Category: Winter

Winter Vacation on the Scenic Route
Marriage · Refreshment in marriage · The Scenic Route · Winter

Winter Vacation on the Scenic Route

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Most people probably only think of a beach vacation when the temps make the thermometer and your face equally red. But I’ve learned in the last two December’s that being at the beach when it’s cooler is a blessing! My husband and I went to Hilton Head last December and loved it. Here are a few reasons I love the beach in the winter…

  • It is the perfect respite after a very busy fall season and before Christmas arrives.
  • It’s not sweltering!
  • It’s much more modest (see bullet above!)
  • You pretty much have the beach to yourselves!
  • The cities are quiet.
  • It’s so restful!

After our first winter beach trip, we decided that we needed to consider vacationing before Christmas again so we could enjoy all those benefits. That’s exactly where we’ve been this past week. Due to the cancellations caused by Covid this year, our plans were held very lightly in our hands. We knew only the Lord would keep us well and allow us the blessing of traveling to another state for vacation. What a gift this week has been!

If you have been following my blog for long, you know that one thing my husband and I enjoy doing as dates is traveling on the Scenic Route. We enjoy taking the side roads and stopping along the way to enjoy the sights that pique our interest. Yes, it takes longer, but we love making a memory while spending time together.

Here’s a little window into our Winter Vacation on the Scenic Route ~

We both loving walking/running on the beach. Though we don’t stay side by side, we stay in touch with one another and love that we share the love of outdoor exercise.
We try to catch the sunrise every morning. The blessing of winter sunrisew is that they’re a little later than summertime! This one came up at a little after 7:00, meaning we could sleep in a little!
We had so much fun one day when we got to have lunch with new friends that we met this fall. We spent several hours in fellowship with them and it was so refreshing and encouraging!
We love visiting churches when we are on vacation. The church we visited last Sunday had communion, giving us the blessing of sharing this time together. Since Dale is a pastor, we seldom get to share this ordinance side by side! It was sweet.

Our time away simply allowed us to be together…our favorite thing! We don’t need to be entertained, we just like being with one another. We may sit in the same room in silence as we each work on projects, but we’re okay with that because we’re together. We do spend time chatting about upcoming decisions, God’s Word, plans for the future and memories from the past.

We’ve created some new memories this week on our second winter beach vacation and we are grateful for each part on the Scenic Route!

Have you ever vacationed at the beach in winter?

How To Winter-ize Your Home Decor
Home decor · Winter

How To Winter-ize Your Home Decor

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I hear people saying, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at my house!” But I wonder, did the house transform into the winter season before the halls got decked with Christmas trees and holiday decor?

I’ve shared several posts with you about Myquillyn Smith’s book, The Cozy Minimalist and how it’s changed the way I look at decorating my home, but another lesson she’s taught me is to “winterize” before you “Christmas-ize.” I love this philosophy because when Christmas is over and the holiday decor is put away, it can still look like winter in our homes. It won’t have that bare, undecorated sadness that usually prevails in early January! Let me explain what this would look, smell and feel like…

All the senses need to see, smell, hear, touch and taste winter.

  • Fresh, Green boughs on the mantles, complete with the red berries that are on the bushes outside.
  • Logs in the fireplace.
  • A warm fire burning.
  • Thick, warm throws adorn the couch or chairs.
  • Throw pillows have thicker covers over them, adding warm colors and textures.
  • Candle scents are winter smells – citrus, evergreen or pine, and cinnamon.
  • Flickering candle light adorn the tables.
  • Tablecloths or placemats are heavier. Runners added are winter fabrics.
  • Serve soups, stews and chowders. Cups steam with coffee or hot chocolate.
  • Cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on brown pieces of toast, Snickerdoodles and Cinnamon Rolls baking in the oven.

It’s kind of like changing the clothes out in your wardrobe. In winter we wear heavier layers; the same goes for textures in our home. Add layers of texture, scents and vision that warm up the space. That’s what it means to Winter-ize!

If you need a lovely scent for your winter smells, here’s a potpourri that will make your home smell wonderful! This recipe is from my dear friend, Vickie Stykes.

Christmas Fragrance Simmering Potpourri

Ingredients:
5-6 cinnamon sticks, broken
1 TBSP. lemon peel
½ cup whole cloves
¼ cup whole allspice
1 TBSP. orange peel
1 TBSP. nutmeg
1 TBSP. bay leaf pieces
2 slices apples, optional
½ orange, cut into quarters, leave peel on, optional

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and place in a simmer stove pot or in a crock pot. Cover with hot water, turn on high to bubbly, then on low to enjoy simmering scent. May be placed in refrigerator and reused several times. Just add more ingredients if scent loses aroma.

Have you winter-ized your home? Does this idea make sense to you?

Refresh your home with winter,

Refreshment in marriage · Winter

Refresh Your Marriage – Get Out!

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This week I posted about adding a little Valentine’s Day decor to my home, just to add some warmth and joy in the month of January.  Along with the long days and months of winter, marriage can feel like it’s cold, gray and maybe even a little icy at times.  It’s so important to have a sensitive spirit about that so you can refresh your relationship, add some light and sparkle to what has become mundane! Continue reading “Refresh Your Marriage – Get Out!” →

Depression · Winter

One Necessary Ingredient for Winter Blues

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The boxes of ornaments are  stored away and only stray pieces of greenery hide in the corners of house and hearth, reminding us that the much anticipated season of Christmas has passed.  The excitement of the gatherings, the beauty, the fellowship, the food and the warm spirits can cause us to look into the winter months with dread and perhaps even depression. After all,

What is there to look forward to?

Cold and snow blow around the eves of the house, often mirroring the cold in our hearts at this time of year.

With vacation days moving towards us as quickly as a cat makes a decision, we sigh and wonder how on this earth we’re going to survive!

I’m writing this post today to give you some practical tips that can not only get you through the months of winter, but also enable you to do so with joy!

Continue reading “One Necessary Ingredient for Winter Blues” →