It’s been a year since we settled in New England, and January is back in full force. While the thermometer readings aren’t that bad compared to SLC, the icy wind hits different. And I’m just not a fan of the cold anyway.

But Feebee? She loves it. Her winter coat has grown longer and thicker, with just a hint of curl around her neck. She’s a snow dog and she’s ready for action.

Getting me outside is another story. My partner has been helping me out with some nice tech layers to handle the chill and the dark. Still, we’ve been spending more time indoors catching up on shows.

Without our usual adventures in warmer woods, Feebee has extra energy to burn. This often results in her dancing around the living room, enthusiastically tossing her toys around, or wildly wiggling on her back, feet in the air, tongue out, making funny little grunting sounds.

On weekends, when there’s more daylight, we like to venture out to the nearby woods for short walks. Those outings are fun and often beautiful, but they require some vigilance on my part. Feebee has two habits that keep me on my toes:

• She has a knack for standing right underfoot, so I’m learning to watch every step to avoid mishaps in my chunky boots and bundling.
• She loves to dig through the snow until she hits dirt, literally. Then she treats herself to a snack of it, eating as much as she can before I stop her. Feebee, whyyy?

Then again, she’ll be eating dirt come spring, too. So for now, I’ll aim to bundle up more often and enjoy the time we have together—even if it means braving the frosty weather.