Winter photo gallery – Learning the importance of doing NOTHING

This year winter really slammed us here in northern Minnesota. Officially, as of right now, we’ve had snow for over THREE months as we saw our first snow at the end of September. Right before new years we got hit with 16 inches of snow in less than 48 hours and then on new years day I woke up to a temperature of -24 degrees and a -45 degree windchill at 8am.

I received a ton of invites to go out on New Years Eve but, honestly, no matter how I looked at it that just sounded AWFUL lol it was just too cold. In fact, that’s SCARY cold and really dangerous cold.

I wanted nothing more than to be home.

So, I had myself a glass of wine, managed to make it to midnight and enjoyed a wonderful NOT HUNGOVER new years day! Absolutely NO REGRETS.

This has been a truly abnormally brutal winter (even for us) and knowing that this is abnormal does help A LOT.

At least after that brutal cold it warmed up really fast and we actually saw highs in the 30s lol!

The truth is I lived in the south for years and couldn’t wait to come home. What living elsewhere taught me is that no matter where you live, if you own a home, if you have a job, if you breathe, if you’re a human being, you will have problems, no matter what, totally regardless of the weather.

To be real though we really do have the absolutely worst winters in the country. There is only one month, in all of our weather history, that is hasn’t snowed!

I know many people who leave for at least a month every winter and almost everyone I know would do that if they could afford it. Lots of the small businesses in my town simply close all winter long. We have a tourist season from memorial day to labor day and, pretty much, we work our butts off then lol.

Which is really unfortunate because the months we have the most work to do are the months we should have at least a little time to go outside and enjoy ourselves.

Because Minnesota really is GORGEOUS!

Winters here bother me a little bit more every year as I grow older. (A few years ago nothing could have stopped me from going out on New Years Eve.) As a kid I never cared because I didn’t have to drive in it! And I also wasn’t totally aware of how quickly I would die if I was stuck outside for an hour with no coat on.

I keep blankets in my car and never let my gas tank get lower than a quarter all winter long. If it gets cold enough, no kidding, the gas will freeze in my tank. Having a lot of it in the tank helps. Most everyone I know does the same.

(In this day and age most deaths that occur here because of the cold are like most deaths that occur in the south because of the heat: pure human stupidity.)

Really though, its not much harder living here at minus 30 some nights then it is in any other weather anywhere else. There’s just one thing that sucks, one awful thing. And, no, its not the danger of dying in thirty minutes if I walk outside naked lol I don’t plan on walking outside naked!

No, its just the not being able to leave the house. Its at least three months of moving from one building to a vehicle to another building. Its exhausting, monotonous and damned if I don’t feel like I’m going to die from boredom.

(At least in the south when its hot during the day usually the evenings are bearable and you can still get outside.)

Going to the barn in winter boots and pajama pants. What of it?

Cabin fever is a real thing!

And when its that cold and dark out, its also a motivation KILLER. Not only am I bored out of my mind I also don’t WANT to do anything. Cold like we get literally makes me want to do one of two things: Never leave my bed or only leave my bed to get to my couch.

(Check out the California Design Den for more info on my new sheets.)

I try to prepare for winter with things I can look forward to: A new set of white warm sheets for my bed, new zebra print jammie pants (which I also purchased in red and black poka dot because of course I did!) and great slippers. Even a couple new sweaters I finally get to wear now that its cold out helps in a small way like a book series I’ve been looking forward to and, of course, a Netflix show I can’t tear myself away from.

My mom has taken to doing something incredible for me over this last year that I suddenly noticed when winter hit. (I doubt if she even realizes she’s doing it or how amazing it is.)

I have literally spent whole days doing nothing but checking my email and feeding my horses lol I am not good at it… Though I enjoy it… If that makes any sense. I love this new found staying in my pajamas from time to time but I still feel like I should get dressed and get my boots on.

And I really do feel guilty if I “waste” a day off not working on something.

Every single time I have messaged my mom that I didn’t get enough done she has always replied back with, “That’s great!” Or, “Good.” Or, “That’s ok.” Or, “Awesome! Take some time off!”

It is so cool and just what I’ve needed so many times. I am working on doing nothing without regret or remorse. Perhaps I will call that my new years resolution because, especially in the winter months, it can be real hard to get moving!

In our modern times that is literally the worst part of living this far north. We don’t get much sun either and I take vitamin D all year around and I find that that does help a lot.

But, unlike some people I know who live here (who cuss out the weather like its their job) I will always love this state. There is absolutely no denying that even when it is insanely cold outside (or maybe because of) it is always incredibly beautiful.