12 Frugal Living Tips for Winter
Winter is often thought-of as being the most expensive time of the year. First the holiday season kicks things off with a bang (and a hefty price tag). Then there are the extra costs for heating and powering our homes.
Plus, since the weather is often cold, dark and gloomy, there aren’t as many fun, free things to do outdoors, so it’s easy to blow your budget on other things that will help you beat cabin fever like eating out, going to the movies and even going shopping just for something to do.
But the flip side to this is that, once January hits, many people are motivated by the fresh start the new year brings and are ready to hunker down for a while and get their finances on track after the holidays. So in many ways that makes winter the perfect time of year to adopt some frugal habits.
If you want to know more about ways to have a frugal holiday season, check out this post: 10 Frugal Living Tips for Christmas.
Otherwise, the following frugal living tips apply all winter long (and certain ones apply all year long!)
1. Have a No-Spend Month
While November and December probably aren’t the best candidates for extreme frugal living, January is the perfect time to plan a no-spend month.
A no-spend month (also called a spending freeze) simply means you don’t spend any money on anything that isn’t a necessity. This means no dining out, no clothes shopping, no beauty products or subscriptions or fancy stuff, and stick to a budget for essentials like groceries, housing and transportation.
For more help with creating a budget, check out the Money & Budgeting section of our Free Resource Library.
2. Plan Meals Around What’s in Your Pantry
Another reason why January makes such a great candidate for a no-spend month is because your fridge, freezer and pantry are likely loaded with leftovers from Christmas and other food you’ve put up throughout the year. So it’s easy to save money on groceries by shopping from your pantry and planning meals around what you have on hand
Related: How to Shop From Your Pantry Like A Pro
Of course, you can and should make a habit of this all year long! But right after the holidays is an extra-good time to eat from your pantry and fill in the gaps on budget for everything else.
For more help with meal planning, grocery shopping on budget and shopping from your pantry, check out the Meal Planning section of my Free Resource Library.
3. Learn a New Money-Saving Skill
Winter’s a great time to learn a new skill, especially when it comes to homesteading. Since we aren’t so busy gardening and preserving, we can take more time to learn something more time-consuming and involved like sourdough bread-baking, knitting, quilting, soap-making, candle-making or cooking on a wood stove.
Related: 13 Winter Activities for Modern Homesteaders
It’s also a good time of year to slow down and read up on any new skills you’d like to learn. Take advantage of having some extra time on your hands and fully immerse yourself in something you want to master. Just remember: one thing at a time if you really want to get good at something.
4. Go to the Library
I love the library. I don’t use it as much as I should, but every time I go back to the library I ask myself why I don’t go there more often.
You can take out an unlimited number of books, DVDs, magazines and even toys from some libraries, all for free! It’s also a great place to get out of the bad weather and hang out for a while if you just can’t stand to be home anymore but you don’t want to be outside either.
5. Get Warm for Free
One of the most expensive things about winter is the extra expense of heating your house during the coldest months of the year. Find frugal and free ways to warm up by layering your clothes, warming your house with a wood stove (if possible) or cuddling up on the couch with a big warm blanket and someone you love.
For more ideas on how to stay warm for free during the winter, check out this post.
6. Spend Time “Off the Grid”
Along with using less electric heating, you can save money in the winter by using less electricity over all. Turn off lights and light candles. You can even learn to make your own soy candles to save even more money and light your home naturally all winter long.
Unplug appliances and electronics that aren’t being used. Cook on the wood stove if you have one. Take a technology break (and a break from unnatural screen light) and read by the light of an oil lamp.
Using less electricity doesn’t just mean more money in your pocket, it’s good for your mental wellbeing to take a break from screen time and unnatural lighting as much as possible.
7. Go Skating
Skating is another frugal winter activity that typically only costs a few bucks for some rink time and skate rentals. Many sports centers even offer free skates for families, kids and teens on certain days throughout the winter season.
If you live somewhere where it gets cold enough for a lake or pond to freeze over, you can even skate for free! Maybe even grab a couple hockey sticks and a puck and play a pick-up game:)
8. Have Fun in the Snow
If there’s snow on the ground (or on nearby mountains), you can have a full day of fun in the snow for next to nothing. Get the kids together to build a snowman. Go sledding. Have a snowball fight. Or just grab some hot chocolate and go for a snowy, winter walk through the woods or down a country road.
