The past few days when I wake up in the morning, usually between 6 and 7, I can feel the change. And not just the time change. I hear birds singing in the morning, instead of hearing the radiator hiss. As the sun appears I see water dripping from the roof as the snow piles in my backyard get smaller. Spring. Well, almost.

This past winter, dare I say it, hasn’t been so bad. Typically winter is when I’m holed up in my house, miserable and grumpy. This year I made the effort to actually leave the house. I had breakfast with friends. Shopped. Went to a mall spa. Wandered a local museum. I even snowshoed and went on a few hikes when we had strangely warm weather! But I also had quite a few things that helped me get through winter, and we’re not quite done with it yet, so here’s my list: