Day 107 of 365 - Just A Snowy Day, and Almost Full Moon
We are finally having what feels like a real winter day and more typical January weather. Snow has been falling steadily all day with enough accumulation for shoveling. Winter boots are actually needed for walking. It's cold and the snow is the fluffy, powdery kind. I expect skiers will be happy about getting some at last.
Looking out at the blanket of white and walking in it for a bit this morning brought to mind memories of a children's book we used to own. It was called Just A Snowy Day by Mercer Meyer. It was a board book with various flaps, tabs and textures for the child to experience along with the Little Critter character who was the star of the story. It was a favorite.
I was also reminded of how much our boys used to enjoy going out and playing in snow like this, making snow forts, rolling around, and chasing one another. When they were old enough to go to a neighborhood park with a good hill, they would also go sledding. When they got too cold they would come inside to warm up with hot chocolate.
Wintertime evokes many fond memories of my own about playing outside as well. As long as I was bundled up I loved the cold, crisp air and the freshness of the snow. One game we enjoyed playing, after stomping the design for it in the snow, was a variation of duck, duck, goose. You ran around in a circle pattern with wedge shapes. It's a tagging game. We also had a backyard ice rink some years, or others in the neighborhood did, and I enjoyed skating.
Becoming more tolerant of cold apparently has many health benefits. It can be a good form of stress for the body when increased on a gradual basis. It's called hermetic stress, which increases adaptation and resilience Some benefits are increased metabolic rate, fat burning, improved insulin sensitivity and more.
Wim Hof, a Dutch man has developed breathing techniques which have allowed him to withstand extreme cold for long periods. He leads programs and there are also online resources to learn his methods, for those so inclined. He has been the subject of scientific study to examine the effects on various bodily systems.
Though I believe the results and have seen videos of this man doing long hikes in the snow, wearing only a pair of shorts, or dropping through a hole in ice to swim underwater in frigid temperatures, this has no appeal for me. I'd much rather be bundled up when I'm out in the winter.
Apparently, doing smaller exposures of cold, such as ending your warm shower with a minute of only cold water is also quite beneficial. Still, not appealing for me. The cold air on my face when walking in winter or the chill in the bedroom air from having the window cracked open at night is enough for me at present.
P. S
As an aside, in case you are reading this on January 19th, the day it is posted, tomorrow night there is a full moon and total lunar eclipse. It is the only total lunar eclipse of this year. It's also called a Super Moon and Blood Moon because it will be relatively close to the earth and looking larger, as well as having a reddish tinge. It will be visible in all of North America, so, if it is a clear night you may wish to have a look.
Looking out at the blanket of white and walking in it for a bit this morning brought to mind memories of a children's book we used to own. It was called Just A Snowy Day by Mercer Meyer. It was a board book with various flaps, tabs and textures for the child to experience along with the Little Critter character who was the star of the story. It was a favorite.
I was also reminded of how much our boys used to enjoy going out and playing in snow like this, making snow forts, rolling around, and chasing one another. When they were old enough to go to a neighborhood park with a good hill, they would also go sledding. When they got too cold they would come inside to warm up with hot chocolate.
Wintertime evokes many fond memories of my own about playing outside as well. As long as I was bundled up I loved the cold, crisp air and the freshness of the snow. One game we enjoyed playing, after stomping the design for it in the snow, was a variation of duck, duck, goose. You ran around in a circle pattern with wedge shapes. It's a tagging game. We also had a backyard ice rink some years, or others in the neighborhood did, and I enjoyed skating.
Becoming more tolerant of cold apparently has many health benefits. It can be a good form of stress for the body when increased on a gradual basis. It's called hermetic stress, which increases adaptation and resilience Some benefits are increased metabolic rate, fat burning, improved insulin sensitivity and more.
Wim Hof, a Dutch man has developed breathing techniques which have allowed him to withstand extreme cold for long periods. He leads programs and there are also online resources to learn his methods, for those so inclined. He has been the subject of scientific study to examine the effects on various bodily systems.
Though I believe the results and have seen videos of this man doing long hikes in the snow, wearing only a pair of shorts, or dropping through a hole in ice to swim underwater in frigid temperatures, this has no appeal for me. I'd much rather be bundled up when I'm out in the winter.
Apparently, doing smaller exposures of cold, such as ending your warm shower with a minute of only cold water is also quite beneficial. Still, not appealing for me. The cold air on my face when walking in winter or the chill in the bedroom air from having the window cracked open at night is enough for me at present.
P. S
As an aside, in case you are reading this on January 19th, the day it is posted, tomorrow night there is a full moon and total lunar eclipse. It is the only total lunar eclipse of this year. It's also called a Super Moon and Blood Moon because it will be relatively close to the earth and looking larger, as well as having a reddish tinge. It will be visible in all of North America, so, if it is a clear night you may wish to have a look.
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