9. Play Board Games
Winter is the perfect time of year to sit at home and play games with the whole family. This could mean card and dice games like Yahtzee, Poker, Crib or Go Fish, board games like Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit or Clue, or more “active” games like Pictionary, Charades or Twister!
10. Have a Family Movie Night at Home
The cold winter months are the best time to snuggle up together and have a family movie night, complete with homemade popcorn, popped over the wood stove perhaps? Whether you watch Netflix, Amazon Prime or a good “old-fashioned” DVD, having a family movie night makes staying in a little more entertaining and is way more frugal than going to see a movie at the theatres.
11. Have a Romantic Candlelight Dinner at Home
Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or Saturday night, make it a little more special for no extra cost by enjoying a nice candlelight dinner at home. Cook a nice meal, set the table, dim or turn off all the lights, play a little mood music and get dressed up for dinner at home. There’s no reason why eating in can’t be just as fun as eating out!
12. Go on “Staycation”
Save money on travel and enjoy a staycation in the comfort of your own home this winter. By the end of January/early February, I really start missing the warm, sunny weather, and so I find myself craving things that remind me of sun like tropical fruits and exotic foods. A great way to treat yourself when you can’t afford an actual vacation to Mexico or Hawaii is to have a little staycation at home with all of the things that remind you of warmer days.
Start by preparing your home for your stay. First, tidy up, do all of the chores that need being done like laundry and dishes. Make the bed (and maybe even put a chocolate on each pillow), break out the fancy soap, candles and towels, and then, prepare for your stay.
If you’re going for a tropical theme, cut up some fruit like pineapples, mangos and limes. Stock up on coconut milk for making piña coladas and exotic soups that will warm you up on your winter staycation. Prepare a playlist of “summertime” music or something that reminds you of a sunny vacation like reggae music (my go-to!)
Spend your time however you would on vacation. Have a nice meal, pamper yourself (at home pedicure perhaps?), maybe dress up to have drinks and go dancing with your partner… Yolo, right? If you can’t afford a real beach vacation, you at least deserve to treat yourself to a staycation instead;)
Frugal Living Tips for Every Season
Post-holiday season winter is the perfect time to cut back on our spending and get back on a budget that works. These frugal living tips will help you cut back on non-essential spending and save more money this winter while still having fun.
For more frugal living tips for every season, check out the following posts:
Wishing you health, wealth & homestead happiness:)
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A lot of people preach living a slow, simple life, but in reality they’re going a million miles an hour trying to keep up with their “slow simple lifestyle,” which often includes farming, gardening, cooking, preserving, educating and caring for children and even some degree of sharing it all with the world, either on social media, through a blog, vlog, podcast, etc. Not to mention all of the other demands of modern day life, including work outside the home, errands, emergencies and extracurricular activities. It can all get more than a bit overwhelming at times, and before you know it the “simple life” can feel like anything but.
I’m definitely guilty of not always practicing what I preach in this regard, and lately I’ve felt it all catching up to me.
I’ve been letting stress get the best of me these past few weeks and I’ve been feeling the physical toll it’s been taking on me. And I know I’m not the only one! Trying to keep up with the demands of daily life can keep us all in a constant state of chronic stress that’s not healthy.
Too often I find I’m so busy working that I don’t take time to slow down and just enjoy the bees on the flowers in the garden, or to have a picnic with my daughter or colour mandalas or make a Mason jar snail terrarium with her.
But at the end of the day, these are the things that fill me up and make me feel whole; These are the things that make a “slow, simple life” worth living.
So I’ve been taking time out to do more of this lately, and have been doing my best to organize and prioritize what’s truly important.
If you’re struggling with feeling stressed or overwhelmed with everything on your to-do list too, and you need some help managing the must-dos so you can free up time to actually slow down and enjoy life, I’ve got a few tips that may help.
Click the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/10-tips-for-managing-stress-and-overwhelm/ to read my 10 tips for managing stress and overwhelm on the homestead.
I’d love to know your tips too! How do you manage stress? Let me know down below👇
We’ve been saving up cardboard for months now. We’ve had 6 yards of mulch sitting in our driveway for weeks, and we’ve weeded the same areas of our garden more times than I can count. Not to mention, mulching our garden paths has been on our to-do list ever since we put in our main garden 3 years ago.
It’s been a long time coming, but we’re finally getting around to tackling this task and it’s about to make our work (and our lives) A LOT easier.
