Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Hibernation

I just read "How do you hibernate?" on Apartment 34 and I scrambled back here to post, as the question was just meant for me--me and the bears, we've got hibernation down. This is how I hibernate aka "How I Survive Winter."

1. Down quilts, for me and Zephyr (the dog). He doesn't care so much yet, at a balmy 51 degrees at 11p.m, but he will when the wind picks up and we really feel how badly this ol' 1930's apartment is not insulated.

2. Mint/Chamomile tea. I drink coffee all day, nights are for sipping tea, while bouncing back-and-forth in socks on the floor furnace.



3. Wool blankets. Scratchy and mothball scented. They remind me of my grandmother--also, cream of wheat with raisins, walnuts and molasses. I eat it day or night all winter.

4. TCM. Turner Movie Classic is my favorite winter station. Old black and white movies, 24/7, no commercials. (Right now I don't have fancy cable and I whimper at my Twitter peeps sharing stories of Jimmy Stewart  and Cary Grant movies.) "Christmas in Connecticut" is my favorite Christmas movie. I watch it every winter.


5. Jig-saw puzzles are my latest winter thing. Last year I crocheted, the winter before it was Scrabble, now I scuddle tiles while watching TV. It's rather hypnotic. You should try it. :-)

6. Walking. We do this all year long, but it takes more energy in the winter, so it counts more. A long soggy wet walk begets sopped clothes, muddy boots, wet socks, Zephyr shaking in the house, towels, towels, towels, but a cleaner dog that smells like drying towels. :-)

7. Baking. I don't really like to cook, but I love to bake. Nothing fancy, just something warm, a reason to heat the stove, lick the bowl, eat dough and warm the house with bakery smells.


from find.myrecipes.com
Mine look just as nice with rosemary in them. :-)

8. My bed. It becomes a fort, a safe haven, my nest. I stay up late, sleep in late and when the world is all sharp edges and annoyances, I declare the bed a safe zone,  pile it with pillows, blankets, the dog, hot milk, my audio book (my ice pack) and close my eyes.



9. Christmas lights. I love a beautiful tree, and presents can be nice, but Christmas lights are my very favorite. Red, green, blue, yellow, pink, blinking, sparkling, snowflakes, lawn ornaments, nativity scenes, Santa, reindeer, whatever you've got I love it. Also, I think lights should stay up until Spring Solstice. Winter needs the festive brightness.

d. xo

1 comment:

  1. All good hibernation techniques. Already watched my fave holiday movie more than once--White Christmas. "Counting your blessings instead of sheep"...love that movie!

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