Beating the Winter Blues & Cabin Fever...how do you do it???

Besides pouring over seeds and plant catalogues, designing next years flower bed and updating your DG journal & want list....what else do you do to fight the winter blues and cabin fever?
I know Patti has taken up pottery again and im looking forward to seeing her work once she's on the mend. Ge paints, and beautifully at that I might add, but what else keeps you sane?

For me it's various projects, I have A.D.D. so I often find it hard to finish a task unless it totally captivates me. One of the exercises I was told is useful for concentration is to do crossword puzzels and jig saw puzzles. I started the J.S. puzzles many, many years ago and recently started doing at least 3 C.W. puzzles a week....well in the winter months anyways. I am to busy trying to figure out the PUZZEL IN MY GARDENS from May to Sept., then I just give it up until next year. ^_^

So what do you do? Pictures please when possible :)

I've finished 2 puzzels already. I start them on a Sat. afternoon and pick at it here and there. It was done by Monday ...that was one of the rainy/windy weekends we had.
1st one

The first one I picked, then I let Brian pick...his has 10 Eagles in the picture, most are hidden and you have to really look. Just realized I cut off 2 while cropping the picture so only 8 visible in the puzzle here.

Well I used to crochet but have not for quite a while. Mostly do what you said in the first paragraph, garden related stuff. I like your puzzles. Used to do them when I was at school many years ago. Do some on line occasionally.

I tend to repot my houseplants about this time too as they have suffered much neglect from the summer months. It's my way of making it up to them so they keep me happy and bloom during cabin fever. LOL

Already have a bud on one of my Amaryllis and I just potted them up a few weeks ago!

Cool thread, Celeste. I never had the patience for puzzles. Those are very nice.

I plan to do indoor projects and get myself outside for photos. Of course, In January, I'll be recovering from knee surgery so will be limited.

I did puzzles also, but only in Florida....don't ask me why! Guess I just found really nice ones down there. I take a creative writing class on Mondays, art class on Tuesdays. I crocheted afghans many years ago, but after having the grandkids, decided I needed to learn to knit.....after many trying attempts, I'm now knitting a rose-colored cable-stitched cardigan for HayHay....photos when I get the back completed! I read, watch college basketball, take the dogs for an hour walk every day that it's not actively snowing or icing, watch the birds, listen to classical music....and dream of the perfect garden!

I get pretty crabby in the winter, it's not so much the light deprivation more the cold that gets me...grrr...so I'm inside hiding from the cold. Anything to keep me warm will do too! LOL

I usually grow some morning glories inside and some winter sowing helps keep me sane. I have a few photoshop tutorials bookmarked so I hope to do a lot of practicing with that. I love to read and have a library card so that's unlimited and free!! I do spend more time at the gym too.

With 2 little kids I hardly get bored, there's always something going on and we usually don't have so much snow that we ever get snowed in. If it snows I'm out there with the kids building snowmen and having snowball fights...I love the snow, I wish I had taken up skiing when I was younger.

I love to read and of course there's DG.

Winter is misery and torture and gets worse every year. Cook, housework and ebay.

Victor your photo's need no work ^_^ and we will just have to entertain you here on DG while your on the mend. Please post after you take your pain meds. We all need a giggle here too! LOL
DD # 3 used to come over if she had a bad day at work, approx. 45 minutes after Brian took his meds so she could get a good laugh!

Robin, aren't you a busy little bee!!!

Ronnie, do you have good luck w/MG growing indoors? I only tried once many years ago and had no blooms and a leggy plant. I assume I didn't have enough light....any advice?

Jen, did you get enough snow last year? LOL I used to like the snow when the kids were younger. We owned a snowmobile, toboggan, ice shack, ect...then I fell at one of my jobs and landed on a concrete floor. It messed up my hip, after that I no longer liked winter and the older I get the worse it is. :(

Yup Sherrie, hear ya! I do all of the above but cooking it was I love to do most. I don't care for the clean up part though. :(

Do any of you bake for the food banks? On Thanksgiving and Christmas, Easter too my DD's and I bake pies, rolls, breads for the local food banks and homeless shelters. We usually donate a turkey or 2 and pick one or 2 families to buy Christmas gifts for. My DD goes to the shelter and talks to one of the ladies who run the place. She lets her know which familes have small children and needs the help most. I do this because of where I come from...my father was a firm believer in helping others less fortunate, I was raised Catholic, and I have been on the other side. I was not in a homeless shelter but single w/4kids, no job and had to rely on the generosity of others to make my childrens Christmas acceptable. Humbling does not even describe it, so now I give back....because I can.

That is great, Celeste. Always need to remember those less fortunate.

Yes Victor and these days it's only getting worse here in Maine.
http://www.sunjournal.com/state/story/942874

Not much better elsewhere either. Hopefully the new year will finally bring a turnaround.

Thats why I think it's important to give. ^_^ Hopefully 2011 and will bring more jobs to the economy.

You are so right, Pixie! Our food bank doesn't accept fresh food, only canned & dried, & hygiene items, but I give usually through our church which has a collection box....yes, I try to stay very busy, but there are times when the blues set in! I think that's normal for winter....and I hear you about the hip....mine was not happy this morning!