While I’m a huge proponent of investing time and money up front to do things the right way and make life easier right off the bat, the reality is that it’s not always feasible or affordable to do all of the things you want to do right away. This is true for homesteading and for life in general; You just have to do what you can with what you’ve got and chip away at your goals little by little.
We’re still a long ways off from where we want to be and from what we envision for this property when we’re through with it. And we still have a dream someday move to a larger property where we’ll add all sorts of new projects to our to-do list! But although some days it seems as if we’ll never be done (and truthfully, we probably won’t), it’s days like this that make me stand back and say “holy crap, look how far we’ve come!”
This is so important to remember, no matter where you are on your journey. Always take time to celebrate your accomplishments and don’t dwell on all of the things you still need to do. Just focus on the next thing and little by little it will start to come together. Take things one step, one day and one cardboard box at a time, and eventually you too will look back and say “holy crap, look how far I’ve come.”
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#humanswhogrowfood #gardenersofinstagram #gardenersworld #growfoodnotlawns #growyourownfood #homesteading #homesteadersofinstagram
(1/5) The past few weeks have been some of the most difficult to date in my occupation as a homesteader and a blogger.
I've had to do a lot of soul-searching to really, truly, deeply ask myself why?
Why have I chosen this path, and why is it important to me to share it with the world??
The truth is, I've talked about my "why" before. I don't homestead and grow food and cook and preserve and preach about sustainability and self-reliance and self-determination simply because I think homegrown tomatoes are healthier and taste better than store-bought tomatoes. Sure, this is part of it, but it's not the part that drives me to put in the long hours and hard work that goes into the line of work I've chosen.
What drives me to do what I do and to share my passion for homesteading and self-sufficiency with the world comes from a place deep inside me that sees the wrongs in our system, and wants to do whatever I can to challenge them and make them right.
I've talked many, many times about the flaws with our modern, industrialized food system, and about how homesteading is a way to take back some control over our food supply and buck this system. (Yes, that's buck, with a "b" ;)
I talk all the time about the importance of supporting small farmers and local businesses instead of big corporations, and about the importance of voting with your dollars.
And I preach the importance of community, and why it's so important to support each other and find support in your community, whether in your local community or online. Because self-sufficiency is about more than each individual person or family; It's about empowering entire communities of people to rise up and take control of their own food supply and basic needs, and break free from the cycle of dependency on the system that most of us are born into.
To me, homesteading is about so much more than the act of growing and preparing food, or DIY-ing your own soap or candles or toothpaste. Quite honestly, it's a way for everyday people to take back control over their own lives and throw a proverbial middle finger to "the system" and the status quo.
(Continued in comments...)
Roughly one year ago, the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer brought the issue of systemic racism to the forefront of so many conversations. I, like many others, released a statement that I wanted to do more to combat racism, and to showcase more diversity in the world of modern homesteading, and you, my dear readers, stepped up with some excellent resources to get me started.
I began diving into these resources and kept coming across a term that, until then, I had never heard before. While the terms "food security," "self-sufficiency," "sustainability" and "food independence" tend to make it into many conversations related to modern homesteading, it was only when I began researching Black people in the modern homesteading movement that I heard the term "food justice," and I immediately knew this was something I wanted to learn more about and share with you here. Which is why...
This month's issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine is all about Food Justice.
The Food Justice Movement is a response to racial injustice in our current food system, and aims to help ensure equal and equitable access to fresh, healthy, organic food for people in low-income communities of colour, often dubbed “food deserts” where such food is scarce.
I’ve been so nervous to hit publish on this issue due to the sensitive nature of the topic, but it’s an issue that not nearly enough people in the Modern Homesteading community are talking about, and it absolutely deserves some of our attention.
I invite you to enjoy this issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine, and to join me in the fight for people of all races, classes and ethnicities to have equal and equitable access to fresh, healthy food.
Check your inbox for the latest issue if you’re already subscribed, or click the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead to subscribe for free or become a member and get unlimited access to our entire library of issues. I’ll be matching and donating 100% of all proceeds from membership sales during the month of June to help advance Food Justice initiatives. You can find more info about this in the delivery email for this issue.
One of my favourite ways to use rhubarb in the spring is to turn it into a delicious rhubarb juice concentrate to mix with soda water, juice or cocktails for a refreshing bevvies all summer long.
