How to Beat the Winter Blues

The Winter Blues in Minnesota

Every night this week, I had free time available that I could have been using to write a blog post. My husband made dinner almost every night, we cleaned our entire house last weekend … it was literally the perfect week to get all kinds of writing done. I had it on my mind, but the inspiration just wasn’t there.

We were right smack in the middle of the “polar vortex” here in Southwest Minnesota, and I just couldn’t think of anything to write about except for how cold it was. So, I just decided to go with it, and write about the winter blues!

Chickens in the Basement

We moved our chickens into the basement for a few nights, the dogs barely went outside long enough to go to the bathroom, the doorknobs got stuck to your hand when opened them, our vehicles barely started … it was that kind of cold.

The coldest point I think was Tuesday night with an actual temperature of 35 degrees (Fahrenheit) below zero. That translates to feeling like somewhere around 60 below zero with the wind chill.

See, none of those things are fun for me to write about or for you to read. Brr. So, since I couldn’t really think about anything to write other than the terrible weather, I decided to write about how we COPE with it. How we get out from under the blanket, so to speak. There isn’t a foolproof answer, or at least not that I know of. I’m a sunshine and saltwater girl at heart.

Seasonal Affective Disorder

I think we all get the “winter blues” of some sort, some to the extreme of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a very real thing.

Regardless of what you call it, for me some days, it is an “I don’t feel like doing anything besides eating cheese and drinking wine while I lay on the couch and watch useless TV” thing.  The days when you long for sunshine on your face and the smell of dirt on your hands. The days you can almost smell the blooming flowers cut fresh from the garden and displayed in a mason jar on your dining room table.

My Tips for Beating the Winter Blues

Anyway, here are a few things I suggest to help beat those winter blues.

Keep Perspective.

Remind yourself that it is temporary. It eventually will pass, just like everything does. Remind yourself of last summer’s boat ride with friends, or the way that first tomato out of the garden tastes. Think about the very first thing you will make when there are fresh raspberries to pick from the patch.

This is temporary, my friends – warmer days will arrive!

In the meantime, if you have a nice day in the middle of the cold, get out and do something outside. A quick walk in the woods, an afternoon drive, or a walk around town with the dogs are just a few ideas.

Buy a Daylight Therapy Lamp. 

Last year around this time, someone recommended that I should purchase a Verilux HappyLight Compact Personal, Portable Light Therapy Energy Lamp. I did some research into it, and then bought and set it up in my office at work. I really like it, and it does help.

Do Some Indoor Gardening.

My husband has a Mini Greenhouse with Light and Heated Garden Mat. He currently has some tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce and herbs started, and everything is doing really well. The heated mat provides for better germination and root health. The dome lid creates condensation that keeps the seedlings naturally moist. Who knows, maybe we can have some fresh tomatoes in April this year!

On a related note, I have also been considering the purchase of an AeroGarden – my sister has one and loves having fresh herbs available in her kitchen. At this point, I think I’ll wait and see how the mini greenhouse herbs do – but the AeroGarden is definitely on our “maybe” shopping list.

Put Together a Puzzle or Two.

My husband and I do one 1,000-piece puzzle together each year. (We only complete one per year because once we start, we can’t stop. Like, nothing else happens in our house until the puzzle is done.) Last year we did a nice mountain cabin and wildlife scene, the year before that we did a really cool Wizard of Oz puzzle.

This past week, I realized it was about time for our annual puzzle. I actually found two I really liked, so I bought them both. My first pick was this really pretty mystical fairy scene one that reminds me of the amazing paintings that a friend of ours does, and the other one is this cool old general store vegetable scene.

Play Games.

As a child, I ALWAYS wanted to play Monopoly. Like, always. My dad wasn’t a fan and always said, “That’s a rainy day game.” My husband and I don’t play games often, but when we do it’s either regular old Rummy or Phase 10.

Read.

I love books, and I love to read. However, I don’t often take time to do it. I tend to feel like there is something more important I should be doing instead. Winter is the perfect time to read when there really ISN’T that much else to do.

Just this morning actually (since the extreme cold is over for now), I walked to the library to snag a book I’ve been on the waiting list for – Girl Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis.

While I was there, I also got a couple of books about sourdough starter and baking, since the February installment of the 2019 Food in Jars Challenge is about fermentation. January’s version was all about Citrus Preserving, and you can read about what I did here.

Cook, Bake, Try New Recipes.

It’s also a great time to read your cookbooks and browse the internet and flag recipes to try. I got the Skinnytaste One & Done and Fast & Slow cookbooks for Christmas and am anxious to dig into them some more. I haven’t made a Skinnytaste recipe yet that we didn’t love. I am an avid Pinterest user for all of my online findings – you can check out my boards here if you’d like.

Clean and Organize.

While you are stuck in the house more, it’s a great time to do some cleaning and organizing. Clean out that closet, organize the pantry, clean things that don’t get cleaned during your normal routine. It isn’t the most fun, but it does feel so great when it’s done!

Crochet (or Learn to Crochet!)

Another hobby of mine is crocheting. Several years ago, my grandma taught me how and I wrote about it here. I have made a few baby blankets, lots of potholders, some crocheted edge tea towels, and my current long-term WIP (work in progress) is an Attic24 Cosy Stripe blanket in Moorland Stripe colors (shown left.)

Just like I don’t read very often, I don’t crochet as often as I would like. But, we are headed into year 3 of working on this blanket, so I really should get to it!

Want to learn? There are lots of people on YouTube who have some great instructional and easy-to-follow videos. Whenever I can’t remember how to do something, I go find it there.

Other Craft Projects.

Other crafts of your choice are also a great way to pass the time. Last winter, I had fun painting some Kindness Rocks. Then in the spring, my dog and I walked all around town leaving them for people to find. Last time I was at the store, I picked up some new rocks and new craft paint to do another batch soon.

There are some ideas of things to paint on rocks here on my Kindness Rocks Pinterest board.

My husband makes handmade fishing lures as a side gig, so he’s been busy getting some stock built up so when the weather is nicer he can spend his free time fishing instead of making lures. Whatever type of craft project interests you, it’s a great time to get it done now!

There you have it, friends! Cheers to beating the winter blues, spring will be here before we know it. I hope.