It’s often said that we live more seasonably around here, and it really is something that I love about my life in the Tri-Communities.
 
Christina here, writing about how I try to winter in our little corner of NEMO.

Around here, winter, including what is commonly known as “the holiday season” is a time for slowing down—like way down. There are no visitor groups, no tours, no big parties. There’s no shopping, unless you count a trip to our local store to stock up on cereal and giant carrots.  

As someone who often suffers from FOMO (fear of missing out) and wants to be doing all things all the time, slowing down isn’t something that comes naturally to me, but it is something that I value. 

Here are my top ten “to-do’s” as I try to embrace the darkest part of the year.

1. Get lots and lots of sleep. During the summer months, you might find me at the pond or watering the garden as late as 8:00 or 9:00 at night, but recently, I’ve been getting in bed with a book by 7:30 and shutting off the lights around 9:30. Similarly, in summer I might be up before 6:00 to take advantage of the cool temperatures, but I’ve been shutting off my alarm and going back to sleep for an hour or more recently. Getting 9-10 hours of sleep each night feels strange for this doer, but it is also very nice, and probably helped a lot when the flu went through our household.

2. Feel the cold. A lot of our lives around here happen outdoors, no matter the weather. I’m not quite at the level of getting in the pond in winter (yet!), but I do appreciate the cold when I go outside, and I’m glad to live a life that doesn’t insulate me from the changing temperatures. Once Daniel finishes the sauna, I’ll be jumping in the icy pond for sure!

3. Find the sun. With lots of big windows facing the south, our house has a great passive solar design. At this time of year, on a sunny day, the sun reaches all the way to the back wall of our living room. It’s almost enough to heat the house without any more heat sources. There’s something very nourishing about winter sun, and I’m really grateful to live in a house with so much of it.

4. Make some fires. While our house is warm on those sunny days, on cloudy days, I really appreciate the coziness of a fire. The crackling noise and the bouncing flames are so relaxing—especially when I’m curled up on the couch under a blanket.

5. Eat seasonal meals. I’ve got a box of sweet potatoes and one of apples sitting in the corner of our already crowded kitchen. I also have some precious dried tomatoes, dried zucchini, and tomato sauce that I canned this summer. And I have a jar growing some spicy sprouts on the windowsill. I admit that having limited access to fresh vegetables was difficult for me when we first moved here, but I’ve come to enjoy focusing on different foods at different times of year. For now, that means lots and lots of broth with some combination of aforementioned sweet potatoes, dried tomatoes, sprouts, and dried zucchini plus an egg or two and my own fermented hot sauce.  

6. Get a Charlie Brown tree. I headed out with my son, Max, a few weeks ago to cut down a small cedar tree for our living room. I really like a scraggly tree myself, and the cedars are not great for our local ecosystem anyway. We decorated it with a string of lights and a few decorations that we had around.  I’ve really enjoyed the twinkly lights during these long dark nights.

   
   Max shows off his family’s Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Photo by Christina.

7. Cancel some events. As much as I love a ramped up schedule, it has been nice to cancel things lately. Unfortunately, many of those cancellations have been a result of a (non-COVID) virus going around that has really knocked people out for a few days. Still, the thrill of a wide-open schedule really can’t be beat.

8. Add to my book stack. For years I’ve been meaning to organize a book swap, where people can bring some favorites or some books that don’t work for them and might work for someone else, and I finally managed to make it happen! It was so much fun with bookish friends enthusiastically pushing their favorites into others’ hands. I came home with three new-to-me texts that I am looking forward to reading soon. Actually, my bedside-TBR (to be read) stack got big enough that I had to divide it into two stacks.

9. Attend a beige potluck.  To be honest, I really do prefer the summer potlucks when everyone’s gardens are bursting full of ripe tomatoes, beans, herbs, zucchini, and so much more fresh deliciousness. Still, there’s something to be said for a beige potluck. This week, it was dominated by potatoes and squash, with two different beige desserts (one featuring stored apples and one with stored peaches).

10. Embrace death as a part of life. A few weeks ago I attended Alline’s death and dying workshop where we discussed how we’d like to live our last days, and what it means to die well. Ben has been butchering for weeks (or maybe it’s months?) now, and I really appreciate having a local food source that acknowledges how death plays a role in supporting life. I’m a firm believer that all food requires some death, and witnessing that process is really a privilege.   

Our family will be heading east soon to participate in all the mainstream seasonal fun, and I’m looking forward to that as well. But I am glad that it isn’t my full-time life anymore.  

CSCC’s end-of-year fundraiser is still going on, and from now through December 31st the first $9,000 we receive in donations will be doubled thanks to three matching donors! Additionally, $3,000 from this fundraiser will go directly to establishing an agroforestry co-operative at Dancing Rabbit. Please consider making a donation to help our village grow!