This is one of the most popular recipes on my site, and even includes canning instructions so you can put some up to enjoy all year long! I’ve been sharing it on social media every spring for years now, but all of a sudden Facebook won’t let me post it because apparently it “goes against their community standards,” and Instagram let me post the photo, but when I added the link to the caption they just deleted the entire caption without warning.
A reader of mine who tried to share this recipe a couple weeks ago suspects that it’s because the word “shooting” appeared in the post, when I talked about our rhubarb stalks “shooting” out of the ground. I’ve since changed that sentence and appealed to the FB gods, but so far to no avail.
Luckily, however, I was able to share the recipe in my IG link, so make sure to head over there now to get the recipe before it’s too late! Maybe even print it for future reference. After all, you just never know when the Internet is gonna “disappear” your favourite recipes forever 😜
Link in bio (for now anyway) @thehouseandhomestead
Every year without fail, I wait until the last possible moment to harvest and preserve everything out of our garden, including our herbs.
Not only does this leave me stressed and overwhelmed and wanting to pull my hair out come summer and fall, but herbs are actually best when harvested in the springtime anyway, when they're still young and tender. So this year I'm getting a head start on preserving season by preserving our first batch of herbs in the spring, well before any of the summer fruits and vegetables are ripe for the picking.
Join me in the herb garden and then follow me into the kitchen where I'll show you a few of my favourite ways to preserve fresh herbs at home to enjoy all year round. Be sure to stick along til the end and enjoy a garden fresh mojito with me (wherever you are, it’s 5:00 somewhere, right ;)
Link in bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://youtu.be/Qr11BK5J5aU to watch the full video and get all my favourite herb preserving recipes!
So this is 34...
(1/3) When I look back on my 34 tours around the sun, all I can say is WOW! How incredibly blessed I’ve been.
In my younger years, I had the privilege of travelling around the world and living abroad 3 times, long before borders closed and travelling became more of a nightmare than a dream.
When I returned home to my roots, I completed my second degree in education (my first degree is in journalism) and I married the love of my life. During these years of schooling and settling into domestic life in Vancouver, we started learning more about where our food comes from and how reconnecting with nature could help relieve much of the crippling anxiety that I felt living in the city, so we set a goal to move to Vancouver Island where we could afford more land and start farming and gardening once we were married and I was done school. With laser focus and intention placed on this goal, the stars aligned and we made our move 6 years ago now. We’ve never looked back.
While our initial move brought heartache when we had a major accident on the way to our new home and lost a beloved family pet, I was soon comforted when I learned I was pregnant with our first child.
I also stumbled into the perfect teaching job at a beautiful little school with an ocean view, where I worked until I gave birth. But I didn’t feel truly fulfilled as a teacher. I’ve always wanted to write and create content to share with the world, but I didn’t know exactly how I would do this or what form it would take.
Then, while on maternity leave, I learned about the world of blogging, and that there were many people who have made a very lucrative career out of creating and sharing online content with the world. The lightbulb went off and I knew immediately that this was my calling. I also knew exactly what I wanted to write about and share: I wanted to share my passion for growing, cooking and preserving real food, and living a more sustainable life. I wanted to teach and inspire others to pursue their own homesteading dreams like we had, and show them that if we could do it, so could they.
Continued in comments...
I have a confession to make...
I don’t like radishes. But I love to grow them, which has created quite a dilemma in the past. That is, until I discovered ROASTED RADISHES!
Talk about a game changer! Roasting radishes completely takes the bite out of radishes (ya know, that spiciness that fresh radishes are known for). Plus, the addition of honey butter elevates even the most boring side dish of radishes to a dish you’re gonna wanna lick clean! Not that I’ve done that or anything 😳
My favourite radishes to grow are an heirloom variety called French Breakfast radishes (pictured here). They’re long and cylindrical rather than round and they’re an absolute beauty in the garden and on a plate!
But any radishes will work for this recipe. And if you’ve got some fresh thyme growing in your herb garden, toss in a few sprigs to compliment the flavours in this dish.
I’ve gone from disliking radishes to literally salivating over this dish, so much so that I had to share the recipe!
