When a pandemic meets cold, dark, dreary weather, here are some tips on how to make it through –– inside and out.

Winter Walking

When the pandemic struck in March, I went on strike. Actually it was more of a sit-in, as in I sat in my house and did zero exercising. I think it was my subconscious way of protesting the necessary shelter-in-place guidelines and life turned upside-down.

By November, I’d had enough of my sedentary ways. I went out one Saturday with my dog Pepper and walked a couple of miles through my neighborhood of Pacific Grove. I saw deer and all sorts of birds. I tracked my steps using the Health app on my iPhone, and found I did over 5,000 steps without much trouble. I made up my mind then: I would walk five times a week, a little over 5,000 steps per walk. I downloaded the free Map My Walk app by Under Armor, which lets me track each walk on a map. An upbeat woman’s voice tells me when I’ve hit another mile. It takes me about 45 minutes to do each walk.

On one recent morning, it was 45 degrees with a “feels like” temperature of 39 degrees at the start of the walk. But I dressed in layers: long sleeve T-shirt, sweatshirt, warm jacket. About a mile-and-a-half in, I took off the jacket.

What I’ve noticed about these cold morning walks is the thing about exercise and endorphins is real. As scientists, medical professionals and mental health experts have been telling us forever, endorphins reduce stress and anxiety, relieve depression and boost mood. I start my walks feeling tired and down about the pandemic, the state of politics and people I know facing challenges. I end them with a general sense of happiness. The feeling usually sticks with me through the morning.

This winter, don’t let cold weather stop you. Set a goal, get off the couch and start walking. Wear layers and carry a mask in your pocket for when others are nearby. Listen to music or podcasts or audio books, if you like. I personally enjoy silence and a time of reflection. And enjoy the boost you’ll get from those endorphins. (PM)

Take a Trail Challenge

Outside is the place we can be even in the tightest of SIP restrictions. Of course, you’ve already been doing that and have been going to one of Monterey County’s many parks, but how do you turn your go-to spot into something fresh? Enter the Trail Challenge. This is not your typical athletic challenge where you want to score a fast time; instead, it’s enjoying the trails at your own pace with a goal to ultimately cover all the trails in that park.

How it works: Start with a trail map of your favorite local park, grab a highlighter pen and trail shoes (yes those are a thing and yes you can buy them locally). Start planning your routes. Then give yourself a month to hike, run or bike all the trails in that park. Highlight on your map as you complete a trail. And by the end, you will know a beautiful place you love even better. (KL)

Soup’s Up

Figuring out what to cook at home can be hard. But it can also be an opportunity to work on kitchen skills and explore new cuisines. Since it’s winter, why not dedicate yourself to preparing delicious, hearty soups you have never attempted before. For an even easier guiding principle, focus on the three main categories of soup – brothy, chunky, and puréed – and make one of each. A great option for brothy is kimchi soup and you can find all the ingredients at a local Korean market like Kim’s in Marina. Chicken tortilla soup fits into the chunky category, and now you have an excuse to go visit Mi Tierra market in Seaside. For puréed, perhaps make a root vegetable soup. Visit a local farmers market to pick up any combination of carrots, potatoes, parsnips, rutabaga, celery root, etc. Check out Carmel-based Chef Mary Chamberlin’s soup-based cookbooks at marychamberlincookbooks.com; she’s also done some virtual how-to sessions on soup-making throughout the pandemic. (AS)

Hot Water

I grew up in a family where a hot shower is advised as a remedy for just about whatever ails you: Need help waking up or falling asleep? Take a shower. Need a quick mood booster or relaxation? Take a shower. It seems like alchemy that hot water can have these seemingly opposite psychological effects, but a little research shows it’s not magic – it’s science. A 2018 article in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine compared methods of bathing, specifically comparing showering to “immersion bathing” (science-speak for taking a bath) and their takeaway is that the benefits of taking a hot bath are real, and superior to taking a shower. “[Bath participants] showed significantly better general health, mental health, role emotional, and social functioning scores,” according to the study.

