January Monthly Musings-- Winter Self Care

 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. I feel like I have really failed in the winter self-care department this year as I have been very lazy and uninterested in doing much of my usual. 

1. To stay warm in winter I've been wearing lots of warm layers, hardly leaving the house at all, using lots of throw blankets, and hanging out in our basement in front of the woodstove. 

2. This winter my two favorite activities have been reading and puzzle making! 

I've been "reading" more cookbooks too!

3. The only different beauty routine I have in the winter is that I use a lot more body lotion; especially after showering since my skin gets so dry and itchy.

4. If I had to pick one I'd say sledding but I haven't done any of these in years-- I broke my leg skiing in the 4th grade and never wanted to give it another try.  I don't think I've tried ice skating since high school although I used to be quite good at it. 

5. I tend to make a lot more soups and stews in winter. 

I share all our favorite soup recipes here:

We did just make a vegetable/cabbage soup that I plan to share the recipe for on the blog this coming Monday.

6. I don't drink hot beverages unless I'm getting sick and then I turn to some sort of herbal tea with lemon and honey. 

7. I honestly can't think of one specific winter memory; having lived in north eastern Connecticut my whole life I lots of winter memories (admittedly some better than others!). I've lived through a bunch of blizzards and have absolutely skated on ponds, rivers, and the like when it gets cold enough. We've even had years when people have driven their trucks out on the ice because it was cold enough for long enough for the ice to get that thick. But all the winters tend to blend into one another so no particular memories stand out.

Bringing in the snow inside to play

Painting the snow

snow shoeing is something we've only been doing for a few years now

The boys always made jumps for their sledding hills

hardly a winter passed without some sort of snow fort or tunnel being made

8. We often get a couple of days that are below zero temp wise each winter so I can't really pinpoint a specific coldest day. Though it must have been real cold here February 2023 since it's the only time we've ever had problem with a pipe freezing in our house (our shower pipes froze that year!). Here are a few quick photos I've found just from searching the blog from other below freezing days/times:

In 2013 it was cold enough that the boys and I experimented with freezing bubbles

In 2018 it was so cold the waterfalls started freezing.

9. This winter I am giving myself a pass and not forcing myself to exercise every day or jump out of bed and be on the go. I've been resting, and sleeping, and reading, and enjoying hibernation of sorts. 

I gave myself an ice/snowy manicure this week.

10. I get so hot sleeping at night, no matter how cold it is, so flannel sheets are a no for me. Plus I've never really felt like flannel was all that soft so I've never had the desire to try flannel sheets. 

Linking up with: Thinking Out Loud,