A garden and a library

If you have a garden and a library, 

you have everything you need.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

The sun finally appeared today and the dogs and I got outside to soak up some much needed Vitamin D.  It was almost strange to see a blue sky. This winter hasn't been too harsh, but has been very gray. I don't remember it being this way when I was a kid, but I suppose I didn't think about it so much back then.  

I received an Amazon gift-card for Christmas, but was having a difficult time deciding what to use it on. There are so many things I could use from Amazon. Narrowing it down was difficult, but today I finally decided on a worthy purchase. 

I've been sharing my husband's Kindle off and on for a few years, mostly not using it. While I still adore paper books, our house is so tiny that there is really no room for extra items that aren't used daily. I'm excited to have my own Kindle that I don't have to share with anyone!  

Now I'm just waiting on spring for my garden, and I will have everything I need!  

How I stay warm during the winter

This is our first full winter on the homestead and I'm beginning to finally admit that we should have cut more firewood.

While we do have baseboard heaters, I never use them and rely on the wood-burning stove as our main source of heat. 

In lieu of or in addition to having a cozy fire burning, I find warmth in these ways:

1. Getting up and moving! Something as simple as doing the dishes or vacuuming can get the blood flowing.

2. Layering. I've been known to double up on socks and wear a hat when in the house when it's chilly. Sounds crazy, but no one will see me and I stay warm.

3. Lighting candles. Candles do put off a little bit of heat and provide a warm glow which helps it seem warmer. 

4. Turning on the lights. Okay, so this one is not the most eco-friendly, but on gloomy winter days turning on a couple lights in the room I'm in makes it feel warmer and bulbs do put off a little bit of heat. We get so little day light at our house in the winter, that I usually need the lights to see anyway. 

5. Getting a hot shower. Jumping in for a couple minutes warms my toes right up!

6. Drinking warm drinks. Holding a hot mug and sipping on hot drinks always warms me.

7. Sleeping with cozy bedding. Flannel or fleece sheets and a down comforter make sleeping at night comfy. I've even had to stick my foot out I get so warm at night! 

8. Going outside. After taking the veggie scraps to the compost bin, I always come back warm (maybe even too hot). 

9. Baking/Cooking. The stove heats up the house and I get to eat warm comfort food. Win-win!

10. Snuggling with my dogs. They're small and even in their sweaters (yes, I have turned into one of those people) the dogs are cold.

I think we will be fine with the firewood we have left and the little tips listed above. I can't wait for spring to get here!!  

Icicles

We're in the middle of winter here on the homestead and that means short days and cold weather. I try to get outside on a regular basis, but sometimes it's difficult to leave the warmth of the stove! 

I finally made it out to measure the longest icicle hanging from the back of our house. 

This one measured 56 inches! That's measured... past tense, because I accidentally tapped the icicle with the measuring tape when I was done and it broke in half.   Boo hoo!