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GRWM

Winter has arrived!

We had a frosty Halloween, Berenstain Bears so bundled, we should’ve been hibernating.

Christmas clocking in at an awkward 54 degrees.. my winter boots and wool socks sitting idly by as I slip on… Fastenal tennies?

And now, in the middle of January, I wake to -5 degrees and a half foot of snow in all directions. I wonder about the woodstove and the goats. For some reason, I wonder less about the chickens. I have a healthy assumption of their sturdiness.

After the usual egg breakfast, my wool socks sit idly by no longer. My Darn Toughs are in healthy rotation as I tuck them under by Berne bibs and into my LaCrosse boots.

Yes, I have finally found the right combination of clothes to keep me warm in every temperature. Cheap sweatpants under Berne bibs and any old sweatshirt will do as long as it’s under my Duluth Trading shoreline fleece jacket. A thick hat, girthy neck gaiter, and insulated deerskin mittens are also essential.

While some people advertise their skin care routine with a level of enthusiasm that surprises me, I can now relate as I write out the details of donning my perfected winter wear. I finally feel like I have a routine worth advertising!

I notice the joy that grows in me as I slip my feet into those Darn Toughs. Perhaps this joy is something akin to rubbing tingly serums on your under eye.

(In an attempt to report the use of serums correctly, I do admit to googling “skin care routine” and going into a mini deep dive. What a world!)

Within my Google research, I was surprised to find that there are commonly 5-10 steps to this phenomenon. This only validated me in my desire to share the value of a thoroughly tested routine.

I will now move forward with discussing winter wear in a 7 step format, something that might be reminiscent of your favorite skin care regimen. GRWM.

Step 1: Cleanse

For me, this means a stern cup of coffee with plenty of additions. Personally, I use the Homestead Honey Farm brand, a well-crafted and local purchase in addition to Organic Valley half and half. Multiple sources discuss the importance of cleansing morning and night. I couldn’t agree more. If my Norwegian roots have proved anything, it is the value of stiff coffee at all hours, a true cleanser of the soul, mind, and body.

Step 2: Toners

I actually had no idea what this was until I took to reading about it today. After reading a few articles, I am still highly unsure. The purpose seems variable, almost subjective, but the most relatable application may be to “rebalance”. As that morning cup of joe oozes into my neurons, I certainly begin to feel rebalanced from the inside out. While my innards are warm and ready, my outtards are still bra-less and in dissaray. After some tooth brushing, tying my hair back, and contact lens application, I consider a bra to rebalance the girls. With a little stability, I am ready for the day.

Step 3: Exfoliation/Masks

I learn that masks and exfoliators come in many forms. Lord knows I have tried every mask under the sun! From the balaclava to the fleece neck gaiter to the weird form-fitting neoprene option, there are masks for every face. After much trial, I landed on the only one that I haven’t lost- a thick 1/3 wool and 2/3 acrylic gaiter gifted to me from my mom in 2010. So, for the mask options, I have stuck to this slightly itchy old timer, mostly because it ran out of opponents.

Step 4: Serums

It appears that serums are used as underlayers of sorts. This applies perfectly as I don my $9 sweatpants and whatever sweatshirt I see first. While some influencers may tell you to buy the top shelf serum, I commonly scavenge my underlayers from the bottom drawer or the dirty laundry pile.

Step 5: Moisturizer

Now, this is where inescapable joy infiltrates my entire system. This is when I want to scream my seven step routine from the top of my lungs, perhaps on an Instagram story, or more commonly, within the confines of my burgundy colored garage.

As I slip my toes into the silky soft Darn Tough socks pulled fresh from the dryer, I smile a simple smile. What a luxury! No peptides or retinol needed, just natural wool to keep my skin feeling soft and warm. Now, remember, as you age, you will need more expensive moisurizers… I mean socks, to keep your skin feeling vitalized! Darn Toughs are worth every penny! The secret to true radiance!

Step 6: Eye Care

I am reading a lot of hoopla related to the eye. Apparently, there can be a lot afflictions such as crow’s feet, dark circles, and even puffiness. In my humble opinion, the fresh air and sunshine we are about to engage in will most certainly affect your ailments. You can expect to be squinting or laughing, actions sure to cement those gorgeous wrinkles! However, a good thick hat will be the ticket to preventing runny eyes which often lead to frozen lashes- a look you may or may not be going for. I don’t have a particular recommendation in brand of hat. There are many looks and styles. Just make sure that the hat covers your ears and not your eyes. Whether you suffer from fine lines or dark circles, it really doesn’t matter, as long as those beauties can show you the magical wonderland you are about to embark on.

Step 7: Makeup

We are now on our final step of this routine! This is the where we bring our uniqueness to life. For me, I was always told “Carhartts, Carhartts, Carhartts!” but just last year, I discovered the Bernes. With a women’s size perfectly tailored to my short stature, I am sold. I am here to tell you, pick the makeup that accentuates your attributes! For me, this meant doing away with the child-sized Carhartts and buying into the slightly less known Berne women’s insulated bibs. Finally, a short sized option for a person with hips.

Like red lipstick before going out on the town, I paint on my red Duluth Trading fleece coat adorned with leftover hay from my last visit to the goat’s clubhouse. I quite literally brush my shoulders off.

On go my LaCrosse boots with the thick heel. They are hot hot hot in whatever definition you choose to use.

Lastly, the essential insulated deerskin mittens- finishing off my signature look, making me feel invincible and ready to handle some wood.

Now, after completing my GRWM tutorial, I find myself perfuming my body with the scent of burnt firewood. This is a bonus to my morning routine. I smile as my eyes squint in the smoke of the woodstove- sure to secure those hard earned fine lines. I admire the glimmering snow, a sight so welcome after our 50 degree Christmas.

