appalachian grasshopper

we all know how hard it can be when winter hits – for me, I’ve experienced an ebb and flow of sadness in the winter. this primarily comes from how I grew up, but we won’t get into that today.

today we’re going to talk about some of the things I do in the winter that bring me those small moments of joy that make the season more enjoyable. let’s dig in.

warm drinks

all winter, you’ll find me with a warm steaming mug in hand. in the mornings, it’s coffee. at lunch through the evening it’s probably tea. at night I love to drink a bit of apple cider. my favorite warm drink recipes include the following:

• creamy chocolate chai – about half a serving of hot chocolate added to a cup of chai, a touch of cream or milk, marshmallows on top, and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top
• homemade cocoa – baking cocoa, brown sugar, cane sugar, and a touch of milk with marshmallows on top
• Tazo lemon glazed loaf – this one is a dessert tea that doesn’t require much! i just add a little sugar. delicious!
• taylors lemon orange black tea – a luxurious hot tea that reminds me of southern sweet tea with lemon. very smooth. sweeten to taste.

creative stillness

winter is the perfect time for me to break out the creative endeavors. if you’re new here, you might know that I love to create things. some of my creative pursuits (especially in the winter) include:

• writing fiction – currently I’m writing a book and I’m over 50,000 words in! it’s a mess, but it brings me joy and one day I’ll have the guts to edit it and publish.
• coloring – it’s common for adults to color more so now than ever, but one of my favorite ways to wind down is to color a few pages in a coloring book. i make it intentional to not make it perfect.
• sewing – about two years ago now I started getting into sewing. I designed my first skirt, and i’ve been sewing since! i love to draw out a vision, go and pick out the fabrics at hobby lobby, and come home to create it. it takes about 24 hours to put a rough piece together. It’s a wonderful way to get off all the screens and do something with my hands

reading

since I was young, one of my favorite ways to escape was to pick up a good book and get lost in an adventure. in first grade i tore through all the magic tree house books, and that set me up for a love of reading.

while i have to admit i don’t read as much as i used to, I do enjoy going to the library and picking out a couple of books, and curling up by the fire with them. here’s a few stories I would recommend if you’re looking for a good read or series:

• divergent trilogy – utopian society, rebellion, coming of age, light politics, technology (also a movie series, but the books are very different!)
• eragon series – 4 novels, dragons, elves, dwarves, adventure – if you enjoy things like the hobbit or harry potter, you would enjoy the eragon series.
• twilight series – i know, it’s either hot or cold, you like it or you don’t. regardless of whether you like the books, meyer is a gripping storyteller and I keep the series on my shelf for a comfort read. i know what happens, but I enjoy it nonetheless
• 1989 george orwell – this one is a very political, thick read. the book is not long, but the content is very interesting and some might say eye opening. if you like banned books – this one is one you should pick up like yesterday
• the toy makers – very cute, very christmas-y, very cozy. it gives you a bit of nostalgia, a bit of hope, a bit of drama.
• last but certainly not least, i often reach for my bible. i love reading in the psalms, the prophets, and the letters from paul. if you don’t pick your bible up often, let this be a gentle reminder that it’s a wonderful way to spend a winter day.

cozy gaming

in the last few years, I’ve enjoyed my share of table top and video games – and they lean more casual in nature, especially since having kids. some of the games I’ve played include the following:

• dungeons and dragons – if you’ve never played you’re definitely missing out. some of my favorite game nights have been centered around getting together with friends and playing d&d together. it’s fun – even if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing!
• rummy – my granny and my mom used to play, then I used to play with them when I became a teenager. now I still visit my granny to play a few hands of cards. my husband and I will play a few hands of rummy once in a while. i must admit, I love playing because i love winning – and I win often when I play rummy.
• hello kitty island adventure – this one I started playing on apple arcade about 2 years ago, and i loved it! now I have it on nintendo switch as well. it’s a casual cozy game that unlocks new missions and friend adventures as you progress in the game. it’s cute and offers daily interaction bonuses
• borderlands – we first got borderlands for our play station and I enjoyed it so much we bought every one of them. since then, we’ve had kids and don’t spend as many nights playing games. but i do still play borderlands on the nintendo switch. I enjoy it more now that it’s handheld i think. it’s easier to complete one mission, and give it a rest.
• skyrim – one of my all time favorites will always be skyrim. my first character was a khajit and that girl could sneak up on her own shadow. now I have a character that has loads of items stored away in her house, carrying around nearly 100,000 gold, and enjoys an odd job once in a while.
• disney dreamlight valley – when I got the nintendo switch, i did loads of research to find more cozy games and settled on this one. i have to say – dreamlight valley has something for everyone. whether you like fashion, home decor, foraging, fishing, or making friends, there’s something to do on dreamlight valley.

cooking & baking

last but not least, one of my favorite ways to enjoy the winter season is to learn new recipes, bake bread, and spend time slurping soup. some of my favorite things to make in the winter include:

• challah bread – a jewish bread that you can braid or make wreaths out of. it takes 4 hours, and it’s heavenly with honey butter! WARM BREAD ON A COLD DAY JUST HITS DIFFERENT.
• cookies – chocolate chip chocolate cookies, sugar cookies, and specialty tea cookies. they’re easy and quick to make – and they’re usually gone BEFORE THE NEXT DAY!
• SOUPS – EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD SOUP WHEN IT’S COLD OUTSIDE, BUT THERE’S SO MANY TYPES! STEWS, SOUPS, CREAMY CHOWDERS – THE COMBINATIONS ARE ENDLESS!

conclusion

in the winter, it’s easy to get bogged down by all the busy-ness of the season. however, it’s okay to set aside time to slow down and enjoy the little things. if you enjoyed this blog, leave a like or a comment and let us know how you slow down and find joy in the winter