Sometimes I sit too long my hips freeze up. I get up and walk like a robot for a few steps and they come into it.

Video, Sherrie??

I don't think we got enough snow last year, but hubby does.

Jen if I didn't like ya I'd hit ya upside the head!! LOL You sound like my sister, she loves the snow. I like it for about and hour then I've had enough. Just long enough for some fun and pictures then I want it to be May!!

Celeste, did you grow your MG under any lights at all? Give me a dmail so I don't hog up this thread!!

:P

there is no such thing as too much snow:) love it - besides it insallates the shrubs/trees/plants

Hate it! Don't care if I never saw another flake!

Hee hee..... Bill you're getting hit upside your head too!!!

snow ball fight!

Nope....not touching the stuff.....oh, OK....one snowball!

Don't mind a little for Christmas. The amount and frequency is what gets to me. Six inches a week is okay. Manageable to shovel and will go away quickly. It's the cumulative effect and those 12" or more storms that get me. It gets dirty and icy and nasty to look at never mind navigate. Mostly I just want it all to be gone and forgotten by March at the latest.
Bill all winter you can take a bucket or two home with you every day from down here if you want. I will not mind a bit. ^_^

We worked puzzles last winter. A Thomas Kincaide a friend gave me as a joke. I couldnt wait until it was done and put away.The second one was a tiger drinking.
Clever puzzle,had to deal with the reflection of the animal and all the grass.

pixie62560, I love puzzles, especially those wooden ones with the picture pieces. Way too expensive, but I have a friend who collects them and I do them with her up in Maine in the winter when I visit her. Her kids give her a new one every year. I have gotten a couple of them on ebay at a good price for her.

I have some jewelry I want to make with old beads that I collected in the 60's while back backing abroad for a year on 2 thousand dollars including air fare. Those where the day! I now have finally gotten the tools and fastenings to actually do them.

I also am going to get a jump on the garden articles that I am now writing for the local newspaper. I have a few new ideas. One being an article about Garden Myths. Let me know any you know about.

Lots of other projects that deal with organization of old photos and personal papers but I keep putting that off. I did some last winter, but should have done more.

I am going to do my pottery and would love to paint too.

I may have too many "I am going too" in my list. And the pile of books next to my bed is ridiculously large and growing.

I am up for a snowball fight for sure. I like the snow, just not driving in it. Our dogs love it the most. Patti

Everyone who is doing family albums has inspired me. I will heat up the scanner and get more of mine done.
I am painting.
Not started the deck planters combos yet.
I think is better to have too much to do than not enough.
16 bean soup is cooking so I have to turn the heat down.

Done enough puzzles and not doing anymore.

I am going to redo the bathroom - since 2007 but Jim gets his garage redone.

I did organize when Jo put on the thread (dont remember the name) where you sit at the comp and now it looks worse.

I need to get a job since March 2008

I need to get stuff on ebay. Here I sit typing!

I need to clean the shipping room since 2008. There is so much boxes, wraping and boxes all ready loaded and ready to go you cant get in there.

I think I need to get my priorities straight!

LOL Sherrie....

Going thru some old pics made me realize I need to get them in albums. So guess I'll do that this winter.
Oh yeah and we'll be remodelling our family room after Christmas

Ge, i've done a few of those 'reflection' puzzles and they ARE difficult!

Patti my DD makes jewelry too, or she did until she started spitting out kids like an assembly line. :) I have several pairs of earrings she's made me, one set is pink & black w/a ss pixie dangling from them.

Bill, do I see more birdhouses being built for the winter? Or have you hauled a few boulders into the garage/house for future birdbaths?

Good luck on the bathroom Sherrie, and I know you'll be looking for antiques!

Good idea Jen, I should sort out and fill up my albulms....they are a mess!

But instead i've been sick, so i've been sorting up my seeds, and finishing up my trades I made. I have 5 envelopes going out in the mail this morning loaded with seeds, trades I made before the flu bug hit me so im a little slow on getting them out :(
Going through my seeds I keep finding ones I forgot to plant with the prep for 2 weddings there is now some seeds that are 2 years old! I don't have the heart to throw them out and I can't trade them...so I made a pile and i'll toss them next spring. If they come up, great! If not...oh well!
Also while sick and sleeping alot...I've been playing with my arrangement stuff. Took a basket, added some boughs......

Added some red berries and white pips.....

........

Pixie, get well. Horrible week to be sick. Seeds....I forgot about that chore. Patti

One or two white flowers and a little bird house.

Now throw in a couple of pinecones. Thats as far as i've gotten.....need to think about what else to put in it. Brian is actually been dictating what he thought would look good and i've just been listening for a change :) My creative juices were not flowing so I asked what he'd like in this basket.....so this is actually his creation. ^_^
Thanks Patti, feeling much better this morning, glad you are too and it's nice to see you on here more :)))

This message was edited Nov 22, 2010 8:03 AM

This message was edited Nov 22, 2010 8:04 AM

I am sorting out Facebook and went thru some family pics. Scanned and put on CD.
Its going to be a long winter.

What a cute basket.

Thanks Jen, like I said...playing!