I remove my gloves as I get to the goats, eager to pet down into their winter coat, assuring myself that they too are staying warm in these negative temps.

I talk to the 22 chickens as they strut around like queens, always unbothered and always delivering- still well over a dozen eggs a day.

I march through the snow to see the creek- freezing now- a delightful sight.

I stay outside longer to hike up the state land just to stand among the pines. I feel both significant and insignificant here, one with the winter world, warm and happy.

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It Takes A Village

Belonging. Love. Acceptance. No matter what human you come across, that human desires each of these things. We all do. The crabby coworker, the drunk uncle, the friend who never returns your calls, the introvert, the extrovert, that guy in The White House who tweets nonsensical criticisms, and everyone you love or despise, they all want these: belonging, love, and acceptance. I will refer to these three desires as “a village”.

In 2018 until the spring of 2019, over 300 tents accumulated in a small area alongside Highway 55 in Minneapolis. These tents became a village of homeless people who now made a place they could call home. I drove past this community on my way to work and often pondered the good and the bad of a place like this. Of course, living in a tent in winter was unsafe, drug use was prevalent, and sanitation was challenging. However, people who once felt alone and vulnerable to dangers on the street now had a village- people nearby that would support them, check in on them, or simply accept them. I get it.

After passing the hundreds of tents and pondering a life experience outside of my own, I get to work. I’ve been a nurse for eight years now and four of them have been in the area of rehabilitation- rehab of trauma, stroke, burns, amputations, spinal cord injury, etc. I have found that the two factors that most contribute to quick progress and good outcomes are these: the patient’s health prior to injury (the healthier then, the better they heal now) and their village or the amount of support and involvement that surrounds them now. Do they have a horde of family or friends or at least one or two tried and trues that check in daily, bring food, decorate their room in photos and cards, make them laugh or let them cry in company? Without doubt, that patient will heal better and faster.


Belonging. Love. Acceptance. Having a village and contributing to one too. These are human necessities. Forget our modern society’s idea of necessities- a big house, new car, or big paycheck. I’ll take my little floating home, rusty old truck, and part time schedule any day. It’s the village I can’t live without. I need my family, my friends, and my neighbors to stay sane, healthy, and quite literally afloat. My baby boy needs them too.

I gave birth to Hutch on January 9. On the evening of January 11, it was time to go home. I fed him at the hospital as Michael packed up our stuff and brought in the carseat. After Hutch was fed and bundled up, I put him in the carseat. Eager to get on the road, Michael quickly fastened the carseat latch at Hutch’s chest, and the plastic latch broke. Michael tried to repair it to no avail. He showed the nurses. After they asked why the latch looked melted (part of Michael’s repair attempt), they told us we would need to get a new one. Michael drove to WalMart (a store we recently vowed to boycott which is a whole other story) to get a new carseat. An hour later, Michael was back. We opened the “new” carseat and put Hutch in it. It wreaked of cigarette smoke… WTF. We ruefully continued with our departure, hurrying home to get Hutch out of this cigarette basin as soon as possible.


What Michael and I did not know is that the river level had risen two feet in that single day. Our life on the water revolves around the attitude of the river and for the last five days, our focus was diverted to meeting and loving our little boy. We forgot to check in with Ol’ Man River. The river height was 10.8 feet this day when it usually sits around 7 feet.

Ice dams had caused the rise. As we carried Hutch across the island in the dark in 12 degree weather, we came upon the flooded center portion of the island. One of our neighbors had left a canoe for himself and the other islanders to traverse this section. Hutch very quickly had his first canoe ride. We came upon another flooded portion. We didn’t have our headlamps but the moon was full. We thought we could walk this part. I had my knee high boots on; Michael did not but felt fine getting his shoes and pants wet. We went separate ways, each believing one way would be better than the other. We both got soaked. The water went past our knees, into my boots, and after this, we could not wait to get into our warm little home.

Another unexpected circumstance greeted us as we opened the door to our boathouse. The batteries had drained down to nothing, and the usually cozy boathouse was sitting at 32 degrees Fahrenheit. I wanted to cry. I was exhausted and holding my bundled and hungry baby while feeling like the worst mom to ever walk the planet. First, he had to ride in that disgusting carseat. Now, we didn’t even have a warm home for him.


It was 7pm when we got to our cold boathouse. It would take the rest of the night to charge the batteries and reheat our home. In that moment, we were wet and without warm shelter, but we were not without our village. We could have traversed the island again to stay with our land-dwelling relatives or we could walk the 30 feet to our neighbor John’s house.

We called John. As always, he was there for us. He happily put us up for the night- a night that involved many instances of baby cries, lots of breastfeeding- something I was still getting used to and was quite the process, and a full takeover of his main room with a bassinet set up, diaper supplies, etc. We were welcomed and warmed.

I recently read a book by Sebastian Junger titled “Tribe”. It discussed the value of a village and the detrimental effects of not having one. As always with books read, I wrote down some of my favorite quotes.

The following two quotes ring true to me as I recall comfortably sitting on Neighbor John’s couch feeding Hutch as he watches the Tennessee Titans upset the Ravens in the divisional playoff game:

“Some people are generous. What made him different was he had taken responsibility for me.”

“Robert Frost famously wrote that home is the place where when you have to go there, they have to take you in.”


In an increasingly individualistic society, I choose to rebel in small ways. I choose to be vulnerable and allow others to do the same, to keep my door open and lack hesitation in entering the open door of another, to live minimally and buck the culture of consumption, and to share experiences, stories, and life with a village of people both similar to and different than myself.

I choose to raise a son in this ever-growing village of love, belonging, and acceptance. I hope to allow him the priviledge of knowing a plethora of human experiences outside of his own. It takes a village. It always has.

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