Michiana Hygge in the Fall and Winter

 Yes, I believe that hygge (pronounce hoo-gah) could be the Danish antidote to our frigid, lake effect prone, Michiana winters. But I also believe we can use the pleasantries of the “principles” of hygge to better enjoy the autumnal season. Hygge has become popular worldwide and for good reason. Put simply hygge means “cozy”. Hygge is setting up your surroundings into an atmosphere that you and others actually what to hang out in. It’s a big smack in the “winter blues” face and it can bring better quality of life in the fall season as well.

Things considered classically hygge are as follows: 

• The warm glow of candles

• Huggable throw blankets

• Simplistic decor

• Time with a good book

• Delicious food in moderation

• Get togethers, lively or intimate 

• Meaningful conversation

As a hygge participate, I have seen tremendous benefits of the practice over the last few years. And I can encourage you to cross over to the “light side”. A few autumns ago, I started lighting a candle or two every evening. Something as simple as enjoying the flickering glow of a favorite candle while I tidied up the house for the night completely changed my mindset. Not to mention, I found I had more energy to complete my night time routine instead of leaving my chores undone. The lit candles paired with the physical activity and time of day acted like a timer. As the sky outside grew steadily dim the candles increased in brightness. By the time my chores were done there was a cozy glow reflecting inside my house. My end of the day chores were completed and my mind and body could rest. I plan on continuing my “hygge-ing” throughout fall and through the winter months. My hope is that you will enjoy similar benefits by incorporating one of the things above into your daily routine.

Years ago I landed on the “Diane in Denmark” YouTube page and I’ve really enjoyed all that I have learned from her.  You see, Diane is a self proclaimed hygge expert and she’s helped thousands of people embrace this traditionally Danish ideal.  I even listed her on my July Freebie, “My Top 7 Inspirations” chart.  That chart is still in the freebies section of this blog and has cyber links to her channel and my other “inspirations”.  And this month’s freebie du jour has a nod to that hygge influence.  One of the items in my  Fall Bucket List is to “create that hygge atmosphere”.  Why not put it on your check list for the season?  You will get a chance to win a free download of my Fall Bucket List or my Fall Scavenger Hunt this month.  If you don’t happen  to win, both printables are available in my Etsy shop, Becoming Chic Designs.  See the shop tab to get redirected to my Etsy store or click here.  I truly hope my designs can help you and others embrace the season with open (sweater covered) arms.

To impress on you even more, the Danes just really know how to get along in winter. It makes sense if you think about them enduring a winter that lasts from October through April with an average of only seven hours of sunlight a day. So, their fall is cut short (we can relate some years).  I’d say the old adage of “out of necessity comes invention” rings true. So, this may come to no surprise that the Danes also have another weapon to battle long winters that we can borrow. It’s found in their saying, “There’s no such thing as bad weather only inadequate clothing”. Boy, is that convicting! With a little planning, you could be having your best Michiana fall and winter yet.

To help plan, ask yourself these questions:

• How will you prepare for fall and winter weather this year?

• Are you going to find time to spend outdoors?

• What benefits would outdoor time give you?

• What gear or set up would make your time outside more enjoyable? 

• Is there someone you can do your fall and winter activities with?

• Where will you go and what will you do?

Adding a mixture of hygge and the danish saying above would make a killer combo to kick “winter blues” good-bye, help lesson its affect and possible prevent them. The take away would be to get out and do and have your hygee oasis waiting for you on your return. Essentially, get your bodies moving, shift your mindset and make your home an abode. How will you hygge this fall and winter?

Source List

- https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/denmark-winter-guide-what-do-where-go/

  - https://www.iexplore.com/articles/travel-guides/europe/denmark/weather

Every Ending is the Start of Something New

 Hello there!  

The start of the school year has always been like the start of a new year for me.  Almost more important than the start of the calendar year.  And as much as I look forward to school (and yes, fall), I know it does my soul good to soak in each season with as much love as I can muster up.  So, what makes summer special to me?  Time with family and friends along with the awesome things God has given us to mark this season.  Like rainbows (they have been so abundant on the farm this summer), lush green leaves, flowers, a bountiful garden (not mine this year but that’s okay) and firefly nights.  My poem this month celebrates summer and may help you hang on it the final days of the season.  It’s titled “Firefly Kisses”.  I’d love for you to have a read, just click on the poems tab above.

