillsides catch fire every fall as the leaves turn. Do I wish winter was a little shorter? Yes, absolutely. But each time I wish that, I remember that if winter was shorter, summer would likely be even hotter and become less desirable. So, I’m stuck with winter… and I will make do.
The Yuppie Homesteader 