If you know me, you know winter is not my favorite season. Nevertheless, there’s an abundance of ways to stay warm and enjoy the beauty of this season both indoors and out. Here’s a few I got to parktake in these past few months.
- Snow Tubing!
One of my favorite aspects of living in Arizona is the ability to see and play in the snow without having to live in it full time.
Snow tubing for half a day in Flagstaff with friends was not only incredibly fun but also provided a great escape from the drudge of experiencing the cold winter climate without the benefit of a slick surface to fly down. We went to Flagstaff Snow Park. I’d never paid to tube at a place before, but its well kept tubing runs with break pads let us tube at screamable speeds without hurting ourselves, which is something I’ve done every time I’ve sledded or tubed prior. User error? I think not.
- San Tan Brewery Tour
While we got this as a Christmas present for our dad, the tour proved a great time for everyone involved. We stayed warm inside the distillery and got warm all over after getting to taste lots of delicious liquors and beers.
Seeing and hearing about all the equipment was such an eye opener. I knew brewing and distilling were complicated processes but had no concept of just how complicated. Did you know the first few batches of liquor made are poisonous? And that tasters determine when the liquor becomes consumable? I had no idea.
- Acapella Competition
This last one is certainly the most random, but possibly the most fun of the lot. My mom, sister, and I got to watch the ICCA Southwest Quarterfinal and it was so. stink’in. cool. I couldn’t recommend it more. Despite watching Pitch Perfect, I don’t think I believed talent like that existed outside of movies. But it does. And it was insane. I was in awe from beginning to end.
I’ve always found winter to be the most difficult time of year. Even so, I try not to spend it waiting for spring to arrive. Admittedly, though, a part of me often does. Enjoying the warmth found in time well spent with loved ones has always brought me out of my stupor and allowed me to feel warm at heart, even when I am, in fact, freezing. Cold and happy is a very good place to be, and if you find yourself feeling the same as me, I hope this will encourage you to relish the winter before spring comes along to help thaw us out.
Sierra Sage 