As I mentioned it’s hard for me to contain my excitement for the new school year.  My children go to great schools and I have a little “Farmhouse Schoolhouse” currently called Miss Britt’s Place where I teach preschool and PreK to a handful of sweet children.  I’m looking forward to watching them grow this year and enjoying the innocent things they say and do.  For example on the funny things they say I’m sharing with you some memorable quotes from last year, all in the spirit of love.  I hope these bring a smile to your face:

-“I’m a people now.”

-1st kid: “What’d you eat for lunch?”

-2nd kid: “Chicken”

-1st kid: “What type? Like chicken nuggets?”

-2nd kid: “No, pork leg.”

-1st kid: “Don’t tear down my tower.”

-2nd kid: “Yeah, he’s a tear-er” (sounded like terror)

-“I sneak into my mom’s room at night and take eye lashes.” (Referring to mascara.)

-“Sanitizer is coming to town!” 🎶

-(reportedly) “I wrote my name in spit!”

-1st kid: “I’m driving!”

-2nd kid: “Yeah, you’re driving me crazy.”

-(Tasked with saying something nice to someone.) 1st kid: “You’re cute.”

-2nd kid: “I’m not cute! My mom says I’m handsome.”

-1st kid: “Can a bird and a cat get married?”

-2nd kid: “ No!” (Laughing and then paused) “Who would drive the car?”

-“Our family is going to save up enough money to buy an RV. Then

we are going to buy Florida.”

-1st kid: (Drawing a face.)

-2nd kid: “What are those?’

-1st kid: “Those are booger holes.” (Referring to nostrils)

Oh wow!  Guys, write these moments down!  You won’t regret it!  

I have one more thing to share with you about the upcoming school year.  I’ve opened up an Etsy shop called Becoming Chic Designs.  My very first offering is a First Day of School penned flag for printing at home (or your favorite print shop).  I’d love for you to check out the Shop tab above to see the flag options or the Freebie tab to see how you can win the file for free!  Those first day of school photos are treasured in my home.  If you think summer is ending too soon or you’re excited about school starting up, there’s something for both those sentiments here.  

Until next time! Blessings to you and yours,

Britt

A little inspiration

 Hello again!  Today’s anecdote is about finding inspiration.  Recently, I have found inspiration via a “wild” hair lamb named Jack.  (Jack was of the Katahdin sheep variety and instead of having wool, they actually have hair.)  Now, he may have looked cute with his white stubby little body covered in big brown spots but he was as stubborn as they come.  He couldn’t hardly stand to be separated from his hair lamb buddy, Asher (yes, we got a pair of them).  Part of Jack’s stubbornness was his refusal to walk anywhere.  Oh, and he also was into asserting his dominance with head butting. Sounds super fun, right? One evening before fair week, in an effort to work with the hairy boys (as I so lovingly called them) my children haltered up Jack and had a time of it getting him to walk over to the yard and setting him up in a mock show to prepare him for said 4-h fair.  Meanwhile, my husband and I were nearby shearing lambs.  Asher waited for his friend to return rather impatiently and when he did return, it was Asher’s turn to try walking solo to the mock show ring.  If Asher waited impatiently, then I’m not sure how to describe how Jack waited.  But I guess you could say he waited like a team of high-school linemen ready to storm the field on homecoming night.  That’s because Jack decided he really couldn’t wait.  He got airborne and jumped over the 3 foot wall and split the wall of chicken wire above it straight in two!  Just like a fleet of footballers busting through a paper banner.  This all happened about 10 feet in front of my eyes and the event lives rent free in my mind.  (The reason the hairy boys where in a chicken coop is a whole different story, for a different time.). Jack, my inspiration, was for a few seconds ridiculous yet glorious at the same time.  He didn’t care what he looked like, he just had determination to get where he wanted to go.  Jack was an inspiration or some may say, a lesson. I’ll let you take what you want from this event.
Easily said, I usually get my inspiration in more straight forward and conventional ways.  Inspiration isn’t everything but it’s important.  Things that inspire us, motivate us to move forward in a direction that propels us towards a better self.  Even if we’re inspired for a  single moment, that moment can be like a fresh breath to carry us through hard times.  I like to share with you this quote on inspiration.  “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do” -Kobe Bryant. I think that’s true and in this digital age, there’s more and more things and people online that inspire us on the daily.  This month, I’d like to invite you to explore some of my inspirations found on the web.  They are a modge podge of people and published items.  Each with a little different influence on my life at the moment.  The lady that inspired me to wear “presentable pajamas” (per last blog post) is for sure on the list. View “My Top 7 Inspiration Chart” over to the freebie page tab.  Each inspiration is hyperlinked for easy exploring.  There’s also a free outline for you to make your own inspiration chart.  Stay inspired friends!  

