9 Ways We Prepare and Make the Most of Winter

The signs of winter tend to start subtly and grow increasingly louder. Each morning’s sunrise inches further south. Vivid fall leaves become more subdued. Tree branches become bare. Dwindling daylight gives way to a freeze and then the crescendo: snow.

Snow is what Mother Nature delivered this week, making Halloween feel more like Christmas. I thought it was a good chance to reflect on the different ways my husband and I transition into winter. Not just practical preparations, but habit shifts that help us surrender as gracefully as possible and make the most of the cold, cozy, and contemplative days that lie ahead.

1. Plant garlic

They say to plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow. (Apparently “they” is Audrey Hepburn!) 

This couldn’t ring more true than in the case of planting garlic. Tucking garlic cloves in to the soil a few weeks before the ground freezes is to truly believe that the cold is temporary. In a few months, the greens will emerge and be one of the first glorious signs of spring. 

Garlic “seeds” preparing for planting in a DIY log garden bed.

2. Stack wood and relish the fire

Fire is the main source of heat in our house. Fuel for the wood stove comes from trees on our property, which means time is spent throughout the year chopping, splitting, and stacking wood. Come fall, we set up a wood rack in the garage to keep a healthy supply easily accessible for feeding the fire. 

Is there anything more cozy than the warmth and glow from a wood burning stove? The first fire is typically lit in late fall when temperatures no longer reach above 60 degrees F during the day. This requires a shift in habits, including a “feeding” sometime during the night, regular refilling the cast iron humidifiers that sit on top, and ongoing cleanup of wood pieces on the floor. 

Yet there is a deep satisfaction in knowing we are creating our own heat.

One of the first fires in our Lopi wood stove! It was a lifesaver while we raced to build and make our house livable before winter in 2021.

3. Winterize outdoor equipment

As the weather cools, Brett makes time to winterize tools and toys that would be damaged in freezing temperatures. The list includes:

  • Draining water from the camper‘s hot water heater and using the water pump bypass valve to circulate RV anti-freeze through the hot and cold water lines
  • Putting fuel stabilizer in the boat main engine gas tank and unhooking the fuel line from the kicker motor while it’s running to run it out of gas
  • Removing the floating pier from the pond at our house in Green Lake
  • Draining water from the line that connects our well to the pond waterfall 

He also makes sure the side-by-side and plow attachment are in working order to clear our driveway after heavy snowfalls.

Just another day in Wisconsin paradise…

4. Savor more roots and rhizomes

I’d like to think it’s an inner calling from the natural rhythms of the season, but it could simply be the shift in produce available at our local co-op. Regardless, this time of year calls for heartier, slow cooked, comforting sustenance. 

Moose stew with carrots and potatoes. Roasted beets. Ginger tea with turmeric. Marinara sauce with onions and garlic galore, slowly simmering on the stovetop. Give it all to me to savor in a seat right next to the wood stove!

It can be hard to know what foods are in season when many grocery stores offer the same options all year long. This seasonal food guide (U.S. only) is a great place to start.

5. Eat dinner earlier

Speaking of food, earlier dinner times might be my favorite “accidental” result of this changing season. 

In summer, we tend to work on outdoor projects or simply enjoy being outside late into the evenings. Winter, with its chill and limited daylight, often brings us indoors sooner. The best part: earlier dinners = earlier bedtimes = more time to read!

(As I write this, Brett is outside on a ladder caulking our newly installed house siding by the glow of a head lamp. Looks like tonight won’t be one of those early nights.)

6. Gather cold weather clothing and gear

“Sweater weather” goes beyond having a cold-friendly wardrobe. It’s about creating a system to store and easily access bulky coats, boots, hats and gloves, winter running gear, ice fishing supplies, and hunting supplies — without creating a snowy, mucky mess every time we trapse in and out of the house. 

This is currently a pain point in our life as we find ways to organize an unfinished house while storing excess items at our other home nearly two hours away. Definitely a work in progress!

7. Seek fresh air and vitamin D

The outdoors doesn’t always feel very inviting when my fingers go numb or my nose creates snotsicles. (A word I learned from a friend while we were snowmobiling.) Yet I know the benefits of fresh air, natural light, and movement are just as important — perhaps more so — during the winter months. 

I try to keep up a regular running routine as well as incorporating cold season activities that Brett and I enjoy together including snowshoeing, ice fishing, and snowmobiling. And sometimes there’s no better solution than to head south for a warm weather reprieve.

Brett and Paisley on a snowshoe excursion in 2020. This will be our first full winter without her by our side.

8. Break winter into seasons

Let’s be honest: Winter can feel long. Layering on the clothing, scraping ice off windshields, and changing plans due to adverse weather can get old. We’ve found it less daunting to break the time into manageable segments with activities we look forward to.

Here are some of our examples:

My dad and me riding in a side-by-side on a frozen Lake Winnebago during sturgeon spearing in 2020. No snotsicles — yet!

9. Set winter goals

Want to take it a step further? Set meaningful goals to accomplish before winter’s end. Whether it’s learning a new skill, conquering a reading list, or tackling an indoor project, setting goals keeps us motivated and inspired throughout the season.

Our goals this winter include:

  • Fill the freezer with venison
  • Learn how to cook over the wood burning stove
  • Plan next summer’s strategy for growing and foraging more of our own food
  • Travel and experience a new place — preferably somewhere warm!
Last winter my mom taught me and a friend how to make sourdough bread. Proud to report my starter is still going strong.

My attitude used to be to just “get through” winter. But where is the joy in life just waiting for time to pass? Instead of hunkering down and counting down to spring, I now try to see the unique charm and beauty of these months and use it as a time for reflection, renewal, and transformation.

“You can curse the darkness or light a candle. The choice is yours.”

Patrick Kane

Your turn

How do you prepare or make the most of winter? (Avoiding it completely is absolutely understandable!) We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

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2 thoughts on “9 Ways We Prepare and Make the Most of Winter”

  1. Carrie, what a beautifully written and entertaining article on Winter Where the Cold Wind Blows!! Our preparations out here in New Jersey: remind the building Super to dial the heat up a few extra degrees!! What hardship! But I’m from Wisconsin, so I paid my dues!

    And I must say I was very impressed with the safety gear worn by Brett while chainsawing. See,,,,Uncle Bummer here can compliment as well as scold! (Private joke!)

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