Tag Archives: winter

Brrring On the Warmth: Finding Your Cozy

There’s no winning as a Seasonal Fusser. That’s the title I’ve bestowed upon myself, a thorny crown that almost boasts a quality of perpetual discontent with the Canadian weather we each endure and endear. Emphasis on almost — because there’s a potential remedy to seasonal fussiness that I’m going to share with you.

Close-up image of a snowflake.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

First, a quick introduction: As a new member of the HOTS team (a big and sincere thank you to my colleagues for the warm welcome, by the way!), I must confess that my go-to conversation starter is typically rooted in the capricious. And amid these frigid conditions that sheathe our windows with curtains of frost, there’s no greater example than the weather.

So, here’s my two cents: I’m a fan of long summer days marked by cerulean, cloudless skies and bright rays of sun that infiltrate my windows. I especially long for it at a time when I’m often inconvenienced by slushy sidewalks, mountains of snow, and/or freezing evenings that darken before 5 p.m.

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War of the Weathers: A Short Guide to Surviving Winter Inside

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Gear up, everyone. I’m getting on my (probably second, it’s chilly out) pair of dueling mittens. Who knew you could turn something as mundane as tangentially related weather talk into a full-scale blog battle? Granted, I could have left my colleague Adam’s autumn defense post well enough alone and I’ve already made enough of an internet footprint on my thoughts on the cold months and their “joys”. But I submit to the court (of public opinion): where’s the fun in that? Therefore, I will not take this kind of (very fun and politely worded) slander sitting down or bundled up in too many sweaters.

Here I am, bravely waving the flag of the anti-winter camp in this Weather War. Again. Granted, I don’t mind being an army of one (my blanket burrito only has occupancy for one anyway), but in case I’m not the only person out there who refuses to step outside once I see white on the ground, I’ve put together a little survival guide full of library goodies to help you make sure you can be a winter hermit, grump, or Grinch to the fullest.

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Bringing the Outside In With Farming Sims

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If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you may already know of my hateship with Canadian Winter (which I may or may not have just typed with a giant stink face, it’s up to your imagination). The moment it starts getting somewhere below the 18-degree mark or mid-September rolls around, I start preparing for hibernation like I’m a small, grumpy woodland bear. Part of that is bringing out the winter wardrobe way too early. The other is an attempt to get the most out of reasonably livable weather any way I can, whether it’s going on a run, a much less intense walk, or sitting outside and cursing the sun for deigning to set before 6 PM (which it always inevitably does). When all else fails, as it never fails to do, I lumber my grumbly self inside and hunker down with the only way I can bring the outside in during the long, cold, grey months of winter (my beloathed): farming simulators.

If you’re not familiar with what I mean by farming simulators, let me give you the rundown. These video games are pretty much what they say on the tin: they’re (for the most part) an easy, go-at-your-own-pace experience where you design, manage, and care for your own little plot of farmland (plus a few adorably round and chunky animal friends). They’ve existed since the 90s and have had multiple takes on the genre, with their own niche mechanics and new additions. For the beginner or less intense gamer they’re great hours of fun, and if you hate the outdoors come mid-fall like me, they’re perfect. They’re characteristically colorful (unless you’re playing one of the more gothic takes like Graveyard Keeper) which means you get to completely ignore the lovely array of browns and greys outside your window while you game. Plus, many of the newer iterations of farming sims have a multiplayer function, so you don’t even need to brave the cold to hang out with your friends (and that’s a win in my book). Farming simulators are all the rage in the independent gaming sphere too, so if you want to support a small, start-up gaming developer look no further than games like Coral Island, Dinkum, or PuffPals Island Skies (which I’m looking forward to simply for the frog named Bean).

Since there are so many choices to choose from and only so much gaming time (unless you’re an indoorswoman like me), let me give you some of my top picks that you can pick up here at the library.

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