Clouds and Sun

In Oregon we have a a lot of cloudy days, many rainy days and a few sunny days.

During the first few years we lived here I didn't think much of the clouds and rain. It never really rains that hard. Its usually just a constant light rain that lasts all day. You can even walk to the mailbox and not get very wet at all. The rainy days usually arrive in October and/or November. They continue with more consistency through December and January, then begin to slowly taper off until May. Some people say that summer never really begins in Oregon until after July 4.

I was never really bothered by all the rain and cloudiness until last year. I began to notice my mood being greatly affected by the cloudy and sunny days. It was amazing how much better I would feel when the sun came out. Full of energy and ready to take on the world. On cloudy days I was sometimes moody and not really wanting to take on lifes daily tasks, let along the world. Yes, weather related depression affects many people in the northwest. I never thought I would be one of those people.

Well, I am and I have had to make some adjustments in order to battle the gloominess of the Oregon winter. I keep so many more lights on in the house during the day. I do my best to get out of the house and get some fresh air while running errands or interacting with others. I continue to get on the treadmill each morning. All of these things help, but its still a struggle sometimes.

When the sun does come out....hoooray for those days! We've been lucky to have a drier than average winter with many more days of sunshine than usual.

In Oregon a winter day seems to come in two forms: 1) cloudy, rainy and fairly warm (for winter), or 2) sunny and cold.

I'll take sunny and cold any day of the week!