If you’re going to spend more time immersed in hot water not just for cleanliness (but yes, that’s a motivator too – admit it, you have been taking fewer showers since SIP began) it’s a good idea to be conservation-conscious too. The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District in partnership with California American Water distributes free devices to this end, including shower timers, efficient showerheads and hand-held showerheads. You can also hit them up for $100-$200 rebates on instant hot-water heaters, so you don’t let the water run while it warms up (montereywaterinfo.org). (SR)

Marie Kondo Meets Swedish Death Cleaning

Unless you embrace a minimalist lifestyle, there’s a good chance you have too much stuff, and if you have too much stuff, there’s also a good chance that a portion of it doesn’t “spark joy,” a term coined by Japanese organizing expert Marie Kondo. Over the long pandemic months, you may have begun the process of examining your space and deciding what’s really necessary. If you haven’t, all you have to do to start is just start. Pick a drawer or a closet, embrace your inner ruthlessness and get to clearing. You can follow the Kondo method, in which she recommends you touch each object and decide if the item sparks joy. You can follow the recommendations of writer Margareta Magnuson, whose book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning tells about her effort to get her house in order, and offload what she doesn’t need or use, so her family didn’t have to do it when she dies. Most local donation centers like Goodwill are back to accepting used clothes and books and tchotchkes, or post your former treasures to Facebook Marketplace or Freecycle to help insure they go to a home that wants them, and not into the landfill. (MD)

Grow a Winter Garden

Tomato season is gone baby gone, and the delicate herbs like basil and thyme that grow well in pots during the spring and summer don’t fare well come winter. Time to pivot toward cold-weather crops, which can be grown almost anywhere regardless of how much space you have and don’t require a lot of attention either. Figure out what hardiness zone you’re in with plantmaps.com – Carmel Valley and Monterey are in zone 10a, for example, while Salinas and Soledad are in zone 9b. Snag a large pot, or carve out a section of dirt in the ground, but try to locate your pot or plot in a place that gets eight hours of sun a day. The site gardeningknowhow.com has a great list of what will thrive in the winter weather – kale, cauliflower, carrots, radishes and chard among them. Grab a packet of seeds, sow them according to the directions, give them some water as directed and wait. In a few weeks, you can be eating a kale salad you grew by yourself, or stirring a hearty handful of greens into a pot of soup. You might end up with so much kale, in fact, that you can share with your neighbors or friends. (MD)

Birds of a Feather

For those of us who have had it up to here with screen time during the pandemic, a perfect antidote lies right outside the nearest window, thanks to neighborhood birds putting on a show. Backyard birdwatching is free and as easy as setting a shallow pan of water out in a spot where you can observe. No need for messy bird seed or a pricey bird bath or fountain – birds of all feathers are attracted to water for drinking and bathing. Watching them primp and preen or squabble with others over access is entertaining.

Birds prefer a water source low to the ground, no more than a foot or so, according to birdwatchersdigest.com. The water level needs to be shallow, about two inches or less. Place some pea gravel or a few rocks in the pan to give them something to stand on. Stick a branch or something to perch on in the ground nearby so birds can flit to and from the bath.

For identifying birds around your home – or anywhere – use a bird book or try the free Audubon Bird Guide app, which includes a field guide for identifying over 800 species. It includes the ability to upload your own photos for identification, or look up potential birds by color, size, location and other attributes. There are hours of audio clips of bird songs and calls. You can also keep track of all your sightings. (PM)

Deck the Backyard

If you’re going to do a socially distant outdoor hangout, luckily you live on California’s Central Coast where “a wintry mix” is not going to cancel your plans. But it’s still cold out there. So bundle up – and invest in some weather-proof backyard gear. For rainproofing, consider a pop-up tent cover (the downside is this blocks your stargazing abilities) but make sure it’s open-sided – a tent with walls undermines your Covid-safe setup. There are a bunch of outdoor heaters and fire pits on the market, at a range of price points. Invest in a grill to cook outdoors. Does it seem overwhelming? Consider people like Maria Villagomez, a teacher who bought her Greenfield home in 2007, when the yard was just “a slab of dirt.” She started with just a hammock then chipped away at projects bit by bit, year after year, as time and money allowed. She found pergolas and seats at vintage shops. Working from home during the pandemic enabled her to go bigger. She’s now got fruit trees, a fire table (to maximize roasting s’mores), a grill with a smoker, a pizza oven, fairy lights. She sets up a projector to watch movies with her 8-year-old niece outside. “I’d always seen it as a total work-in-progress, then all of a sudden it just got to this point where I was like: This is what I wanted,” Villagomez says. “When I spend money on my garden, it’s not like I’m wasting it. I’m out here every single day.” (SR)

