Beating the winter doldrums

[gordy28ca]

As I write this I realize compared to previous year winter of 2019/2020 has not been a beast

But personally winter is my least favorite season.  Most of the stuff I love to do like kayaking, hiking, camping, fishing and golfing are all a Sping to Fall deal (ice fishing excluded)

Over the years I have developed some of my own ways to cope but also interested in hearing others

We recently hit the RV show which was a fun way to spend an afternoon thinking of summer during the winter.  In a good year we try to head down south somewhere to get back to spending time outside in the sun and so forth.  I spend way more times on fishing forums like this one lol and I tend to read a lot more.  The last few years I have spent some time tying my own worm harnesses


Anyway latest post is up on this very topic 

https://www.northernjacks.com/post/a-summer-lovers-guide-for-beating-the-winter-blahs

Cheers

Andrew

[Hodgey1]

I used to be pretty good at beating the winter blues by actually enjoying winter. Where I live, winter starts around November and ends late March-early April, with some years getting 200” of snow. Skiing with my children and snowmobiling made winters fun and gave us something to look forward to when the weather turned cold.

Fast forward many years and now the kids are grown and raising their families, so skiing has ended and I am now experiencing the 4th or 5th mild winter in a row and have yet to ride my snowmobile. Couple that with caring for my elderly father and my own age creeping up on me and I’ve now reached a point of nearly hating winter.......

I would give anything for some warm, sunny weather and a cold beer while grilling out on the camp porch at Alwaki. I can see a day coming where my wife and I stay in the great white north only until Xmas and then retreat to somewhere warm and sunny till spring . Funny thing is, if you would have told me that 20 years ago, I would have laughed and said never .  How getting older changes a mans prospective 

[T-Bone]

I don't know...I still like winter OK. As much as I travel for work I'm usually somewhere warm at least once per month October thru April. In March alone I have Orlando, Nashville, Las Vegas, and Naples. I'm ready to play some golf though...I can tell you that...and I don't think I've seen the sun in at least a week.   

Hang in there kids...only about 6-weeks left until the weather starts to turn...

[gordy28ca]

I used to be pretty good at beating the winter blues by actually enjoying winter. Where I live, winter starts around November and ends late March-early April, with some years getting 200” of snow. Skiing with my children and snowmobiling made winters fun and gave us something to look forward to when the weather turned cold.

Fast forward many years and now the kids are grown and raising their families, so skiing has ended and I am now experiencing the 4th or 5th mild winter in a row and have yet to ride my snowmobile. Couple that with caring for my elderly father and my own age creeping up on me and I’ve now reached a point of nearly hating winter.......

I would give anything for some warm, sunny weather and a cold beer while grilling out on the camp porch at Alwaki. I can see a day coming where my wife and I stay in the great white north only until Xmas and then retreat to somewhere warm and sunny till spring . Funny thing is, if you would have told me that 20 years ago, I would have laughed and said never .  How getting older changes a mans prospective 

I feel similar Hodgey.  Growing up I loved winter, as a good Canadian boy I played a lot of hockey and so winter  = hockey (although now I think most kids playing competitively do it year round).  I loved to ski and go sledding
Now I just find its a drag and I am dreaming of golfing, going fishing or camping or just swimming off a dock lol.  I will say I am trying to ski in the next few weeks again with my daughter - maybe thats one way to get back into it

[gordy28ca]

I don't know...I still like winter OK. As much as I travel for work I'm usually somewhere warm at least once per month October thru April. In March alone I have Orlando, Nashville, Las Vegas, and Naples. I'm ready to play some golf though...I can tell you that...and I don't think I've seen the sun in at least a week.   

Hang in there kids...only about 6-weeks left until the weather starts to turn...

Wow - thats a lot of travel but I can see how that maybe breaks winter up into bite sized chunks lol
I loved Nashville the one time I went but funny enough we were there on a rare snow day and had to stay an extra night.  It went from low 70s to snow overnight
Cheers
Andrew

[Greg]

I'm with you guys... don't enjoy winter at all anymore.  Yes it used to be filled with hockey as a kid and when my kids were still playing, it kept us busy... but now... yuck.

I am looking forward to a trip south in February to Mexico and then mid-march there is a huge fishing show in Peterborough (moved from bowmanville) - I look forward to that.  Then mid April the boat comes out of the barn and I can start cleaning and prepping it.... thats how I deal with it... look forward to one thing each month.

