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PrintI Spy Something Red
How to Cure those Winter Blues
Outside my kitchen window, baubles of red and orange hang among the gray and brown branches. The Cardinals are here. The bright crimson males and the softer toned females are pairing now prior to the mating season. They are plentiful at my back yard feeders in February. Now and again, as many as fifteen visit at a time, waiting turns at the flat feeder. Against the grays and whites of a winter past its prime, I welcome the color. To entice them to return frequently, I load my feeders with striped and black oil sunflower seeds, which they eagerly munch.
Across the water channel in the scrubby woods behind my house, the shocking red stems of red osier dogwood, also known as red twig dogwood, etch the understory. The transformation has been subtle but steady since fall when the shrubby growth was rusty brown. Now the twigs are raspberry red. Juncos, sporting slate and white feathers, make a pleasing picture as they forage beneath the red osiers. To bring the winter cheer closer, I planted red osier dogwood in my side yard. Many landscape nurseries carry this attractive native shrub.
And here and there in the wilder spots near my house, rose hips, tiny red berry-like fruits create rosy accents in the landscape. These fruits of the thorny multiflora rose bushes are packed with vitamin C. The sweet outer pulp makes a tasty snack as I take a winter stroll.
Getting exercise is my number one trick for curing winter blues. A walk with kids, even if just through the neighborhood to play a game of “I Spy,” can be a great way to spend 30 minutes on a weekend. For the more adventurous, find a trail where the “I Spy” color game can bring surprising results. A 10-minute walk in bright sunshine elevates your endorphin levels and your mood.
Try the Riverside or East Race Trails in South Bend, the PumpkinvineTrail in Goshen/Middlebury, the River Walks in Mishawaka and Elkhart, or Riverfront Park in Niles.
February 2nd marks the halfway point of winter, and many of us have tired of snow and cold. But cheerful signs are all around us if we look!
Here are a few more tips for breaking out of the winter blues:
- Celebrate your winter-smile moments in a February journal, or scribble them on the kitchen dry erase board. How about the laughter of your kids building a snowman, the aroma of baking cookies, the fun of sledding or a warm visit with grandma?
- Do you feel as if the cold goes right to your bones? Try a sauna or a warm bath with candles.
- Fake summer! Try a “cookout” supper with hot dogs and s’mores. Set the table with a beach blanket for a table cloth.
- Take a class; make a craft. Occupying your time with new challenges, or finding time to have a family craft hour, brings a welcome change of pace.
- Listen and learn bird songs. Some scientists in Europe think that when humans listen to bird songs, it cheers them up. Perhaps because it is the sound of spring? Try this website to learn some songs of common birds: birdjam.com/learn.php.
