I use my hands a lot and they are showing their age and all the times
I should have used gloves but didn't.
Whether it's washing dishes, dusting, cooking, crocheting,
writing, folding clothes ... my hands often fly through the work
and I think of them as a symphony--of, well, activity!
My hands are a good indicator of the weather. As soon as the humidity
drops and the air gets drier, cracks in my thumbs show up.
I've learned two things in the last couple of years that have helped a lot.
I hate kitchen rubber gloves--seems no matter how long they are, I get water in them.
Or holes.
And lotion or vasoline at night with gloves on--can't do it.
So I've started using the same blue gloves I used as a nurse.
I keep some by the sink and try to wear them all the time when in water.
And I wear them when I'm cleaning or even folding laundry.
It protects my hands and the moisture formed inside the plastic helps!
The other tip I've learned is to use chapstick on those painful cracks.
Just pile it on especially before bed and the sting of the air on the cracks
disappears. It's a temporary solution but works for me!
We had a rare, but real live snow storm yesterday.
Everything was closed and we enjoyed a quiet day, sitting by a window
when possible. The stillness and beauty was breathtaking.
This morning the world has a brilliance with the bright sun,
diamond-studded, though the photos don't quite show it.
Our temperatures will barely reach over 32, so melting will
occur but it could all refreeze tonight.
We are sticklers for tradition, and we almost always have
corn chowder on at least the first snow day of the year.
It's an old recipe, and we were doing this foolishness even back
when the kids were young and playing outside in their bread bag covered
sneakers and saran wrapped legs inside of jeans.
Beautiful snow photos!
ReplyDeleteWe use lanolin on those painful cracks in our fingers. Works very well and heals the cracks in a few days. I like how you liken your hands to a symphony. I don't wear gloves either and though I don't often get cracks in my skin, my hands are always very dry! Lotion bars are helpful to me for that.
Enjoy your snow while you have it!
Your chowder looks just right for a snowy day.
ReplyDeleteThe snow is so pretty this year seems like everyone across the globe is posting snow day pictures,
ReplyDeleteSoup is always good on a cold snowy day.
I like the idea of saran wrapped legs and bread bag covered shoes for kids and me LOL
That chowder is calling to me, nice tradition.
ReplyDeleteGood tips on helping our hands, thanks. I never thought of chapstick.
The snow pics are just GORGEOUS! Don't really have problems with my hands, but now my feet is a different story. I have to daily TWICE a day as a matter of fact, lube them up with a special cream or they are just a cracked sore mess...sigh. I am hungry for corn chowder now, lol. Enjoy the rest of your week!
ReplyDeleteDotsie, your corn chowder looks like a tasty tradition on a snow day! Your snow is so pretty. I've always loved the quiet beauty it brings to winter. You have some good tips to keep your hands protected in winter. We run two humidifiers in our home during the winter. My husband has really dry skin and it really helps him. ♥
ReplyDeleteSince our move to the wet west coast I only suffer that dry, sore skin when I visit my son in dry, cold Edmonton.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of your window!
Yes...breadbag or grocery store bags on shoes. Thought we were the only ones!!! And my fingers and thumbs get cracked so badly too. :(
ReplyDeleteYes...breadbag or grocery store bags on shoes. Thought we were the only ones!!! And my fingers and thumbs get cracked so badly too. :(
ReplyDeleteBlue, indeed! And the picture of tour “winter fairyland” is just breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteOh, my goodness... I remember the bread bag and Saran Wrap tricks! Your photos find all the beauty around you, Dotsie. Love 'em. Evan uses Super Glue on his cracks and ALWAYS comments on how much of a little miracle it is. Seals them right up. Your soup looks SOOOOOO good. Stay warm and enjoy your cold days. ;) blessings ~ tanna
ReplyDeleteThe soup looks delish! And it's nice to have a beautiful snow when you don't have to get out and drive! I remember my kids playing in the snow too and loving it! Enjoy your day! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteOh I can certainly relate to the dry hands...dry everywhere, actually! Those cracks around the nails can really be irritating. I have heard the bag balm works really well...yes, they use it on cow udders...lol! Love all the beautiful studies in blue and my favorite photo of all is the black and white looking out the window. The snow has been go beautiful! And yes, that soup looks amazing!
ReplyDeleteHi Dotsie, I love all your pretty blue and white treasures. The snow pictures you took are so pretty. Yes, this has been a beautiful snow, and I love all the stillness and quiet that comes with it. It's interesting you should write about the cracked fingertips in winter because I've been nursing one of those all week. The tip of my thumb has a crack, and I never imagined how painful that could be. I also didn't realize how much I use that thumb, and it hurts to do anything with it. I will have to take your suggestions under advisement. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a good weekend, Dotsie!
Warm hugs,
Denise
I’ve never heard of saran wrapped legs! I have heard of bread bag feet in boots, though. Oh your yard is lovely wearing white. Hope the gloves help. I keep a box of them around because I dislike plastic gloves, too.
ReplyDeleteI love your analogy of a symphony, imagining your hands "flying" through your work with purpose and service and love, creating beautiful music!
ReplyDeleteOh, your corn chowder tradition is a fine one. Looks so yummy!
Your photos of the snow are beautiful! And so is that soup! Are you passing out the recipe? Are the nurses gloves hard to get off and back on? Or do you use a new pair each time? A agree about rubber gloves--plus you can't "feel" anything with them. Thanks for the tip about the chapstick. Yesterday's temperatures took all our snow away. I was out picking up sticks--so nice to be outside for a change. The ground was still hard enough that Gabriel's feet stayed clean.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures today Dotsie! Sounds like you've come up with some great tricks to beat the dryness in your hands. I've also heard that using lotion bars is very helpful too and I've used them after gardening, which is when my hands suffer the most. Such glorious pictures of your world in the snow! There is nothing like the jewels sparkling in the snow after the sun comes out, simply glorious! Corn chowder looks wonderful, and what a lovely tradition to have! Hugs to you today :)
ReplyDeletei enjoyed seeing your blue and white crockery. It's perfect for a snowy day! And nothing is better on a cold winter day than snowstorm soup! have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking ... in Niger I struggle to keep my feet nice, but here in the winter, my feet are fine, it's my hands that are terrible. I've tried first aid cream and bandaids at night, but I'm going to try the chapstick and see what happens! Thanks for the tip.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother, who was the epitome of a southern belle, always told me to wear gloves when washing dishes as she did. Alas, I never formed the habit and to this day scold myself under my breath when my hands get chapped and cracked from lack of protection. I have a large tube of Gold Bond Skin Therapy Healing lotion beside my bed and another pump container by my sink in the bathroom. I try to remember to use is, but find myself getting in a hurry and forgetting. I keep hearing the best time to use lotion is after washing, when hands are still a little damp to lock in the moisture. Love your blue and white!
ReplyDeleteYour blue china is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLove the picture with the chair and view ...
Enjoy the snow and your yummie looking soup :)
Bye, Carolien
What a beautiful composition of blue and white dishes, Dotsie. My hands are showing my age more than anywhere else, I think. I don't have dry, cracked skin, but I try to use hand cream every day. Corn Chowder as a snowy day tradition sounds like a very good thing to me. Your snowy scenes are so pretty.
ReplyDeleteDotsie, Love the blue and white dishes. It's good to find creative solutions for our problems. I'm glad the blue gloves work. I love the tradition of corn chowder, what a great one. Thanks for sharing. Sylvia D.
ReplyDelete