Our group (5 of us) is now 162 days away from Kipawa... very anxious.

Stay warm.
Greg

[Hodgey1]

I will say I am trying to ski in the next few weeks again with my daughter - maybe thats one way to get back into it

I miss skiing with the kids, lots of great memories. I haven't strapped on a pair of ski boots in probably 7-10 years    Not so sure its a good idea anymore as the effects of being over 50 + 4 are catching up to me. My Grandson "7 YO" has been skiing 2 years now, so maybe I could take him and give it a try again. I have a small ski slope a mile from my home.

[limacharley]

I'm a director for the local snowmobile club-I help open the trails which could involve: cutting trees that have fallen, packing the trails etc
I also do trail patrol with the police. You catch people riding without insurance, trail pass, ownerships etc.
The OPP fine guys with loud pipes too...pipes bring a lot of complaints from the residents that live along the trails.

I also have a trail on my 92 acres that I maintain just for my pleasure. I help a buddy of mine snare wolves and coyotes on my land.
There's so many of them its scary. They are decimating the deer population. He's caught 19 so far. The 3 trappers I know snare about 100 wolves in a 10 mile radius of my land.
I don't want to see my beloved dog get carried away. That would be an awful. The wolf/coyote situation is political.

I keep busy cutting firewood and sell to a few good customers-this brings me $50/hour; I cannot keep up with the demand really.

I quit playing hockey in 2012-tired of the 10:30 pm games when I needed to be at work for 7 am and tired of the assholes taking a run at the good players.
The refs didn't do their jobs of giving penalties.

My wife and I like to travel of course to warn sunny destinations. The cold doesn't bother me yet. I embrace winter for now...

[SgtCrabby]

I have to agree, even I do not like winter,  and mine is much milder than y'alls. 
I even saw snow twice this year (it did snow, just not very much). 

But, I do not have to put my boat away or drill holes in the lake.
I had the boat out last weekend and plan to again this coming weekend with Dog.

[gordy28ca]

Well embracing the just get out there my last weekend was a full winter embrace
Tobogganing on Friday after school, indoor rock climbing w my daughter on Saturday and then skiing at a small hill in Brampton on Sunday all w my daughter
Was great and cleared the funk a bit but damm was I sore!  Ached in places I didn't know could ache lol
Cheers
Andrew

[Ozmo]

Some friends and I went to the Great American Outdoors Show in Harrisburg the other weekend. Had a good time looking around at the new boats and fishing gear. We also talked to quite a few fishing outfitters from Quebec, unfortunately the Kipawa region is not well represented there. We are planning a trip to Kipawa or lake Ogascanon this fall. Really looking forward to it.

[pmachelor]

New to the thread. I live in Arizona (high school teacher) and own a cottage in Quebec but down near Deep River, Ontario.  Google map it.      

Always loved Kipawa and always will.  Family had a cottage at the end of the first big lake that my Dad (who passed away three years ago yesterday.....sigh) sold for a song many moons ago to rescue one of my siblings from addiction/collapse (big mistake as she is now 64 and nothing has changed).   Our property is likely worth 20 times what Dad sold it for.   I was 14 and it broke my heart.   We were living in Niagara area (New York) at the time.   Still love WNY as well.

Anyway....time brings change and here I am married with a graduating senior 2nd in her class going to NAU next Fall.  Have owned the camp in Zec Des Joachims for over 20 years now and love it there.   

Anyway (2).....this is about winter doldrums.....I live in Casa Grande about an hour south of Phoenix and it's beautiful in the winter time....(forget summer!!).  I have one more year to teach and then change will come.   Who knows....maybe someone wants to check out our winter area and pay a visit.....Who knows....maybe someone will want to "rent" our house (very modest charge) in the future, play some gulf, run up to Sedona, etc while my wife and I are off on a trip.   God-willing....the future could hold some of this and maybe I can be helpful in relieving some of you fellow Kipawa Lovers of the winter blues.   

A friend.   Paul

[gordy28ca]

Nice - thanks for Sharing Paul

I have never been to Arizona but as a golfer its on my list!

[pmachelor]

Well.....never know!   Possibilities abound.    I'll be around!    Paul

[pmachelor]

Gordy28.....I'll try and check in on northernjacks blog now and then!