Page 7 - County Guys Magazine

As I sit here jotting down notes for this article I am bundled in my favourite pajamas + alpaca wool socks while sipping (well maybe more than sipping) my first warm coffee of the day. I’m looking out at the dancing snow and the frosted trees on the horizon as they line the shores of Picton Bay. My 3 year old son has created his own couch obstacle course and he is gleefully jumping from “rock to shore” to escape the crocodile’s. My 8 month old Bernese mountain pup (all 80 pounds of him) is snoring peacefully beside me on the floor sprawled on his back while my wonderful husband tackles the mounds of accumulating snow outside on our porch. I giggle to
myself. I’m about to write an article about learning the Scandinavian Art Of Living A Hygge Life...all while that inner voice nudges me... You ARE living the Hygge Life! And So Are You my friends. We are
extremely fortunate to live in Prince Edward County, a community that models the lifestyle of our Nordic neighbours.
Hygge (“hue-guh”) loosely translated means “coziness”. But it’s much more than a cozy comfy interior, it's a culture that had been born of necessity to withstand the long, cold and often bleak Scandinavian winter. Early on the Nordic people came to understand that they could not change the climate resulting from their geographic coordinates, the short days and long dark nights or the gusty winds that swirled in from the ocean but they could alter their attitude towards the circumstances.
Hygge is about creating a safe haven for your family and friends. To gather often, to share in abundance, love well and extend grace. Layering your home in natural fibers, warm colours, soft lighting, intoxicating aromas of hot cocoa or mulled spices, slow cooked meals. And to PAUSE. Really pause. Turn off the gadgets and appreciate our countless blessings. I’ve learned that the County is a very close cousin to our Nordic neighbours in this sense of well-being. As a child growing up here I always felt safe, as a teenager I felt a stirring for something more exciting and moved away for a season only to discover my heart being called Home to our unique paradise. Every turn offers surreal water views, the infamous two finger steering wheel wave, the farmer stands, the abundance of artistic makers and musicians and oh the JOY. I hope you can pause for a moment this Christmas season to enjoy your version of hygge with your family and friends. Have more breakfasts in bed, finish a book, make a craft with your kiddos or reminisce with old friends.
Merry CHRISTmas & Happy Hygge’ing xo G + E Collective
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