Defeating Old Man Winter

Spring is beginning to appear in many places of the country, warmer weather, thunderstorms, little bit longer daylight hours, all indications that the winter is leaving us. We have been cooped up in the house all winter, now we are suffering from cabin fever. What are some nice tips or means to cope and begin to refill your sun-o-meter?

Tip 1: Get outside! Even if it is to take a quick walk around the block with your dog ( or cat if brave), get out of the house, let some sun touch your skin. Nothing feels better then the touch of the sun on your bare skin( lets not get indecent though). Nothing in my mind kicks the winter blues like some fresh air and sunshine.

Tip 2: Open the windows on your car or home as much as you can. All winter long with high heating bills can leave your wallet a little tight. Don't complicate things by popping on the AC just yet. Use the windows to create a cross blow of wind and keep your house cooler. Also help air out that musty smell that has resulted from all winter with no windows open.

Make sure to drop your car windows( or better yet your car top) and let some of the air flow around your car. Get in the spirit of warmer weather, enjoy it! These are the times of year when it is not too hot, and not too cold.

Tip 3: Go to a park, or the mountains, or the lake and just walk a bit there. This time of year wildlife is starting to stir from their dens and winter nest. Birds are coming back, beer are emerging from hibernation, deer are out grazing, the world is coming alive again. Being the lucky person I am, I live just minutes for the Great Smoky Mountains National park, and so I get lots of time to enjoy wildlife at its finest. Saw approximately 30 deer just this weekend alone.

Tip 4: I am so hesitant to mention this, but yeah, yardwork. Get out in the yard, pick up the dead wood, any remaining leaves, and consider what you are going to do this year. Is it time to plant those seasonal flowers? Better check your local store and see when you need to get them in the ground. Check out the mower, your first yard mow of the year is fast approaching.

Hopefully you enjoy this time of year as much as I do, and hopefully this will give you some ideas of just how to spend these first few days of warmer weather.