The winter blues are beautiful
On this trip I cannot really pre-plan my stays too much as there are so many factors to consider… and weather is definitely one of them. Since I have full time work responsibilities, I do not want to travel from one city to another mid week. So when I arrived in Eureka Springs, I checked out the campground first to make sure I will have all the amenities I need to be able to perform my job (internet, electricity and cell service). Initially I considered staying only for the weekend. But when I checked the weather forecast, snow was coming yesterday and today (Mon/Tue). So I updated my reservation to stay until Saturday.
It is around 17 degrees outside at around 5 p.m. and it will get colder overnight again. I am so glad I decided to stay and really test out my cold exposure tolerance. There are so many things I am glad I took with me that are helping me and Ziggy stay warm:
Weighted blanket for me and electric blanket for Ziggy
1500 watt space heater that I tied two strings around and hung from my front zipline.
The reflectix covers on my front windshield and windows
The insulated covers for the back windshield
Lots of cozy wool socks
My black parka jacket and my waterproof Red Fox jacket
Waterproof gloves
Ziggy’s waterproof jacket and musher’s paw for his paws
My Yeti mug that keeps my apple cider, hot chocolate and tea so so warm
When people think of winter blues they immediately associate it with depression. I am for sure not claiming that I haven’t experienced some change in mood over the winter. But there’s something about fresh snow that really brightens my spirits and perks up my adventurous side. And even though the snow that fell here is really more hard sleet that you have to be careful not to slip on, I still took every opportunity of daylight and time off to be outside with Ziggy. On this trip I am becoming so much more mindful of how often I move my body. Because I am stuck in a metal box all day, I took every chance to stretch my legs and arms. And there’s nothing like the fresh air after snow. Three times a day already I’ve played fetch with Ziggy. He just loves chasing a ball and he really is a snow lover. As I was playing with Ziggy, I found a random wood disc swing at one of the empty campsites (there are only two of us here brave enough to weather the storm). So naturally I immediately hopped on it. While swinging with my arms as far away from the rope as possible, I looked up at the sky. Through the trees peeked the prettiest winter blues. I am just in awe of this world and the wonders we often don’t stop to admire. Something as simple as swinging against the backdrop of the forest really makes me appreciate and be grateful for all the ways nature allows us to reconnect with our inner child. It allows us to go back to wonder and see things with a beginners mind. Today I am grateful for the snow storm… as it showed me how one can appreciate all seasons of life.
