Site tweaks, Iowa pine, a coffee shop, and early darkness
It's Thursday, which means it's time for your bi-weekly dose of miscellany. 😉
There's a comments link! And sharing buttons!
I hired some web designers to fix some issues with my blog, one of which was the lack of a comments link on the home page.
Now there's a handy-dandy comments link right at the bottom of the post, so you don't have to scroll back up to the top to get to the comments.
Yay! I hope this makes your life easier when you want to leave a comment.
(I do dearly love hearing from you in the comments!)
Also, at the bottom of each post, there's a brand-spankin' new set of sharing buttons which should make it easy for you to share my posts on social media, pin 'em to Pinterest, or even email them to a friend.
I am really all over the Iowa Pine scent.
Those three free Mrs. Meyers products from ePantry? Mine came in Iowa Pine and I lurve it dearly. I hate cheap, fake pine scents, but this stuff is completely delightful.
My family laughs at me, but I sniff my hands after I wash them just to breathe it in.
After using the pine soap for a week, I thought, ooh, a candle in this scent would be marvy-fab, so I hopped on ePantry and came up dry.
But then I jumped over to Amazon, where I discovered that there IS such a thing as an Iowa Pine candle and I ordered one.
(using some Amazon credit I had from redeeming my TopCashBack rewards, so, you know...)
I might get tired of Iowa Pine by the time the holidays are over, but that seems doubtful.
(I may or may not have preemptively added some more Iowa Pine products to my ePantry lists, since the seasonal scents are available only for a limited time.)
The 3 free products promotion is over, but you CAN still get a $10 credit and a free Mrs. Meyer's hand soap when you sign up for ePantry (and you can totally still pick a seasonal scent for your hand soap, although I hear that stock is getting low already!).
OR if you'd prefer, you can get a $10 credit plus a free Grove soy candle with your first order.
The Sleepy Hamster
A new local coffee shop popped up in my living room, run by Sonia and Zoe.
They sell kind of fancy coffee. And the cookies look pretty good too. 😉
It's getting dark really early. Boo.
The cold is not the hard part of winter for me...I can handle cold, dry air fairly well. It's the darkness that I loathe.
But I read Laura Vanderkam's post about how Norwegians make it through their long winters cheerfully, and apparently, they make a point of enjoying the upsides of winter.
It's not cold and dark, it's cozy!
Now, normally I get through the dark parts by reminding myself of the longer days coming.
In November, I say, "Well, next month we'll already be at the shortest day of the year and things will just get lighter from there!"
Then in January, February, and March, I obsessively track sunrise/sunset times on my weather app. "Ooh, we gained another minute today!"
And this does help me some, but it might be smart to also try to reframe my view of the darkness.
(candle craft idea from this post)
It's cozy, Kristen! Cozy, cozy, cozy.
(I'll let you know how this pans out for me.)
I ordered the epantry special and thought I wold love the pine scent. But, it is so strong! I forgot I am extremely sensitive to odors. To remedy it, I just diluted the soap and the spray into 2 bottles with much added water.The scent is less intense and now I have more products than I will ever need.
Ahh, I like it because it IS so strong! 🙂 But what a great solution you came up with.
Years ago I spent Thanksgiving in Finland. I was surprised at how early it got dark each night but everyone was so cheerful. I noticed that several store windows were displaying "happy lights" for sale. These lights simulate natural sunlight. When my husband and I moved home from CO to MN my seasonal depression set in since I was no longer experiencing 300+ days of sunshine a year. My husband purchases a "happy light" for me and it was life changing!
Do Calico Critters frequent the Sleepy Hamster? Love it!
I feel your lack-of-light pain. I'm in Michigan, which tends to be very overcast during the winter. Getting outside each day helps, even when it's awful outside (I offer to shovel snow a lot). I tend to want to hole up in the evenings, so it's good for me to make a point of scheduling activities to get out of the house. A couple of years ago, I tried snowshoeing and loved it, so I try to do that when I can. I think that's part of embracing the weather. 🙂 Oh, and we use our fireplace a lot during the winter--if you don't have a fireplace, maybe making a point of using candles would help.
I live in Syracuse, NY, the snow capital of the world - seriously, we average over 100 inches per year, and we get fewer days of sunshine than Seattle. So SAD is a prominent condition here. I have found that exercise - outdoors on as many days as I can, and indoors when it's really bad - is a big help to my moods. Also, I've started keeping one window blind open in my office to let in whatever sunshine is available.
Still, I love going home and cuddling up under a warm blanket with a good book and a cup of tea!
Yes. The overcast weather is so hard! If it was cold and sunny, that would be much easier for me.
Some Build-A-Bears visited The Sleepy Hamster. And Mr. FG ordered his morning coffee there too (I supplied them with a thermos of it!)
My last post was about what I do to get through the dark season with minimal misery. I think I do have a bona fide light issue, I've never seen a professional for a diagnosis but I've recognized this in myself since childhood. I use a light box, along with other tips. I don't mind cold either.
