Winter Activities
our favorite activities for the dark and cozy time of year
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The Cozy Time Of Year
In the coastal Pacific Northwest, winters can be long and dark. Clouds are thick, and hang low, blocking out the sun, and days are short. On dark, rainy days, we drive with our headlights on no matter the time of day. Twilight is about as light as it gets on rainy days.
This time of year is known as The Big Dark. I actually love this time of year. I need the “hibernating down time.”
Besides the indoor activities listed in Why I Love The Big Dark there are many more activities that incorporate exploring nature, enjoying indoor time, or socializing.
Our Favorite Winter Activities
We are as busy in winter as we are in summer. The yard work is done for the year, and we can shift our focus elsewhere.
It’s easy to pull up a warm blanket, in front of a fire, and hibernate with a good book. But there are so many more activities to be enjoyed.
Whether the weather is mild, freezing, or bringing raging storms, we have a full list of enjoyable activities for you.
Remember, there is no such thing as bad weather - just bad clothing. My Norwegian grandfather raised us on that motto.
Outdoor Activities
Bike Riding
Unless it is raining or icy, we enjoy bike riding in fall and winter. It’s not too hot to be outside exercising and breathing in the fresh air, so fall through spring are actually great times to be out hiking and biking.
Interurban trails, coastal trails, wilderness trails. We enjoy them all. Check your local city, county and state for parks and “rails to trails” biking paths.
The biking photo was taken at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA.
Hiking / Walking / Nature Appreciation
Hiking can be done in any season. I actually prefer fall and winter hiking in some parts of the Northwest due to the fact that I do NOT do well in heat. I especially love hiking on frosty mornings. Ice crystals add to the beauty of nature.
Take your little ones on a nature hike. Collect leaves, interesting sticks and other “treasures” for creating art pieces and bouquets. Kids need nature therapy (we all do), and walks around your own neighborhood can be a great mood elevator. After a particularly bad winter storm, I collected fallen evergreen branches from my own yard. We had sustained roof damage, but at least I got a nice winter bouquet out of it.
Hiking out in the wild, as time permits, can provide fun, exercise, and learning experiences.
Read more on hiking: trails
The ice photo above was taken in November. Ice crystals were growing on a wood picnic table in Ashford, Washington. It was a gorgeous, but cold, sunny day. The air was clear, the snow had a blue cast, and the ice crunched beneath our feet. I must have taken dozens of photos that day. Nature is magnificently beautiful.
Outdoor Painting, Sketching and Photography
With each of these activities, we are forced to stop and focus more intently on our surroundings. We notice the details; we are enjoying the moment. I do a lot of photography in winter months for use in watercolor painting, or to help me remember various places we have been. I sort the photos later for planning my watercolor paintings or future hiking trips.
Storm Watching
This is a tricky one due to possible danger. Always heed weather warnings.
My father loved watching the big winter storms on the Oregon coast. He had a favorite place to watch that provided a view of the ocean’s fury from a very safe height and distance. He headed for his favorite lookout near Cape Meares, OR any time he received news of a storm approaching. Winds can reach 100 mph in the harshest storms, and king tides are very dangerous - especially when combined with storms. STAY OFF THE BEACHES. My father was careful about when to stay inside and when to go out.
There are many safe areas to watch the incoming waves. Do your research first. During high wind events, it is always best to stay indoors. Fallen trees and branches and flying debris pose risks.
We were dressed for a blustery day while walking along Rustin Way in Tacoma last winter. Winds picked up, along with the rain. It was fine - we headed into a cozy restaurant and enjoyed a hot bowl of clam chowder.
The photo was taken in October from a popular (and safe) storm watching area in Depoe Bay, Oregon.
Car / Camping Trips
If it is too cold to be out in the open, car trips or camping trips with a trailer or camper can get us out and about. By choosing the right “back roads” nature’s beauty can be seen from the window of a car. Short walks from the car can be done comfortably in just about any weather. We have driven the coastline in winter months to watch the storms. We are only out a short while at the pull-overs. When we get cold or too wet, we simply jump back into the car.
With proper equipment, winter camping is enjoyable. Crowds have thinned out.
Explore Local Restaurants, Shops & Towns
We have many adorable and historical towns in the Pacific Northwest. Museums, local art, healthy and locally sourced foods, winter festivals, cultural events. Research your area for towns to explore.
I love shopping for books in locally owned bookstores while listening to the wind and rain outside.
Just yesterday, my daughter and I traveled to a couple favorite places in the Ballard area of Seattle. I picked up a few Christmas decorations, Lingonberry jam, and gjetost (Norwegian brown cheese) at The Scandinavian Specialties Store and we enjoyed lunch at the Skål Beer Hall.
The fireplace photo was taken at the Skål Beer Hall.
Indoor Activities
Too much snow, sleet or ice to go out? You just feel like staying inside your cozy cocoon today? All of us at Spruce And Fjell thoroughly enjoy our indoor “alone time”, and can stay very busy. Other days, we like to get together with friends for a cozy afternoon or evening at one of our homes. We don’t always have to be “out and about.”
Besides all of the sewing, crafting or home improvement projects on this site, we have made a list of some of our other favorite indoor activities.
Game Night
Games that provide just enough challenge to be interesting, but also allow for easy conversation are perfect for game nights. Keep it fun.
Social Cooking
Cooking together:
Invite friends and family for a night of cooking together. Pizza, tacos, soups. Everyone brings an ingredient and helps with the process.
Potluck:
Each person brings a prepared item and everyone enjoys the meal together.
Host/ Hostess Prepared:
If you love to cook and entertain, perhaps you would prefer to plan, prepare and serve a meal. Guests relax and enjoy what you have graciously provided.
Garden Planning
I use winter months to plan my spring and summer garden. Drawing landscape designs, winter yard clean-up, fall planting, ordering spring bulbs. Do you have all the tools you need? Now is a good time to order - before spring rush. Check out our article on Yard Tools For Women. I am a small woman, and found all the equipment I need for DIY yardwork.
Walk around your yard. Make a list of changes you would like to make. New gardens? Change of plants? Patio remodel? Lights? Staining or painting needed anywhere? Do you have problem areas? I had an area in my yard that was prone to weeds. I love nice gardens but do NOT want to spend my summer months weeding. That is prime hiking, biking, and camping weather. I solved that problem. See our article on Weed Barrier Cloth.
Once you have your list, research products. Make up cost sheets (spreadsheets are great for this - I have several).
Planning, costing out projects, and purchasing supplies take time. Do this in winter, so you can be up and running when the warmer weather arrives.
Enjoy Winter
Whether inside or out, enjoy the winter season. Every season serves a purpose, and we need each one. While watching a squirrel in my garden one blustery day, I thought about this. Read What I Learned From A Squirrel.
Related Articles & Projects
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Pattern: crocheted scarf
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Choose The Perfect E-bike
Evergreen Bouquet - bring nature into your home
Original Watercolors
Tabletop paintings. 4” x 6” and 5” x 7”. Perfect for small spaces. Original watercolors depicting the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Etsy: Original Watercolor Paintings
