The Migration Of The Bi-Polar Snow Bird.

Funny thing happens in Minnesota, say around November. The sun disappears and everything turns white. It stays that way untill, oh, let's say May. Not that the snow goes away or anything in May, it just stops falling from the sky. (Of course last year, we got one of our biggest snow storms a week into May. Imagine my delight.)

Well, the sun dosen't actually disappear, it just goes into hiding behind all the damned gray clouds. You know what happens then? The temperature drops. There are, of course, degrees of cold. They are:

1. Cold
2. Real Cold
3. Really Cold
4. Really Amazingly Cold

And of course,

5. OMG I'm not really sure what that is down there, but I hope it didn't fall off of me, Cold.

This winter, so far, it has been a number 5. In fact, there is an annual event that, for some strange reason, is looked forward to around these parts all year long with great anticipation. An annual event referred to as the Polar Plunge. An event in which the participants strip down to a bathing suit and jump into a hole chopped through the ice of the local lake. This year, the event was cancelled due to the low temperature and severe wind chill.

Now, you have to know these Minnesotans are hardy folks, so to cancel an event designed to show off just how hardy they are, it has to be pretty darn cold. Not to mention any man jumping into that temperature water can just about count on not seeing certain parts of his body until about mid-summer! But I digress.

So, since hibernation is out of the question, although Depends may provide an answer to one of the logistic problems, there is little left for a person to do when the snow is up to your nose and the winds are howling and blowing so hard that powdery snow works it's way through the best insulated windows, but hunker down and slip into depression. Some folks call it cabin fever.

There are studies on seasonal depression which indicate the lack of sun as a trigger. Once triggered, it is difficult to successfully escape the eventual gravitational pull of depression. For many, once depression has begun to grab hold, other things begin to manifest. Cold can become down right painful to someone on the cusp of depression, not to mention to someone in the deep abyss. And yes, depression is painful, mentally as well as physically.

Most are familiar with the mental aspects of depression. (I'd mention them, but I find it to depressing to do so.) So, instead lets talk about the physical manifestations.

The cold can seriously affect someone with depression. The cold can actually hurt physically, which in turn can trigger a deeper depression, causing the cold to be even more painful, causing the depression, oh, you get the picture. No reason to go on and on.

Good question. How nice of you to ask!

Believe it or not, there are a few things to do to relieve Seasonal Depression. Some folks, (myself included) like to use Aroma Therapy to lift the spirits. Scents like Jasmine, Frankincense, Myrrh, Cedar and Patchouli in particular tend to help cleanse the mind and stimulate individuals into a better state of mind, as well as Musk and Lavender. (Which also has a calming effect) Nag Champa also is useful in settling down the winter doldrums as well.

Some folks like candle therapy. I love to burn candles around the house, and though it does nothing as far as really lifting the spirits, it does help make for a very cozy ambiance, which in turn helps to set a very calming mood.

Some folks invest in lighting. Yup. Lighting. There are lights out there which are full spectrum, (Like sunlight) and they simply set the lights up in a room and expose themselves to the light while they continue on with their normal routine. The light, which helps to supplement an individual with the light they are missing due to the season actually helps to relieve Seasonal Depression.

These things are fine, and they do help, but to me, there is little substitute for the real thing. I personally have less problems with depression during the summer months when the sun is strong. The sun actually has a strong affect on the body, and as a matter of fact, the sun actually helps your body process a certain vitamin which helps fight depression. Vitamin D reacts within the body when sun light is available and helps fight depression! Who knew?

So, here's the deal. Since I can't hibernate, I am going to migrate. You bet your boots! We are heading to the southwest this winter. And, guess what! You all are invited.

Yup! You all get to follow along as we make our way out west to points beyond the Minnesota snow drifts. Better than explaining it all, let me show you what we are running away from.

Now, I realize some folks like the snow, (Like the individual in the picture below), and they are more than welcome to take my place in it all.  As for myself, well, I have had enough!

And that's just what we did. We headed south west. Of course, things were not immediately all that much better.

 So our route took us threw South Dakota.  Brrr. 

Once we hit Nebraska, I began questioning my sanity. Especially when we hit Omaha, and the ground blizzard. (4 days ago) Does anyone have any idea just how long it takes to get across Nebraska during a blizzard, at thirty miles an hour?

A really, really, really long time!

However, I was stoked, because the folks waiting for us in Colorado had bragged about the 70 degree day they were having, and all I could think about were Bermuda shorts, T-shirts and sipping Coral Reefs around the pool. Wanna see?

 So, tomorrow, Wednesday to be exact, we will again be on our migratory route to the southwest in search of temperatures over the 32 degree mark.  Wish us luck. 

Stay tuned for further developements.  Untill then, Happy Bi-Polaring!  (Now where did I put that pocket heater?)