Winter

An early winter hike

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The last time I went hiking on Remembrance Day was 12 years ago while visiting Las Vegas with three of my girlfriends. We rented a vehicle and drove out to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area to hike and explore.

Today’s hike was very different from that one! Here in Alberta, we usually have snow by Halloween that stays on the ground until spring, but this year the weather has been unseasonably warm. Today we decided to go for a hike just because we could!

Because it’s hunting season and today was a holiday for many, we decided to choose a provincial park where there would be no chance of being mistaken for game by an unwary hunter. We chose Miquelon Lake Provincial Park, where we often enjoy camping and hiking in the fall, because we hadn’t made it there this year.

According to the weather forecast, it was supposed to be 7ºC (45ºF) when we arrived at the trailhead around noon, but it was not. It was only 4ºC (39ºF). A mid afternoon high of 14ºC (57ºF), much warmer than the average high for this day, was predicted. In reality, it didn’t get anywhere near that warm, but we had come prepared and were dressed for the cold. I was thankful that I’d brought a toque along and we were both glad to have gloves to keep our hands warm. While we were sitting on a fallen log beside the trail eating our lunch, the sun tried to break through, but most of the day was overcast.

In spite of how late in the season it is, most of the trail was in excellent condition. There were, however, some snowy and icy patches where we had to watch our footing.

Although the trail was one we’re very familiar with, the surroundings were very different from what we’re accustomed to. The many small water bodies were largely covered by ice and without leaves on the trees and bushes, we could see through them to what lay beyond more easily than usual.

Bright red rose hips and a few coloured leaves clinging to otherwise bare stems were the only tiny splashes of colour in an otherwise monochromatic landscape.

After hiking 9.1 km (5.7 miles), we arrived back at the trailhead and were surprised to see how many vehicles were in the parking lot. Apparently we weren’t the only ones crazy enough to tackle an early winter hike on a chilly day!

Zebra stripes for NET cancer awareness

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It’s been awhile since I’ve written much about fashion, but having done my seasonal wardrobe switch in mid October, having been fairly ruthless about getting rid of things that should no longer be taking up closet space, having done some reorganizing of said closet and drawers, and having done a wee bit of shopping, I’ve discovered a renewed interest in fashion blogging! I don’t know how long it will last, but I do have a few new ideas to share with you.

Today, I’m going to show you my most recent purchase and tell you why I bought it.

I needed another sleeveless top like I needed a hole in my head, especially at this time of year with winter’s intense cold just around the corner, but when I saw this one in our local consignment store, I knew it was meant for me.

Why?

Because November is Neuroendocrine Cancer Awareness Month and the zebra is our symbol. Medical students are often taught “when hearing hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.” Neuroendocrine tumours (NETS) are very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms are usually vague and similar to more common health problems. Many primary care physicians have never encountered a NETS patient so when they’re presented with symptoms like stomach pain, wheezing, diarrhea, or facial flushing they naturally think of more common causes. They think of “horses”, but neuroendocrine cancer is a “zebra”.

There’s actually a great debate in neuroendocrine cancer circles over the use of the zebra as our symbol. Some, including the world’s best known and most highly revered patient advocate, think it’s an infantile gimmick that trivializes the grave nature of our disease and that it’s actually detrimental as an awareness tool. Others of us disagree feeling that we need to take advantage of every available opportunity to draw attention to our cause and if that includes zebra stripes, so be it.

I don’t actually wear zebra stripes very often because they’re usually black and white, colours that don’t flatter my complexion. Worn near my face, they leave me looking sickly which isn’t a good look for anyone and definitely not how I want to be seen. My new top works because the cream and brown offset the harshness of the black which also has a fine gold sparkle in it that doesn’t show in the photos.

Although a sleeveless top might not be the best choice for a Canadian winter, it makes a good layering piece under a jacket or a cardigan. Here I’m wearing it with my 10-year-old Shirttail Cardigan from cabi, a workhorse in my wardrobe that still looks as good as the day I bought it.

Overcoming writer’s block and wishing you a Merry Christmas!

