“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” Ok, maybe when you are planning for an outdoor exercise session, another type of winter sport activity, but socializing? Yes!
Have you heard about Frilufsliv? This is the nordic word for outdoor living in all weather. And now that the weather has changed to cooler temps in the era of COVID, we have all had to adjust our lifestyles and thoughts about socializing safely. In the summer we were so fortunate to have had such lovely weather. Outdoor socializing was so much fun, after our winter/spring of staying inside & only going out to exercise & shop! In our family we were fortunate to have everyone really adhering to our “bubble” and when we had outside visitors, we had plenty of warm, fresh air between us. I would measure our seating when with those outside our bubble, and that was that!
Lately I have had a few get-togethers with some friends, and it has been a bit chilly after 5:00. So with frilufsliv as my new outdoor theme, I started to think about how we could extend our fall season & still entertain. A few years ago I had embraced the Nordic term Hygge ~ the theme of cozy & comfortable inside, and now it’s time to embrace frilufsliv too!
First on my mind was how to transform my back porch & then my menu! We had to have more than just our chiminea, which is great on coolish summer evenings, so we searched for an outdoor gas heater. Of course, every restaurant in the world has been embracing the same theme of extending outdoor eating, and our quest for a heater this season was doomed. To our rescue came Jeff’s brother, who had this collecting dust in his basement – the same one we tried to order. His sweet brother just gave it to him. He had only used it twice!
As you can see this heater isn’t as cozy looking as our chiminea, but it really does heat you up. And as it got darker and more chilly, the flame really did add atmoshphere, along with the candles, a plant based charcuterie board, wine & good company! A bit later we had a nice big bowl of hot soup & crusty french bread, followed by a citrus cake with a coconut cream topping. As the night progessed out came my collection of wraps & throws & believe me, we did adjust to the cold ~ Nordic style!
My signature appetizer is the plant-based charcuterie board. I use it for most occasions, in many different variations & it really makes people happy even if we are just having them over for a drink. Drinks from now on will include hot toddies & I will share some of those new recipes with you.
Thank you for coming by my blog today. As we prepare for Holidays with a more intimate guest list, let me know if you would like any assistance with your friluftsliv settings or your cozy winter indoor hygge. This year we need to embrace & savor each season & each moment. Perhaps this is all part of a lesson to be learned.
Blessings,
Janis