I don’t have much faith in the weather predicting skills of
a ground hog. There were at least seven cameras with lights shining on him when
the infamous moment came as to whether he would see his shadow or not. I saw
his shadow. He didn't Maybe Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania should spend less money
on promotion and more money in getting the little guys eyes examined.
Anyway, it has already been much colder this winter than the
last two years. Days are still short, Nights are still long, and the sun is
still MIA most afternoons leaving most of us on the grey side. So whether we
have just a few more or six more weeks of bone chilling temperatures, we need
to find ways to keep motivating ourselves. Let’s face it, winter is Mother
Nature’s way of saying “Go to your room and don’t come out until I tell you”.
So let’s get a little rebellious and find a way to get around her!
1.
Get up! That’s right, take off the afghan, put
down the tea and get off the couch. It is going to be a looooong six weeks if
you plan on spending it with one eye peeking out from under a blanket catching
up on the first two seasons of Downton Abbey.
2.
Walk! Exercise is to depression what bleach is
to a wine stain (I have experience in both lately), it erodes its presence.
Bundle up, put on some gloves and get moving!
3.
Once back home, get cooking! In the last three
weeks, over a thousand people have downloaded Kitchen Clatters, two chili and
the Maryland soup recipes. Get them going. They will warm the house and the
soul.
4.
And with that in mind, invite some friends over.
Wine and warming food is a great way to spend a winter’s night. For some
reason, we tend to stop entertaining after the holidays and slip into
hibernation mode. Break the cycle. Have a party!
5.
And here’s a thought, if there is one in your
area, spend the afternoon at a home show. There are so many pool and spa
vendors, patio and BBQ contractors, that you will definitely see the light at
the end of winter’s tunnel. Just coming home and putting a budget together gets
you one step closer to spring.
6.
(Saved my favorite suggestion for last). Eat
expensive dark chocolate! Yep. There is a natural hormone known as serotonin
which the body manufactures when exposed to the sun. It makes you feel good
enough to break out the happy dance. Now here is the best part, in the absence
of prolonged sunlight, the amino acid tryptophan which helps promote serotonin,
is found in the bean that produces high quality chocolate. Generally, the more
expensive the chocolate, the higher the tryptophan count, the less sugar used.
It’s a win – win situation for everything but your wallet. So anti-up and dig
in!
As northerner’s, most of us thrive in at least three of the four
seasons of our geographic setting. But as it takes rain to make a rainbow,
clouds to make a spectacular sunset, it takes winter to make spring, summer and
autumn the special seasons that they are. With a little effort and a pinch of
imagination, that fourth season can be just as fabulous… okay, or at least
do-able.
I like winter, most
days anyway, although I can live without ice. But each day I find something
that keeps me moving. Something that keeps me motivated, something that
requires more thought than it takes to just heat up the tea kettle.
But next February, I’m thinking of stepping outside of my comfort zone and heading to Punxsutawney, PA. I’m always looking for different things to do in the winter and there is a groundhog there that needs to be replaced. I'm breaking out the top hat! I could use the notoriety and apparently good eye site is not required.
But next February, I’m thinking of stepping outside of my comfort zone and heading to Punxsutawney, PA. I’m always looking for different things to do in the winter and there is a groundhog there that needs to be replaced. I'm breaking out the top hat! I could use the notoriety and apparently good eye site is not required.
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