Sleep Under the Stars

Yes, we are all clamoring to go somewhere different than our house. But, pending further stay-at-home orders, you can camp right here in Monterey County, a good place for winter camping – the climate is mild year-round. I am talking about the kind of camping you drive a vehicle to, loaded with your warm blankets, a puffy jacket, food and of course, good, hot beverages. For the more adventurous type, tent camping is the way to go, but since it is winter, for more creature comforts you might rent an RV (or, for the ultimate coastal experience, rent a VW Westfalia Campervan). Campgrounds have shared bathrooms (unless you are RVing) and you may be wondering: How is this Covid-friendly? Pro-tip, fill a small spray bottle with rubbing alcohol to spray door handles, toilet seat and other shared touch surfaces. Make sure you have your mask on anytime you’re not at your campsite. Bring your down comforter (yes, we’re glamping now) for extra warmth at night. Despite the season, camping is still popular – even more popular with indoor activities limited – so make reservations ahead (recreation.gov and reservecalifornia.com) for sites at Plaskett Creek or Kirk Creek in Big Sur, Pinnacles National Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and more. Keep checking the U.S. Forest Service, national park and state parks reservation systems for when campgrounds reopen, as restrictions are continuously changing. (KL)

Chalk Cheer

One anonymous Pacific Grove resident has been spreading good vibes in the Del Monte Park neighborhood for the past several months by creating colorful chalk art up and down streets. New artwork appears in the mornings as if by magic. Creations have included an oversized decorated hopscotch board and a large flower using a manhole cover as the center. They usually include inspirational messages; each flower petal, for example, included a positive word like “sing,” “dance,” “laugh,” and “friends.”

To spread your own chalk cheer, pick up some sidewalk chalk available at most drugstores, art supply stores or toy stores. Brainstorm with family or friends some possible fanciful designs and make sketches ahead of your stealth art session. Create games for people to play, pathways to follow, inspirational messages or just something nice to look at, like a mandala image.

For something a little more ambitious, check out the Monterey County Free Libraries’ Maker Monday how-to video on its Facebook page for making stained glass chalk art. The six-minute video takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a beautiful sight for others to behold. (PM)

A Stitch in Time

The idea of using a skein of yard, a hook or needles to create something might seem intimidating, but it’s way easier than you might think. Using a loom makes it even easier, because you’re just passing the thread around the pegs, and somehow, magically, the thin strand becomes a piece of fabric. If this is your first time, you should start making a scarf or a hat using bulky or extra bulky yarn; you’ll weave it faster and finish it sooner. A thick yarn is perfect to get you a warm hat or a scarf for the winter or great handmade gift for the holidays. If you want a unique yarn you can pick a hand-colored one at Monarch Knitting. If yarns and knitting aren’t your thing, you can also purchase supplies for someone else (and maybe they’ll make something for you?). Playing with thread is a good project to keep the youngsters entertained or to help you relax in your leisure time. You can also make it a family venture and wear matching scarfs for the holiday postcard. If you don’t know how to start, a quick search online will show you thousands of tutorials and you can pick the stitch, the project and the instructor. (CJ)

Learn to Sketch

I come from a family with varying levels of artistic talent. My mother was a sketcher, particularly adept at faces. Several of my cousins were vastly talented with pen and ink, and some of their work decorates my walls today.

I was apparently born without that particular gene. I marvel at the artists who display their work and process on social media. There’s something special about being able to see something, funnel it through your brain and interpret it on the page in front of you.