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The blog has been silent for more than two weeks and I can’t even blame it on the busyness of the season because we’ve kept our Christmas preparations very simple this year. No, it definitely hasn’t been that.

AI describes writer’s block as “a temporary inability to produce new work or a creative slowdown, characterized by feeling stuck, lacking ideas, or finding writing difficult, often stemming from anxiety, stress, perfectionism, or burnout, not a lack of skill.”

Feeling stuck… lacking ideas… stemming from anxiety and stress? Yes, I think that probably describes exactly what’s been happening! If you’re a regular reader of the blog, you already know that I had an ablation in mid November to destroy a cancerous tumour on my liver. After a few days of brain fog, loss of appetite, and absolute exhaustion, I started to feel better and although my energy level wasn’t quite what I was used to, I was soon back to all my normal activities.

Then, two weeks ago, I noticed signs that something wasn’t quite right. Blood tests showed that my liver enzymes were seriously elevated. I wasn’t in pain and I had no obvious signs of infection, so the cause was a mystery. That led to more blood tests, two unplanned trips to the city, a CT scan, a FibroScan (similar to an ultrasound), and two consultations with a very nice hepatologist (liver specialist). In a health care setting where it often takes months for a person to get a scan or see a specialist, I was amazed at how fast all of this happened and of course, my mind went to all kinds of worse case scenarios. Thankfully, to make a long story short, there is no sign of anything wrong with my liver and the specialist is convinced that what we’re seeing is simply effects of the tumour that was burned dying off. As a precaution, I’ll be having weekly blood tests until things return to normal.

Anytime the blog is silent for this length of time, I start to feel like I’m letting my regular readers down and I also know that some of you start to worry. Now that I’ve made myself sit down and write this, hopefully the creative juices will begin to flow again and I’ll get back into my regular routine of posting every Friday. Probably not this week though as we’ll be spending time with family and hope you will be too.

Living as far north as we do, I’m always delighted when the winter solstice arrives and we can begin looking forward to the days getting longer again. I admit to being a little jealous when our oldest son, who lives in North Vancouver, sent me photos of roses in bloom earlier this week! We had a blizzard on Wednesday, so we’re living in a very white world right now. This is what Christmas looks like to me though!

Wherever you’re celebrating this season and whether you have a white Christmas or not, I hope you’re warmed by the love of family and friends and I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

Thinking about boots

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Winter’s arrival is later than usual this year. We haven’t seen a snowflake yet which is highly unusual, but the weather forecast tells us they’re coming soon. I’m definitely not a fan of the season as it’s always way too long and too cold here on the Canadian prairie, but one thing that I do look forward to every year is wearing boots. 

This week, I decided that I’d put off bringing my winter boots out of storage for as long as I could. It was time to get them ready for the season. That involved cleaning and polishing the ones that needed it, then waterproofing all of them with a protective spray. 

Getting ready for winter also involved saying a sad goodbye to two pairs of boots. The tall brown ones that I bought second hand back in 2019 were too worn out to continue wearing and a cute pair of ankle boots, also brown and also thrifted, were donated again. As much as I loved them, they hurt my feet, so I decided to take my own advice from last week’s post and not sacrifice comfort for style.

That leaves me without any brown boots. I have one pair of tall black boots and four pairs of ankle boots in various colours and styles, so I don’t really need more, but since I love brown and it’s very much on trend this year, I might keep my eye out for a pair or two. After all, can you really have too many pairs of boots? 

Image: ChatGPT

Fashion and self-care

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What comes to mind when you think of self-care? Eating nutritious meals? Exercising? Getting enough sleep? Scheduling some “me” time? In reality, there are a myriad of ways that we can take an active role in preserving or improving our own well-being, but when I asked what comes to mind when you think about self-care, you probably didn’t think about fashion.

The morning ritual of getting dressed is an often overlooked aspect of self-care, but it plays an important role in our well-being. In fact, a common symptom of depression is difficulty showering and getting dressed.

There are times, like during the incredible cold snap that we’ve experienced here in Alberta recently, when getting dressed truly is a matter of caring for our bodies. Keeping warm and protecting ourselves from the elements is priority #1.

But dressing contributes to self-care in ways far beyond keeping warm. Taking care of our mental and emotional well-being is just as important as caring for our physical comfort and fashion can play a vital role in that. We’ve all heard the term “dress for success”, but dressing mindfully is about more than impressing other people. It’s also about feeling confident, comfortable, and empowered. When we dress in ways that make us feel good about ourselves, we’re also more likely to participate in other self-care practices like exercising, eating well, engaging with others, or getting out in nature. In addition, intentional dressing sparks creativity which is also good for our physical and mental health.

Please note that this is not a post about “retail therapy”. Retail therapy is the act of shopping for clothes to make yourself feel better which may or may not actually work. Instead, as I’ve done before, I urge you to shop your closet. Take time to put together outfits that enhance your mental and emotional state; that make you feel truly good about yourself. If there are pieces in your closet that don’t do this for you, that drag you down emotionally, consider getting rid of them.

In the dark days of winter and a time when what’s going on in the world around us might seem overwhelming, it’s easy to begin to feel like we’re in an emotional rut. In times like this, more than ever, we need the boost that looking and feeling good in our clothes can give us.

Staying chic in winter: essential outerwear tips

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logo-by-samIn response to last Friday’s post, one of my regular readers made this comment on Facebook… “In addition to your tips, there are two items I think will help you look put together. In our cold climate most people we meet will only see our outerwear, so I invest in a nice flattering coat and boots. They go a long way to creating good first and lasting impressions.” That reminded me of a hilarious story that has been told many times at my poor hubby’s expense. 

Many years ago when we were in the city for our annual teacher’s convention, we went out for dinner with a colleague who is also a good friend. It was a cold, blustery evening in early March. Hubby dropped us off in front of the restaurant and then went to park the vehicle. We were seated in the lounge while waiting for a table and our drinks had just been delivered when hubby came in to ask if I had some change for the parking meter. He was wearing a ratty old winter coat that I had been trying to convince him to replace for a very long time. I wish I had a picture to show you! It was bad! I gave him the change he needed and as soon as he left, the waiter came over and asked, “Ladies, was that man bothering you?” He thought hubby was a vagrant begging for money! Guess who bought a brand new winter coat the very next day!  

So yes, outerwear is important! It’s often the most visible part of a winter outfit and in many cases, it’s all that people see. Climate should, of course, dictate your choice of outerwear. Here on the Alberta prairie where temperatures plunge to -30ºC (-22ºF) and sometimes even colder, warmth has to be our first priority, but we don’t have to give up looking good in order to stay warm. Six years ago, I wrote this post about how to buy a winter coat. Believe it or not, I’m still wearing that coat and it still looks as good as it did when I bought it. 

If we lived where winters were less harsh, I’d maybe wear this coat all season long or perhaps I’d invest in a longer wool coat, but as soon as the temperature dips much below 0ºC (32ºF) I reach for the warmth of my insulated jacket. 

The second piece of outerwear that will keep you looking put together in the depth of winter is a good pair of boots. If I wasn’t such a frugal fashionista, I’d probably have a very large collection of those. I’m not really a fan of winter, but I do love boots!

Whether choosing tall boots or an ankle style, there are several important factors to consider. As with any footwear, comfort is my first priority. Part of comfort is warmth, so that’s another very important consideration. Wet feet equal cold, uncomfortable feet, so if your winters are rainy and wet, look for boots that are waterproof. Falling on an icy surface is a very real risk where I live and I don’t want to end up breaking a hip or a wrist, so soles that provide good traction are essential. Thankfully, there are plenty of fashionable boots that tick all these boxes. I do have a couple of pairs of ankle boots that are less practical, but I’m very careful when and where I wear those.

As with any footwear, keeping your boots clean and in good condition is part of looking put together. Using a water-repellant spray will help protect them from water, stains, and dirt.

So, now that winter is upon us, don’t forget that you can stay warm and still look good even when you’re out in the cold. 

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The closet cull

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Logo by SamThis is a follow-up to last Friday’s post in which I lamented the fact that I was feeling uninspired by my winter wardrobe and decided to do something about that by dealing with items in my closet that hadn’t been worn all season. 