I will say that I disagree with the idea that it's all about attitude. Where I live, winter simply isn't fun. It snows once every 11 years, and the rest of the time it's dark, rainy, and there is sleet (making traffic worse and traveling hard, but no fun factor).
I especially love the "nitro cold brew" at The Sleepy Hampster. Those girls just crack me up!
Regarding your feelings about Winter darkness- my husband most likely has seasonal affective disorder...he gets grumpy and a little sad when all the darkness rolls around. I try to help him out by turning on more lights in the house in the evenings (energy saving bulbs, of course!)
I pull out some comfy throws and put them in the couch. We light candles at dinner most nights, and I enjoy a nice little candle in my kitchen. We also try to remember music as a nice background at home; totally spirit lifting!
We also make it a point to spend time outside on the weekends- leaf blowing, hiking, exploring as much as possible. I also make sure I'm not getting too carb- heavy when it comes to meals; my natural tendency when it gets cold and dark.
This is the first year we might actually splurge on Christmas lights(super low energy ones) ; my plan is to keep things up through the end of January to brighten up the nights.
Sometimes it's not just about your attitude in the winter. I struggle with depression year-round but it always gets worse in the winter. December is bearable because I love Christmas, but after that I feel like there's nothing left to look forward to until will spring forward. Even though I take vitamin D (and calcium to absorb it) and spend at least a hour outside a day at work (I teach preschool so we have outside times), I'm still pretty miserable throughout the winter. Sometimes your brain chemicals just can't take it.
I hear you! I can bet that if I could go to Australia or South Africa for the winters, my life would be a lot easier to deal with.
I traditionally found winter very difficult to deal with. About two years ago I discovered that I have autoimmune thyroid disease and optimizing my thyroid hormones (which tend to fluctuate) makes a world of difference. Fatigue, depression and feeling the cold more than others may be signs of an under-active thyroid.
I love the enhancements to the blog.
I lived in Iowa for over thirty years and I don't associate pine with the state, but pines are sometimes used as wind blocks on farms there.
I do believe I suffer from SAD. A light may be on my Christmas wish list (it's good to want something when people want to get you gifts). I too think the way you do Kristen about counting down the days. I dislike cold but don't let it stop me from getting out or from outdoor activities.
I thought the name was odd too...I've visited Iowa many times, and I just never associate pines with Iowa! Corn, yes. Pines, not so much.
Like Kris, I live in Michigan too. Unlike Kris I do not volunteer to be outside. LOL I'm from California and this will be my 12th winter, and I am already dreading it. I need to reset my thinking about winter. Cozy sounds good.
Your girls are too cute (creative!)
I hear you about counting down --only for us it's wanting the cold to replace the oppressive heat and sun of SoCal. I get so bummed by August September October -- and the temps still 90 - 100. I'm obsessive about checking tomorrow's temp 🙂 But, you are inspiring me to reframe. Hmmm, it is bright and cheerful! I don't have to wear a sweater! Drinking lots of iced tea! Swimming well into late fall and winter! Well, I will work on this. Love your cozy ideas and do hope they help!
Gosh I reread all these and I am sorry -- I didn't mean to whine about sunshine and heat to folks struggling through cold, dark winters. I do remember being SAD growing up in Massachusets every fall and not really knowing why, so I can really relate! I hope all these great suggestions are helpful.
I grew up in the South Bay of S Cal, and I love love love the light and the heat! I have many friends there still who complain about the warm fall weather, but I always loved it. I've lived in Colorado for about 25 years now, and am so thankful for our 300+ days of sunshine! I just wish that I could steal those warm, warm S Cal temps for our chilly (albeit sunny) months (Dec-March).
Oh my goodness their coffee shop is too cute! I bet there is an actual coffee shop in Portland named The Sleepy Hamster.
I've been pouting lately about the darkness, so I really appreciate your link to Laura's post! I will try to focus on appreciating the season and not just counting down until it's light out 🙂
I am a weirdo who LOVES LOVES LOVES the early dark. Fall and winter are my favorites--and it's exactly because they are COZY! To each his own!
And, FYI, the Bath and Body Works pine candles are FABULOUS! They smell strongly and so good! And they are MUCH cheaper than the Mrs. Meyer's candles and there are always sales! Just a tip!
Ooh, good to know!
I really struggle with the light issue as well and I swear by putting bright bulbs into all my house lights during the winter, getting a light box, and having a 'wake-up' light. The wake-up light is something I recently started doing that has made SUCH a difference. I have to get up before the sun and being such a solar-powered person, this is really hard for me. One day, I put a light over my headboard that is on a timer. It is set to turn on 30 minutes before my alarm goes off and it's got one of those blue-toned daylight bulbs (you could use a full-spectrum plant bulb also) that simulates the effect of natural daylight better than the yellow toned ones. It's basically convincing my brain that it's natural morning. Since I put it up, I haven't needed an alarm to wake up to.
I can't stand the blue-toned light as a light source, but that 30 minutes on the timer is enough to make me wake up in a much more natural way.
