The past week we finally got a taste of real winter: icicles at the cabin, a nice layer of snow, and temperatures down to -15 * C. The garden is full of life with hungry birds and squirrels around the feeding houses. The deer, on the other hand, are conspicuously absent. I suspect that the hunters have devoured the whole family that normally hangs around here :-(. Also no trace of the moose so far.

Even with the little extra light, both from the snow and the days that are clearly longer, I get a lot more done. I still have to work around the fatigue that is mainly caused by the long periods without sunlight. Some winters are super sunny but since the start of autumn, the sun barely shows itself.

Sometimes, when the light in the sky goes out, I fall asleep immediately- at 3 pm :D. Last week, I also had a week of flat rest after I hurt my back – presumably from a slip in the woods. At first, it didn’t seem like much, then the next morning my lower back felt sore and stiff and the walk only got worse. After I tried to massage my back myself, I suddenly couldn’t straighten at all. Ouch! Sitting upright, standing, walking, all impossible. Fortunately, it soon got better with some rest. By now, I glide happily through the garden again on my sled: D.

Through my Society6 I ordered a new notebook for 2021 (300% paper lover here) and an iPad cover. It might sound silly, but in sitting-at-home times, details like a fun cover fuel my creativity.