the last things

wintering | last volume

Well, friends, we’ve reached the end of the wintering season. According to Punxsutawney Phil, we have six more weeks of winter, but over here, we’re wrapping up our wintering work. I hope rest of winter is gentle on you. I’m in the toughest mental health part of the year for me, so it’s time for me to log off, lean in, and push through until the ground warms up.

Thanks for taking this journey with me.
I hope this last letter finds you well.

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Morgan Harper Nichols

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in this wintering volume …

+ something to do
+ something to play
+ something to read
+ something to drink

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something to do :

Here are a few last wintering activities to carry you through the next few weeks:

• Take a slow walk on a cold morning. Breathe in the last of the crisp, winter air, and enjoy the quiet of the street before the world gets busy and loud again.

• Write a letter to yourself to read at the start of next winter. What have you learned? What’s been helpful? What do you want to do again next year? What do you want to do differently?

• Create an end of winter ritual. Take a weekly candlelit bath, collect some things to donate to prepare for a Spring clean, cook lighter, between-seasons meals, or try a new warm drink every day until it’s time to start putting ice in our drinks again.

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something to play :

• A cozy, immersive video game like A Short Hike or Cozy Grove.

• A slow, meditative puzzle or card game like solitaire, mahjong, or Florence if you like app games.

And let’s set the mood for game night with an end of winter playlist.

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something to read :

• The House of the Cerulean Sea

• Remarkably Bright Creatures

• The Daughter of Doctor Moreau

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a little note about citrus —

In case you didn’t know already — citrus is winter’s best fruit. It reaches peak ripeness in the colder months, which is great because that’s when we need it most. Flu A has wrecked our house this week, so we will be drinking, eating, and soaking in oranges for the foreseeable future. Here are some things you can do :

+ Immune boosting smoothies.
+ Make a winter simmer pot.
+ Dried orange decor.
+ Candied orange slices.

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something to watch :

A final cozy film before spring—maybe The Secret Garden, About Time, or a final Ghibli movie -Whisper of the Heart.

A winter-themed documentary—like Frozen Planet I or II, Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, or Winter Nomads

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I absolutely love this dopamine menu idea from the good trade.

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something to drink :

This drink is a caffeine free, turmeric infused drink, that’s a little grounding, a little up-lifting. It’s a lighter drink than some of the drinks we’ve been trying. Warm enough to count as winter, light enough to ease us into Spring. Also - turmeric has a lot of immune benefits that we can all benefit from right now.

Golden Mulled Milk

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk (dairy, oat, or almond)

• 1 tsp ground turmeric

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1-inch fresh ginger, grated

• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup

• ¼ tsp black pepper (helps activate turmeric’s benefits)

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• In a small pot, warm the milk over low heat.

• Add turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and sweetener. Stir gently.

• Let it heat for about 10 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

• Strain if needed and serve warm.

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This brings us to the end, my friends. I’ll see you soon to welcome in the Spring and start a new series. So grateful for you.

Talk to you soon.

- Kristej