It’s late November. Winter is settling in for the long haul, and so am I. I’m always a bit of a homebody, but when the weather adopts an attitude of bitter cold and relentless snow, I get downright hermit-like. Mother Nature’s encouraging autumn whisper, gentling murmuring stay inside, where it’s cozy and warm has become an insistent demand. In the wind, she howls at me to HUNKER DOWN AND HIBERNATE, LEST YOU FREEZE and really, who am I to argue with such a tempestuous force?

With Thanksgiving behind us and my weight in carbs consumed, the process of hibernation is well underway. The next step is to find something to while away the ceaseless, frigid hours of Wisconsin’s longest season.

Some people have one or two hobbies they fall back on, year after year. I am not one of those people. My absolute favorite hobby is learning new hobbies. There’s something exciting, almost magical, about learning how to do or create something. If you’re looking for a new hobby to get you through the next few months, or to learn something new about an old hobby, the library can help with this. Here are some potential winter pastimes, with links to library resources.

• Cooking – learn some new recipes, attempt a new style of cooking, or bake something new each week. Get started with some Wisconsin themed cookbooks, or warm up the house with one of these baking books.
• Crafting – knit or crochet a hat to keep you warm, create jewelry to gift to friends and family, or join the upcycling movement and turn your old junk into something new and useful.
• Indoor Gardening – remind yourself what plants look like by gardening indoors or cultivate an herb garden to enrich your new culinary skills.
• Re-organize (or start organizing) – declutter your space or try a new organization.
• Paper Crafts – make some origami snow creatures, start a scrapbook, or learn some fancy handwriting techniques.
• Games and Puzzles – solve a jigsaw or crossword puzzle, play a video game, or break out a deck of cards or a board game.
• Learn a Language – learn American Sign Language or use your library card to learn any of 87 languages available on Pronunciator.
• Yoga – stay in shape without leaving home with some yoga DVDs or books.

And of course, you can always pick up a good book and just read. Fall back on an old favorite, or drop by Information & Reference for a recommendation.

Happy hobbying and I’ll see you next spring!