How to Weather Winter: I'm always eager to leave summer behind so I can wear sweaters and boots and slouchy beanies … until I remember winter is cold! And sometimes gray and glum. Most of my friends take polar bear plunges into winter – rising early to see the sunrise, bundling up for brisk walks, playing pickle ball while I'm still trying to defrost. I'm embarrassed that I'm such a slug, but I have other ways to beat back the blues. A fiery red amaryllis blooming indoors. Hot lattes (glug), a shot of early morning sunlight (ugh),and everything fleece (UGGs). Wood-smoke candles and smoky Earl Grey tea. Carbs, yes, carbs—don’t judge me, Keto people! Easy homemade lentil soup (Slow sauteing and lemon are key.) Heated car seats--decadent as hell, but I love them. Reading in bed late at night under a pile of quilts. British crime shows on Acorn TV. If yoga, then yin. Cheese toast for breakfast. Vitamin D to fight depression. KN95 to fight Flurona. A humidifier to fight static hair. March 20 is right around the corner, but in the meantime, I'm happily hibernating.

You would think that at my age I’d have the dishes of a grownup, but a survey of my cabinets revealed a bunch of mismatched plates and bowls. Mismatched not in a charming, bohemian way but in an odds-and-ends, ragtag way. If I could start fresh, I’d order a complete set of Peach or Surf bowls and plates made by Rebecca Wood in her Athens, GA, studio. It would be a splurge I can’t quite justify, so I’m contenting myself with one of her mugs right now. And maybe a bowl. Or two. Definitely, no more than two. 

My New York friend who’s my guide to all things current and cool recently introduced me to Allison Russell’s music, and her album Outside Child is now one of my favorites. I could listen to the Nightflyer cut over and over. How did it take me so long to discover her?

At the beginning of the month, I downloaded a 31-day Suck Less calendar from Austin Kleon’s website and taped it to the inside of my front door where I’d see it every day. The idea is that any craft—in my case writing—requires consistent practice in order to improve. The calendar reminds me to sit down and write for a minimum of 15 minutes, and then I use a red pen to mark a big X through the day. I might use it next month to encourage myself to do a drawing a day. You can download a copy to print out here. Get your red marker out and pick a project to pursue.

I confess I was obsessed with the bizarre documentary series Cheer when it first aired on Netflix in 2020. I guess it’s a bit Bravo-ish, but I couldn’t look away. And now the second season is back! If you haven’t indulged in this guilty pleasure yet, I recommend watching the first season before delving into the new one.