Fridays are for…winter comforts

Can we talk for a minute about how finished I am with the cold? This has been a mild winter, and for the first time in a while I’m not suffering through it on transit, but I’m still finished. Sparrows, I’m cold all the time. My toes are wrapped up in moccasins and mukluks and I’ve been knitting hand warmers for myself. I’m up to my eyes in scarves, and I’m getting to the point where I would love to compare notes on makes and models of space heaters.

But in the Canadian Prairies spring is decidedly not just around the corner, so I need a little comfort between now and April. I bet it wouldn’t hurt you either…

Winter Comforts

1. Seeking out other winter survivors. When the weather is frightening, its easier to see the people in my life as a series of incredible oases, and this winter I’ve  doubled my efforts to stay in touch with the people I care about. So many of my friends live in different cities now but hearing their voices and stories every week has done amazing things for my heart. Without the community of my friends, online and offline, I don’t think I could live here.

2. Projects & Challenges. Beyond being a fun experiment being vegan for a month has been all about beating cabin fever. In previous winters I’ve decided on cooking challenges, scrabble face offs, craft tutorial marathons and classic movie binges to keep me going, but anything to keep me distracted from the cold and engaged in life is amazing.

3. Simple Moisturizers. It’s so dry here that my skin is like paper, but the best things I’ve found so far are just easy: baby oil sprinkled in bath water (careful, it makes the tub slippy!) & vaseline on my hands before I go to sleep. Usually my knuckles split in the cold and so far they’re still in tact!

4. Keeping a pot on. This winter I bought a thermos the size of my torso, and if I could I would take it everywhere with me I would. I’m a tea granny and knowing that there’s always freshly brewed tea in my kitchen makes walking the puppies in the -30° C (-22° F) makes it a little easier to venture into the cold. Not a lot, but a little.

5. Shamelessly loving blogs. This month my reader is overflowing with new, inspiring reads for me to get lost in and I’m in love with following through to all the people who are commenting on these posts. How I ever fell out of this habit I have no idea. You all are incredibly talented, thank you so much for bringing so much happiness into my (frigid) little world.

Is it spring where you are? Do you live on the tundra & have tips for staying sane?

(I just love it when you tell me stories)

{images: VladKost}