Whether or not you love radishes fresh, these roasted radishes are a total game changer and a sure crowd pleaser. But don’t take my word for it. Do yourself a favour and try ‘em for yourself:)
Recipe link in bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to https://thehouseandhomestead.com/roasted-radishes-with-honey-butter/
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#radishes #roastedradishes #radishrecipes #farmtotable #gardentotable #humanswhogrowfood #growfoodnotlawns #homesteadkitchen #nomnom #droolclub
🕷 There was a time in my life when finding a nest of spiders on my garden gate, VERY close to the handle, would have easily been considered one of my worst nightmares.
Seriously... Growing up I HATED spiders and was so terrified of them. One time there was a single spider on my grandma’s car window and I said “look Nanny, it’s Arachnophobia!” Anybody remember that movie? Let’s just say that it haunted me for many years of my life!
But when I started gardening and reconnecting with nature, suddenly spiders went from being something I was afraid of to something I welcomed on our property.
In the spring, I love seeing the garden spiders (I have no clue what they’re actually called) running around close to my fingers as I plant out seeds, many of them carrying large egg sacs on their back.
In the fall I love watching orb spiders spin their webs that capture the last of the summer rays and the first of the fall raindrops on their silky threads.
Even in the bathroom (why do spiders gravitate to the bathroom??) I always try not to kill the spiders that I find, but relocate them to the garden instead. A healthy garden is teeming with spiders and worms and butterflies and bees. A healthy garden is full of healthy life, and just like good bacteria helps ward off bad bacteria in our bodies, so too do the “good bugs” help to control the bad bugs in the garden, and spiders are one of the most beneficial bugs when it comes to that!
It’s amazing how much living close to the land changes you and gives you a greater respect for all life. As much as I’m still not ready to put my hands out and hold a spider (I literally passed out when I was a kid and tried to hold someone’s pet tarantula), I am learning to coexist with all things, and appreciate the unique purpose that every living thing serves here on Earth.
As much as it may seem like we have nothing in common, if you take a moment to just observe nature or sit in stillness by your garden gate, you’re sure to realize we all have more in common than most people might think.
Some people want an ocean view or a high-rise apartment with a bird’s eye view of the city. Me? I’ll never get tired of waking up to this (weeds and all!) 😍
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#gardenersofinstagram #gardenersofig #homesteadersofinstagram #homesteading #simpleliving #springgarden #growfoodnotlawns
My mom and dad divorced when I was just 9 months old. I have no memory of them ever being together, and remain my mother’s only child.
It was definitely a struggle at times. When I was a kid I was constantly reminded that money didn’t grow on trees and that, while we lived comfortably, there was never any extra for the “fun stuff.”
I watched my mom cry many times because of how hard it was to be a single mother on a tight income. Sometimes I would pull whatever money I had in my piggy bank and offer it to her to help pay for groceries. She always refused, but I know it was hard on her to want to give me the world while simultaneously having to use coupons just to get by, and it was hard on me watching how hard it was on her.
But while I didn’t grow up wearing name-brand clothes or getting whatever I wanted whenever I wanted it, my mom was determined to put whatever extra money she could save toward giving me some of the best experiences life had to offer and making memories together that will last our lifetimes.
When I was in high school, I had the opportunity to go on a discounted school trip to Europe. My mom encouraged me to go and told me she would help pay for it. So I signed myself up and when I found out they were looking for parents to help chaperone the trip, I immediately asked my mom to come along. I promised her that I would work hard and save up enough money to pay for my own trip so she could afford to come too.
We made it happen, and it marked the beginning of roughly a decade of adventures together travelling all over the world.
In the end, the experiences we had have helped shape me and my appreciation for all that this beautiful world has to offer, and the memories we made together will forever remain some of my most cherished.
Yes, there were times we struggled, but thanks to my mom, I can truly say that I’ve had a blessed life, and am grateful every day for all of the sacrifices she made in order to literally give me the world. She didn’t just teach me the value of a dollar, she taught me that time spent together is worth more than anything else we could possibly spend our money on.
Thanks mom. I love you as big as the world 🗺 ❤️
🪴The May issue of Modern Homesteading Magazine just dropped! This month’s issue is all about the wonderful world of herbs and herb gardening!!!
Herbs have always been an integral part of both good food and good health, often at the same time!
The great emperor Charlemagne famously said that "Herbs are the friend of the physician and the pride of cooks."
Indeed, both physicians and cooks would be nothing without herbs, and so you can see how useful having an herb garden can be for us modern homesteaders who often aim to cook most of our meals from scratch with ingredients grown on our own property AND be our family's own primary health care provider.