For every problem, there’s a solution – in this case, there are a million free online tutorials to help learn the basics of drawing, but even better, there are also virtual classes available from local organizations like the Lyceum of Monterey, for not a lot of money. While the Lyceum’s 2021 schedule hasn’t posted yet, this pandemic year the Lyceum streamed a four-week series on nature journaling, no drawing or naturalist experience required, and held a marine mammal illustration class and a “drawing your favorite backyard critters” class open to all skill levels. With a sketchbook and a few pencils from Imagine Art Supplies in Pacific Grove, I might someday be able to draw more than a circle or square. (MD)

Keep it Crafty

You can turn pretty much anything into artwork with a few simple supplies like glue and scissors. There are easy crafts for any age group and skill level. And even in a pandemic, you can share artwork – write cards to people you cannot visit and put a stamp on them, snail mail style. If you need guidance on how to make cards, check out Sol Treasures’ range of upcoming virtual workshops, which include, on Dec. 11, “Crafty Christmas Cards,” followed by other seasonal sessions like gift-wrapping and wreath-making. If you’re home all the time, you might as well make your home a little prettier. Once you’re done with that, make wreaths for your neighbors to help them beautify, too. (SR)

Read an Actual Book

If the lack of sunlight or the low temperatures is deterring you from going outdoors to disconnect, you might try detaching yourself from your screen by reading books. Books, you know – made of paper, usually rectangular, tons of pages covered in tiny printed words. We have an excellent library system in Monterey County that’s offering curbside pickup, but you might also consider going to local bookstores, which are all small businesses worth supporting. Keep an eye for one of the books by local authors published recently and featured in the Weekly: a werewolf story, a chronicle of the battle against a planned oil refinery at Moss Landing and a debut novel that takes place in the P.G. author’s native India. (AS)

Kitchen Ambition

If I’m making dinner only for myself, a default meal might be bread and cheese. When I cook, it is frequently a variation of: Throw a bunch of onions and garlic in a pan, add whatever else is in the fridge, then mix it with some form or grain or protein. This is easy, requires little skill and includes zero recipe guidance. My motivation to read a recipe, buy ingredients specifically for that recipe and then commit to making anything more complex than bread-and-cheese or wilted greens for dinner has historically been that I’m hosting company. Now that that’s no longer a thing we do, why cook? For me, partly because it’s something to do after it gets dark at 5pm – ambitious recipes can take hours of planning, shopping, prepping and cooking, sometimes over multiple days with overnight marinades. Consulting cookbooks and repeating basic skills is also helping me learn more kitchen essentials I’m embarrassed not to have known my entire life (like how crushing a clove of garlic makes it easier to peel, or that you can cook pasta in the saucy ingredients that will impart flavor, and skip draining it). Start with quality ingredients by hitting local farmers markets; Everyone’s Harvest even offers virtual cooking demos via YouTube. Follow the recipe a few times to really nail it. Once you’ve perfected your new recipe, package it into glass jars to leave on friends’ and neighbors’ doorsteps – you can still practice hospitality, and get that extra kick of motivation. (SR)

Something Sweet

Milk, rice, cinnamon and sugar. Those are the basic ingredients to make a tasty rice pudding and enjoy it hot on a cold winter night, but if you want to bump up the flavor or textures of this traditional dessert, try these changes: Use raw milk to increase the creaminess or use condensed milk instead of sugar for a more subtle sugary taste. You can find raw milk at the Del Monte Center farmers market. Adding a cup of chopped almonds to the mix adds another layer of texture and a warm nutty flavor. If you are a chocolate lover, you can use it in place of some of the sugar. If you prefer it smoky and with hints of rum you can substitute piloncillo, the raw pure cane sugar that comes in a cone shape, that you can find at many Mexican stores. Just make sure you melt the piloncillo before you use it or break it into smaller chunks so it blends with the other ingredients. At the end, you’ll get a brown-color rice pudding. You can pair this brunette with a cup of chopped walnuts or maybe pecans. And if you dare, you can add a splash or three of rum. (CJ)

Nosh Plein Air-Style

It’s time to embrace eating outside for any chance of socializing. Whether you’re picnicking in a park, camping down the coast or dining in your backyard, you can go to town with your menu. For an easy and delicious route, tap into Elroy’s Fine Foods for prepared items from sandwiches and salads to full dinners. For any type of outdoor dining, make sure you have hor d’oeuvres to get the party started. Dips, cheese, salami and crackers are winners and they also come in dairy – and gluten-free options. Don’t forget the dishes and utensils. If you’re camping, bring a good stove. Try a panful of enchiladas, made on your camp stove, or create a pot of stew or chili, either in a meaty version or veggie-style. Pre-chop veggies and pre-cook meat at home to make your outdoor dining experience a little easier. Whatever your menu is, food has a way of tasting even better when you’re outside. (KL)