That's so cool...I've never heard of a wake-up light like that.
I may have invented it 🙂
I think this is at least part of why I've had such a hard time switching to CFLs. I'm going to wander through LED ideas next. Slowly. So expensive. But bright is worth it.
Check with your electric company. Ours sells LED lights at a substantial discount. I have also been seeing them with increasing frequency at the Habitat for Humanity Restores.
Ha ha. The Sleepy Hamster is the perfect name for a coffee shop. They might want to trademark that.
I like your blog tweaks and I talk exactly the same way about winter darkness. I just told the girls the other day only 5 more weeks to the longest day of the year. It's all uphill from there :). I'm going to go read about how the Norwegians do it. I could use an attitude adjustment about winter.
I went and read the article on the Norwegian winters and I have to say that there are some stark differences from the way the Norwegians live and my life. For one thing, the cold winters here in Michigan tend to make hermits out of people. Not all people, mind you. But mostly, people get holed up in their homes. Also, there's (almost) nothing to do outside. So there's no reason to BE outside. Also, our house is old and drafty so it is NOT cozy. I am working on that one. 😉 And I am working on better clothes too. I've realized that I don't have the greatest clothes for dealing with winter. I really just need to work on my attitude. The thought of winter makes me almost cry. And I can't cry all winter....
Reframing things is always good! I tend to get down this time of year as well-- even though I love it too.
When I went to the doctor earlier this year I was told my Vitamin D levels were very low. I was put on a supplement (5000 IU a day) and I have to say, I feel so much better now. Even the shorter days aren't impacting me like they used to. I know 5000 IU sounds like a lot but it's about 1/5 of what your body makes being in the sun for 20 minutes.
Still, much is to be said about reframing our attitude. On my 40th birthday, I got a tattoo that says "How I choose to feel is how I am" because I wanted to always be reminded that there's NOTHING in this world I can change except my own attitude.
And, it's also worth noting that since I have cats, this is the time of year they want to cuddle on me with my blankets while I read!
OK... first of all, not to be a naysayer, but I worry about pine scented anything. This actually stems from my efforts to find a healthy kitty litter for my fe-lions. Lots of the "natural" ones are made from pine, and they have a lovely pine scent which does a good job of covering up any, ahem, "other" smells! BUT in reading about them, I discovered that the natural pine smell comes from the sap in the wood, which is full of VOC's (volatile organic chemicals) - and there is concern that breathing that stuff on a regular basis can cause lung damage. It's sort of the equivalent of breathing turpentine all day - at least that's what my vet told me. So, it's entirely possible that this is totally overblown and that there's no real cause for worry, but I am a worrier, so I don't use pine scented anything anymore!
And, I lived in Norway for a year as when I was a kid (I was an exchange student.) I have to say that the article is right on. For me, the biggest cultural difference I noticed in terms of dealing with the dark, is that people just go on about their regular business in the dark! Seriously, in this country we totally freak out about the idea of being outside in the dark, but in Norway, kids walk to school, people walk or take the "spark" (kicksled) to work or shopping, and they do it all happily in the dark! Everybody has little plastic reflectors that they keep in the pockets of their coats - they're attached by strings, so you can just let it dangle from your pocket in the dark for safety. So, it's not just about enjoying the cozy warmth inside, it's about embracing the darkness outside too!
Oh, and a few more fun tidbits about Norwegian winters...
They don't plow the streets or sidewalks, they pack the snow so you can ski anywhere.
In the mountain towns there aren't playgrounds behind the schools, there are little ski jumps! Seriously!
All the businesses are closed between Christmas & New Year's - and people celebrate the holidays with a series of traditional meals and parties.
And, in the smaller towns at least, there's a tradition called "visiting." Basically, if you're open to having visitors stop by, you put a candle in the window. If friends or neighbors see a candle in your window they know it's OK to stop by for coffee. I went "visiting" one day with my host family and after the 5th visit, and it's corresponding 5th cup of very strong Norwegian coffee, I thought I was gonna die from caffeine overload! It's a very sweet tradition though.
I'll stop now, it is fun remembering how different the attitude toward winter was there though.
Love these! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Might sound crazy but I love the cold winter nights. We have been having an exceptionally mild November in France and it is driving me mad! I'm so impatient for grey days and chilly mornings! I even get a little bit sad when the winter solstice comes around!
We visited Stockholm for New Year's. The key is the correct clothing, lots of lights and candles, and attitude. Everyone is outside. Even the farmer's market was open. Love all these comments. Need to make hot cocoa and soup.
I hear this, Kristen. The darker weather is so danged depressing. Something that REALLY helps is that my office space/cubicle is completely flooded with natural light, as I have an enormous wall of floor to ceiling windows behind me. Also, Brian and I walk outside at lunch from our building to the cafeteria - even when it's too cold for this S Cal girl - because I crave the light so much.
Already counting down to summer here (just a hair more than 7m to go!).
Ohh, what a nice room to work in! My house, sadly, is a little lacking in light and I would looove to have a wall of windows.