First of all, I should explain that because the closet in our master bedroom is not large, I have clothing stored in more than once place. My half of the bedroom closet is what I would call my everyday closet. That’s where I pull clothes from most mornings when I get dressed. What was actually meant to be a coat closet at our front entrance, an entrance that we rarely use, is where I hang dresses, skirts, dress pants, and a couple of dressy tops that I would only wear for special occasions. The clothes in that closet stay there year round. It was the everyday closet that I had in mind when I decided to do this midseason cull, but now that I’ve started, I think I’ll push on and delve into the other one as well. Today’s post will deal only with the everyday closet though. 

My first step was to pull out the 14 items that had not been worn since I did my seasonal closet switch at the end of September. Fourteen items that had simply been taking up space. Two were pieces that probably should have gone into storage when I put my spring/summer clothes away, so since I’m pretty sure that I’ll wear them both again when the weather warms up, I moved them into storage. I hung the remaining 12 items in the empty guest room closet where I could look at them more easily and decide what to do with them. I knew right away that I wouldn’t wear 3 of them again, so those were set aside to be donated. After careful consideration, 5 were returned to my everyday closet and I’ve already worn 4 of those in the past week! That left 4 pieces. After trying them on, 2 have been set aside for some simple upcycling. Perhaps I’ll share those projects with you in a later post. That leaves me with just 2 pieces that I’m still undecided about. 

While I continue to ponder those two pieces, let me share three of the items that I decided to keep and how I styled them this week. 

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This cozy grey cardigan that had been hanging near the back of my closet all winter felt just right on a cold morning. I wore it over a column of navy made up of a basic t-shirt from Uniqlo and a pair of Old Navy jeans. I tucked the t-shirt in and added a belt. That bit of belt showing under an open cardigan or jacket creates the illusion of a more feminine waist for someone with a boyish figure like mine. Finally, I added a pop of colour with my red ankle boots. I wore this outfit while providing childcare at our church during a young Mom’s Bible study and then for a casual lunch date with hubby.

The black t-shirt, also from Uniqlo, and the animal print shirt are two of the other items that I hadn’t worn all winter. I don’t usually wear black close to my face because it makes me look washed out, but it can work well as a base layer under a colour that complements my complexion. For church on Sunday, I wore the t-shirt and my dark brown button front cords with a dressier jacket. Afterward, for a relaxing afternoon at home, I changed out of the jacket and into the shirt which has been in my wardrobe for many years. Later, when hubby suggested that we go out for dinner, I thought about putting the jacket back on, but decided not to. 

Now… back to deciding what to do with those last two items! 

Feeling uninspired

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Logo by SamHere on the Canadian prairie, I’ve been wearing my winter clothes for the past five months and as I look out the window at the big dump of snow that fell earlier this week, I know that I’ll probably be wearing them for quite a lot longer. Perhaps it’s the fact that the days are getting longer and we’re all beginning to yearn for spring, but at this time of year I become bored with my winter wardrobe. Staring into my closet each morning and trying to decide what to wear, I find myself feeling very uninspired.

So what am I going to do about that? I tried picking up a couple of new-to-me pieces at one of our local thrift stores in an attempt to add a bit of variety to my late winter wardrobe, but that didn’t do the job. One is a basic t-shirt that will probably show up on the blog at some point in the future. It fits into my wardrobe well and can be worn year round, but I wouldn’t exactly call it inspiring. I had thought about showing you the other item today, but when I wore it earlier this week, I still felt blah.

So, here’s what else I’m going to do. I’m going to take a deep dive into my closet with two goals in mind. First, I’m going to pull out anything that hasn’t been worn this season. That’s easy to do because at the beginning of each new season, I turn all the hangers backwards. Once I wear an item, I turn the hanger around. Anything that’s on a hanger that is still backward hasn’t been worn since I switched over to my winter wardrobe at the end of September. I’m going to take a close look at each of those items and ask myself why it is that I haven’t been wearing it. Then I’m going to either wear it or set it aside to be donated.

