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As I was sitting down to write this article, staring out at the snow-covered fields by my house, this adage crossed my mind: “If you choose not to find joy in the snow, you will have less joy in your life, but still the same amount of snow.”

I have no idea who came up with this quote, but man, are they right, especially this year. So, instead of bemoaning the weather and complaining, I’m going to give you a list of things that you can do that will get you outside and actually enjoy the snow. I’ll try to break these down in order of intensity; obviously skiing is a whole lot more intensive than making ice cream, so I’m going to try to make sure that no one has an excuse for not doing at least one thing outside.

So, for those up for an adventure who really enjoy getting out in the great outdoors, bundled up and ready to go, let’s go skiing. We have some pretty good places, fairly local, and others that are just a few hours’ drive away. In Chesterland, we have Alpine Valley, where I learned to ski. It’s got some small hills and is a pretty good place to learn to ski. Brandywine is in Northfield, Boston Mills is in Peninsula, Snow Trails is in Mansfield, Holiday Valley is in Ellicottville, New York, and Peak n’ Peak is in Clymer, New York. These ski resorts tend to cater to snowboarders and skiers of all ages.

If downhill skiing isn’t enticing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are other options. Chapin Forest Pine Lodge Ski Center in Kirtland, Big Creek Ski Area in Chardon and Swine Creek Reservation all offer wide open areas to blaze your own trails. Closer to home, if you own your own gear, Mosquito Lake Park also has wide open spaces to break out your skis.

If you’re more the snow tubing type, Polar Blast Snow Tubing in Northfield and Snow Trails in Mansfield offer hours of tubing fun.

If those sound too exhausting or too far away, good old-fashioned sledding fun is available locally. The EastLake Metro Sled Hill in Cortland offers hours of fun close to home. I’m not sure if it’s still allowed, but the Library Hill in Kinsman was always a fun destination for us to sled as kids.

If speeding down a hill and then hiking back up sounds a little too grueling, check out some of the local rail-to-trail paths. Snow-covered, beautiful, and peaceful, the Western Reserve Greenway has entrances in Mineral Ridge, Champion, North Bloomfield, Bristol and other locations. Additionally, the Maple Highlands Trail has an entrance at Swine Creek Park and winds through the gorgeous countryside. The best part about these trails is that your four-legged furry companion can join the hike, making it a true family outing.

If skiing, sledding, and hiking are just more than you can handle, never fear; you don’t even have to leave your house to have snow much fun! Building a snowman, creating a snow fort, playing fox and goose, or even a good old-fashioned snowball fight can bring smiles and laughter to everyone. And get creative with it. Don’t just build a snowman; use food coloring to dye the snow and make it a Hawaiian-shirt-wearing snowman.

Additionally, this was a new one I just learned about and I plan to try it today. Make a mixture of dish soap and water, and find a cookie cutter. Head outside, dip the cookie cutter into the soap-and-water mixture, and hold it up to the light. You can watch crystals form in real time. Combining learning, fun and a snow day is a great way to keep everyone entertained and happy.

Now, if you’ve read through all of those and you’re exhausted just thinking about doing any of those, I have an activity for you. It doesn’t even involve going outside for that long, just long enough to grab a bowl full of clean snow. You’re going to make snow ice cream. All you need is snow, milk (of your choice), sugar (I prefer maple syrup or condensed milk), vanilla and a pinch of salt. If you’re really against using snow, shaved ice will work.

The recipe is simple: eight cups of snow (make sure to keep in your freezer while mixing up the rest), one cup of milk,1/3 cup of sugar, a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Mix the milk, sugar, vanilla and salt together. Then pour over the snow until you reach your desired consistency and garnish with sprinkles (consume at your own risk).

With this article, I hope people of all ages can find some joy in the snow, because, like it or not, it looks like it will be around for a while. And if you’re out and about on one of the trails, or even driving by my house, don’t be surprised if you see Shiloh and me out enjoying the snow and the cold. This is our favorite time of year, and I’m going to enjoy every frozen second of it.

Stay warm and I hope you can find a little joy in the snow.

Submitted by Christen Clemson, Ph.D., a member of the Trumbull County Farm Bureau who completed her doctorate at Pennsylvania State University. She and her family farm in Mecca Township.

OFBF Mission: Working together for Ohio farmers to advance agriculture and strengthen our communities.