Trying new things out

 Welcome to my first blog entry! This is a spot where I can share my journey of becoming “country chic”.  Some might say I’m closer to being a  “country chick” more than I am to being “country chic”. Nothing wrong with that but I’m looking for a lifestyle that reflects who I am and where I want to be.  It’s a multifaceted approach with tips and advice I’ve collected over the years layer hen layered in with my own novel ideas, freebies, original poems and more. Below is an anecdote that better illustrates my endeavor for merging the “finer things” with my rural lifestyle.

Lord knows I try. Like recently, one Sunday morning we had time before church to sit down and eat breakfast together (all five of us). I tried to get everything ready for us to eat alfresco on the back porch. A few days before, I had set the scene with a newly purchased cute floral outdoor rug from Walmart, a large umbrella off of Facebook Marketplace, and our outdoor seat cushions I pulled out from their winter storage. There were also two pots of petunias that graced the top of the hand-me-down patio table and the cushions (that just happened to coordinate with the new rug) were on our hand-me-down chairs. (Jury’s still out if the umbrella goes with the overall motif.) Listen, it was looking good and I was looking past all the repainting that was needed to freshen up things even more. (That’s a later me “problem”.) Right then, I was basking in how far along the patio area had come and how breathtakingly beautiful the sunrise was as it came up over my neighbor’s house, over our field, and continued its reach over our woods. I wrapped my fuzzy robe around tighter and breathed it all in. For a morning person, it doesn’t get better than that! With the expectation of coffee and food to be consumed shortly; I was having a moment. I didn’t care who saw my curly mop of bed head or my bare face. But, to my credit, I was wearing “presentable pajamas” as Jennifer L. Scott calls them (more on that here.) Even my slippers looked nice. They are a deep blue with a large blue bow on top. (I love my robe and slippers…it needed to be declared.) The drinks and spoons were making their way out to the table and things were going swell when a dreaded buzzing noise sounded off. Next came the appearance of not one but five yellow jackets. The children were unsettled as you can imagine. I was undaunted because, well, this mom wanted her alfresco eating experience and would figure out how to get it. So, there I was, out there in my fuzzy robe, presentable pajamas, and coordinating slippers and I plugged in my vacuum and brandished the extension hose like a warrior princess (sans the stereotypical warrior princess cry). My children pressed their bodies up to sliding glass door and watched in the safety of the dining room as I bravely eradicated the yellow jackets via vacuum, pulling them to a dusty death. (My fabulous hubby was cooking breakfast at the time of the “event”.) My determination paid off because a few minutes later we did eat alfresco. Every now and then I would pop up out of my chair and suck up some more yellow-jackets as we continued our breakfast. It was a morning to remember, all together on the porch, with the sunrise before us…. and the buzzing vacuum behind us. 

For more inspiration 😉 check out my current freebie “From Pasture to Polished: 7 ways to remain classy on the farm”. And my original poem “Moon: A Farm Poem” about those times when you accidentally forget to do your evening barnyard feeding chores until late at night.  

Thank you for reading, 

With love, 

Brittany J. Fox