Happy Wednesday! I am joining Joyce for a quick hodgepodge of questions. These five questions are going to be fun, so let’s get to it!
1. What kind of winter person are you-snow lover, fireplace snuggler, winter adventurer, or indoor hibernator? Elaborate. First and foremost, I am not a winter person. I am a summer person. I love it hot, humid, and a little hotter.
To answer the question though, I am most definitely not a fireplace snuggler. I don’t love a fireplace and I don’t want to snuggle in front of it. I am not a snow lover or a winter adventurer, but I also don’t necessarily hibernate. Hmm, this is a tricky one. If I am inside and it’s cold out, I’d like to do hibernating things – read a book, do a word search, read some blogs while under a blanket. However, I don’t let the cold weather hold me back. It’s not my preferred weather, but I will go out in it. I prefer to walk outside and I like some fresh air with sunshine every day.
2. The Pantone color of the year is cloud dancer, described as a gentle, billowy off white shade. The color symbolizes ‘peace, clarity, quiet reflection, renewal, and a soft reset’. Of the terms just listed which do you need most in your life this winter? I think I am ready for renewal and a soft reset. It is always nice to have a small reset to start the year. I also am ready to renew a few things for 2026.
3. Every cloud has a silver lining, on cloud nine, head in the clouds, storm clouds gathering, or cloud of suspicion…which ‘cloud’ idiom do you most relate to currently? Explain. I tend to look for the positive things so I guess every cloud has a silver lining is the one for me. I think it’s a nice way to go through life, looking for the positive. I definitely don’t have my head in the clouds nor do I walk around in a cloud of suspicion.
4. Coconut, cauliflower, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, onions, ranch dressing…of the white foods listed, which would be the hardest for you to give up? Do you like all or any of the foods on the list? I think I would have the hardest time giving up mayonnaise because I love deviled eggs, chicken salad, shrimp salad, and quite a few dips with mayo in them. My second would be ranch dressing. I don’t have strong opinions about onions and cauliflower. I do not like coconut. I want to like cottage cheese because of all the protein attention it’s getting, but I am struggling to get past the visual texture.
5. Thomas Wentworth Higginson is credited with this quote -“How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year.” Agree or disagree? Tell us why. I agree. Even though I love summer, I think I need at least a little winter to fully appreciate it. I also appreciate a snow day or two in the winter. It’s so quiet and we are all forced to stay home and relax. It’s good for the mind and soul. Although, it was 75 in South Carolina last weekend and I was very happy to enjoy January things in the warmth.
6. Insert your own random thought here. I need a little advice here. Last Wednesday, I shared that I was enjoying watching our fox in the backyard. Well, on Sunday we realized that we have two foxes in the backyard and we are less than two weeks away from mating season.
I do not want the space under our deck to become a fox mating den. 😬 Our deck is only about 3 steps off the ground and has lattice around it, but the foxes have found a way under there. Do you have any suggestions of ways to keep the foxy fun away from our deck?? They are beautiful and healthy, but I do not want to be raising a fox family this spring!
That was fun! I am looking forward to your foxy advice! I can’t wait to see what everyone else answered! Have a great day full of sunshine and books!
Oh wow! I heard that moth balls may deter them but I would Chatgpt it 😉 You always inspire me to get outside and I understand why. Even in the winter the sunshine can feed your soul. How many days until spring? Asking for a friend and I know you will know!
64 days. That feels like a lot! But there are only 23 days until the Olympics. And our pools open in 129 days (Memorial Day weekend). There are good things on the horizon!
Friend to friend we will seek the joy in the cold and bask in the sun!
So this is a wild suggestion that your husband and/or boys may not be on board with (especially in winter!) but…. urine deters most wild animals and if they peed around the porch (at night in the dark) it would naturally deter the foxes from going under there.
I wan to be a winter hibernator but like you I try to get out and at least go on walks because even though it’s cold the fresh air and sunshine are still invigorating.
I was wondering if that might work. Well give it a shot. Thanks!
That’s what I was thinking, too. I’ll be sure to get them on it!
I’m thankful we have winter, but if it’s going to be cold, I want snow. The running joke in my family is about Mayo- people ask for it when they come over knowing there’s no way I would have Mayo in the house 🤣The Fox family…oh my! Homer would run them off haha
That is exactly what my coworker friend said – get a dog. No thank you!
Haha!
It’s just an unexpected bonus with Homer
I feel that I am more of a summer person too but I still complain about that with it being too hot. lol I am definitely not a winter person. Now is a good time for a soft reset, I feel like I have had one, changing a few things in my life.
Mayonnaise seems to go with just everything. We go through at least a jar a week.
Eek! It sure does sound like the foxes are making themselves at home. I have heard that strong smells keep them away, things like chili powder, garlic and white vinegar.
Thanks! A soft reset does sound like a good way to start the year.
I’ve heard putting something very strong smelling in the area might be a deterrent (vinegar, ammonia). We had a fox who had babies every year on the side yard of our NJ house. It wasn’t close to the house exactly, but those kits are the absolute cutest little things to watch play. The mother fox gave me the shivers-they look you in the eye and it’s creepy. You might also try a wildlife removal company. They are able to relocate animals and I think if the fox has babies there you will see them next year in the same place. Good luck! I like getting outside for sunshine and fresh air every day too. I’m not a fan of wind but otherwise I get outside. I’m in the upstate, not the coast and we were in the 60’s yesterday. I’m not mad about it : )
We had a single fox bring some babies under the deck for an afternoon a few years ago and they are so cute! I just don’t want to be running a fox nursery. Ha ha. Thanks for hosting each week! I love the questions. I called animal control but they didn’t want anything to do with healthy foxes. I should call a private company next. Great idea!
You are always such a positive person! I am not a fan of coconut either. Oh my, good luck with the foxes and hope some of these suggestions help!
Thank you! I really try to stay positive because it makes me happier (I guess that is repetitive, but oh well). Thanks for the well fox wishes!
I am not a fan of coconut either. I have heard some ‘wise tales’ if that’s what you want to call them about foxes….boys/men urinating on the ground close by and using moth balls.
We’ll give it a shot. Thanks for the tips!
Good luck with the foxy fun issue! I am also a warm weather person.
Thank you! We’ve had a single fox for years, but this is double trouble…
My goodness I am so ready for summer! I love Christmas, but once that’s over I’m ready for winter to go with it.
Exactly! Maybe I’d like one good snow day and then off to warm weather.
I loved deviled eggs so much!!
They are my favorite! I like to have leftover deviled eggs for breakfast, too.
Your house is so pretty with all the candles in the windows! I bet it’s nice from outside, too! For what it’s worth – I’ve lived in the same place for 20 years and have only had foxes in the neighbor’s yard once. They had their babies (which are so freakin’ adorable!), they grew up and went away.
I enjoyed your answers…I’m a hard person when it comes to weather…I can’t do too hot, but also too cold or wet doesn’t make me happy either. I hope you figure out the fox scenario. I have no advice