Once I’ve completed that midseason cull, I’m going to spend some time trying to figure out new ways to wear what’s left in my closet. It’s so easy to reach for the same old, same old over and over again, but that just leads to boredom. Hopefully I’ll come up with some new outfit combinations that help me feel a bit more inspired about getting dressed and if I’m successful, I’ll share some of those with you on the blog.

In my search for inspiration, I’ve also been checking out Merrick’s Art, especially her 4 Ways to Wear It blog posts and her videos on Instagram. You might want to check her out too.

Baby, it’s cold outside!

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Screenshot 2024-01-14 at 7.40.50 PM

That’s the weather report as I write and it’s 8ºC warmer than it was when we got up this morning! (-46ºC is equal to -50.8ºF) I’ve seen many comments on social media today asking how we live at these temperatures, so for those of you who can’t imagine surviving such extreme cold, here’s how we do it.

First of all, we stay indoors as much as possible. Many businesses closed this weekend and many churches cancelled their services. Though schools usually remain open, school buses, especially in rural areas, often don’t run. Central heating systems (forced air furnaces), often fuelled by natural gas, keep our houses warm regardless of what’s happening outside.

When we have to spend any time outdoors, we dress for the cold in layers that trap body heat and help keep us warm. In extreme cold, exposed skin will develop frostbite in a matter of minutes, so if we’re going to be outside for very long, we cover all but our eyes.

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Image: kawarthaNOW.com

Vehicles in this climate are equipped with block heaters. Most will start down to about -15ºC (5ºF), but below that, unless the vehicle is kept in a heated garage, the block heater needs to be plugged into a regular 110-volt outlet to warm the engine block and internal fluids like the oil and coolant. Wise drivers ensure that their vehicles are equipped with well-stocked emergency kits, extra clothes, blankets, and candles in case they’re stranded on the side of the road and have to wait for help.

This present cold snap seems especially harsh because, until now, thanks to El Niño, we’ve been enjoying an unusually mild winter. When I hear people saying that they’ve never experienced cold like this before, I’m reminded how old I am. While we haven’t seen daytime temperatures like these for 20 years, I distinctly remember waking up to -50ºC (-58ºF) one morning in late 1976 or early 1977. Hubby and I, both school teachers at the time, had only been married a for few months. After warming up the car, we attempted to leave for school. As soon as the vehicle moved, one of the tires, frozen solid, separated from the rim. We bundled up and walked to school! Thankfully, it was less than a kilometre away (about half a mile)!

One last thing that Albertans love to do to make winter more bearable is to get away to somewhere warm for a mid winter break. Hubby and I will be doing that soon, so more about that in future posts!

A hygge sort of outfit

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Logo by SamAll of our regular weekly activities have taken a break until after Christmas and the weather outside has been frightfully cold and snowy. Days like this are good for staying home and staying warm! I’m reminded of the Danish and Norwegian word “hygge” (pronounced hyoo’-guh) describing a mood of comfort and coziness. The lights on the Christmas tree, a couple of candles burning (a fire in the fireplace would be even better, but we don’t have one) and a warm cup of tea or hot chocolate add to the feeling. 

So what do I wear on a stay-at-home, stay warm, hygge sort of day? I don’t own any sweats and while it might be tempting to spend the day in pjs and a warm fuzzy bathrobe, that’s just not my style. No, instead I want to look put together while still feeling cozy and comfortable. Today I’m sharing one such outfit that has become a recent favourite.

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“Is it a sweater or is it a dress?” That’s the discussion that took place at the thrift store counter when I bought this cozy tri-coloured garment a couple of months ago. The volunteers operating the shop that day decided that it was a sweater and charged me accordingly, but technically, I suppose it’s a sweater dress. It could be worn over leggings or tights, but I usually choose to wear it as an extra long sweater over pants instead. These pants are a very old and much loved pair of uncut (no-wale) corduroy. They are so worn in the rear that I hesitate to wear them outside the house for fear that they’ll end up causing me major embarrassment! They’re so comfy that I love wearing them around the house though and under the sweater, they’re pretty safe if I do decide to venture out for any reason or someone drops in. The SoftMoc slippers that I bought over two and a half years ago are still going strong keeping my feet warm on winter days.

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