First up we're showcasing 10 less common herbs that are totally worthy of a place in your garden. From culinary herbs like lovage and chervil to medicinal herbs like comfrey and marshmallow and dual purpose herbs in between, if you're looking to expand your herb garden beyond the standard culinary herbs you're familiar with, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about growing and using these lesser known herbs at home.
Our guest interview this month is with CeAnne Kosel, founder of @farmhouseteas. CeAnne's journey into herbalism began with a discounted pack of calendula seeds and led her to starting what has become a successful business mixing and selling herbal teas and other all-natural herbal products. She's here sharing her story, her advice for anyone wanting to break into the business side of selling herbal products and her formula for crafting herbal teas that are as healing as they are delicious!
And of course, no issue would be complete without a few good recipes to keep in your back pocket (or herb cabinet). This month we're tipping our hats to the art, flavour and finesse of French cooking with three distinctly French herb blends that will help take your home cooking to a whole new level. Plus, don't miss CeAnne's bonus recipe for homemade Allergy Tea, perfect for spring! (Aka. allergy season).
To read the May issue, subscribe for FREE via the link in my bio @thehouseandhomestead or go to thehouseandhomestead.com/magazine.
Happy herb gardening!
It seems like this time of year, regardless of the season or which side of the world we are on is the most expensive. Here it is so hot that those who have air conditioning have them on all the time, and spend very little time outside. We dont have aircon but we do have ceiling fans. I have the ones in the living areas on all day and turn them off at night. The bedroom fan goes on at night and stays on till the next morning. We have a three light rule in this house. There will be no more than three lights on at once. Once dinner and the dishes are done all the lights go off and we just have the light of the TV. If I want to crochet I have a lamp that gets turned on.
Here in Australia post Christmas sales are on. These are big sales and often are worth spending to get required items. It is a good time to stock up on pantry items as well. It is also a time when it is easy to get lured in to purchase extra items. I stay away from the stores as much as possible.
I use the Library as a means of getting all the usual things but also as a place to enjoy the cool of the aircon.
Hope that Ryan’s job hunting or ‘Hire a Hubby’ home maintenance business is getting sorted out. I am off to have a mango smoothie for brekkie. I live in the sub tropics, 150m from the beach. I am on holidays all the time.
Hi Jane!
So true. This time of year is expensive across the board regardless of whether it’s summer or winter whereto are. Especially as the world gets hotter in the summertime, the cost of air conditioning rivals the cost of heating! Actually, it’s probably worse because at least you can use a wood stove to heat your house but you pretty much need electricity to run an air conditioner and cool down. Plus there’s the added expense of the holidays no matter where you live.
I love the three light rule. I should try to implement that. We have a toddler who is currently into turning all the lights on that she can reach. Trying to teach her about conserving electricity right now but the concept is a bit advanced to say the least! But now that we have our wood stove running and I make my own candles so we can burn lots without worrying about paying good money to replace them, so we’ve reduced our overall electricity costs for the winter.
There are also still post-Christmas sales on here too, and if you have some extra cash they are well worth taking advantage of. That’s what I did last year and I put things away for this Christmas and shopped throughout the year and honestly this was the most affordable Christmas we’ve ever had (and thank God because it coincided with Ryan losing his job). Right now we’re keeping it super frugal and only spending on absolute necessities while we finish up our big building projects, specifically the laneway house so we can start earning a rental income. But Ryan is off building a shed for someone for a couple hundred bucks today so that will help until he has time to dedicate every day to his new business. There’s lots of work around here so I don’t think it will be hard for him to find work to fill his days.
Thanks again for your comment! Your little corner of the Earth sounds beautiful! Makes me miss Australia for sure. Where exactly are you> I envision Port Macquarie or something like that. So gorgeous there.
Anna we’re quite a bit further north of Port Maquarie. We’re in Hervey Bay Queensland, just south of Bundaburg. We’re a four hour drive north of Brisbane, about half way between Brisbane and Rockhampton. Fraser Island is just off the coast from us. It’s a sub tropical environment and at the moment it feels very tropical. We currently have high humidity and I am hoping this leads to a much needed storm. Stay warm and I will try to stay cool.
Oh yes, I’ve been to Fraser Island:) Will do! Nowadays we look forward to the “Goldilocks” off-seasons when it’s not too hot, not too cold but just right! Take care.